Studies on hyaluronic acid from the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus (L.).

This report deals with on optical rotatory dispersion and viscosity study of hyaluronic acid with the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus (L.). This acidic polysaccharide exhibits an intrinsic Cotton effect (negative) around 212 nm in aqueous solutions. Extrinsic Cotton effects are developed by its interaction with cationic dyes which is an indication of ordered conformation in solution involving the polymer anionic sites. Viscosity measurements showed that hyaluronic acid behaves, in solution, as a polyelectrolyte with a decrease in intrinsic viscosity in media of high ionic strength and of low dielectric constant. With the quaternary ammonium compounds acetylcholine and gallamine triethyliodide, this polyelectrolyte also displays an interaction which affects both its optical rotatory dispersion and viscosity properties which is indicative of a conformational change.