[Evaluation of molecular weight of hyaluronate preparations by size-exclusion chromatography].

Hyaluronate (HA), a glycosaminoglycan polysaccharide, has been used as a biomedical polymer to treat osteoarthritis by intra-articular injections and in ophthalmic surgery, such as anterior segment surgery. In this study, the molecular weight (MW) of HA preparations was estimated by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), using HA and pullulan fractions as molecular weight standards, and the MW values obtained were compared to those obtained with a low angle laser light scattering detector (LALLS). The results showed that the universal calibration with pullulan as the standard is useful for HA preparations. The conditions of SEC for HA were also investigated, and the results suggested that a high ionic strength and low flow rate of the eluent were preferable for high molecular weight HA preparations.