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Calcium alginate

Cat No.:V65197 Purity: ≥98%
Calcium alginate is a biopolymer that may be utilized to develop oral drug delivery systems.
Calcium alginate
Calcium alginate Chemical Structure CAS No.: 9005-35-0
Product category: Biochemical Assay Reagents
This product is for research use only, not for human use. We do not sell to patients.
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Product Description
Calcium alginate is a biopolymer that may be utilized to develop oral drug delivery systems. Calcium alginate is a pH-sensitive hydrogel that is stable in acidic media and soluble in alkaline media.
Calcium alginate (CAS 9005-35-0) is a natural polysaccharide polymer derived from brown seaweed, consisting of calcium salts of alginic acid. It has the general formula (C₆H₇Ca₁/₂O₆)ₙ and is composed of β-D-mannuronic acid and α-L-guluronic acid residues linked by β-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Calcium alginate is a high-purity biochemical reagent suitable for use as a biomaterial in life science research, drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications. It appears as a white to off-white powder. The compound forms hydrogels in the presence of calcium ions and is widely used for cell encapsulation, wound dressings, and as a thickening agent.
Biological Activity I Assay Protocols (From Reference)
Targets
Calcium alginate does not have a biological target as it is a polysaccharide biomaterial rather than a pharmacologically active compound. Its function is physicochemical and biocompatible—it serves as a hydrogel matrix for cell encapsulation, drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications. The calcium ions crosslink the alginate polymer chains to form a gel network that provides a 3D scaffold for cell growth and controlled release of therapeutic agents. The material does not interact specifically with cellular receptors but provides a biocompatible environment for cells. Its effects are based on its physical properties and biocompatibility.
ln Vitro
A pH-sensitive hydrogel that is soluble in basic media and stable in acidic ones is calcium alginate. Because of this, the hydrogel can absorb and release aqueous solutions within specific pH value ranges. At a particular pH range, an active drug release can be initiated by absorbing an aqueous solution containing a drug[2]. A common biodegradable gel-transforming agent for nasal packing is calcium alginate. It can enhance comfort and lessen pain[3].
In vitro, calcium alginate exhibits no pharmacological activity as it is a biomaterial. Its utility is demonstrated in cell encapsulation, where cells are suspended in alginate solution and crosslinked with calcium ions to form hydrogel beads or scaffolds. The material supports cell viability, proliferation, and function. In cell-based assays, alginate hydrogels are used as 3D culture matrices for studying cell behavior and drug responses. The material is also used in drug delivery studies, where drugs are encapsulated in alginate beads for controlled release. In cell culture, alginate does not elicit cytotoxic responses and is considered biocompatible.
ln Vivo
In vivo, calcium alginate is used as a biocompatible biomaterial for various medical applications. It is used in wound dressings to absorb exudate and maintain a moist wound environment, promoting healing. Alginate hydrogels are used as injectable scaffolds for tissue engineering and as drug delivery systems for controlled release of therapeutic agents. The material is biodegradable and biocompatible, with minimal inflammatory response. However, calcium alginate is not a pharmacologically active agent and does not exert therapeutic effects beyond its physical properties. It is used in medical devices and as a delivery vehicle.
Enzyme Assay
In vitro assays for calcium alginate focus on its gelation properties and biocompatibility rather than receptor binding. A standard protocol involves dissolving sodium alginate in water and adding calcium chloride solution to form a hydrogel. Gelation time, gel strength, and swelling properties are measured. For biocompatibility testing, alginate hydrogels are cultured with cells (e.g., fibroblasts, chondrocytes), and cell viability is assessed using Live/Dead staining or MTT assays. Drug release studies involve encapsulating a model drug (e.g., bovine serum albumin) in alginate beads and measuring release kinetics by UV-Vis spectroscopy.
Cell Assay
In vitro cell culture experiments with calcium alginate typically involve 3D cell encapsulation. Cells are mixed with sodium alginate solution, and the mixture is extruded into calcium chloride solution to form gel beads. Encapsulated cells are cultured in appropriate media for 1-4 weeks, and cell viability is assessed using Live/Dead staining or MTT assays. Cell proliferation is measured by DNA content or metabolic activity. For tissue engineering applications, cell phenotype and function are assessed by gene expression analysis or histological staining. The alginate itself does not support cell adhesion without modification.
Animal Protocol
In vivo animal studies with calcium alginate typically involve biocompatibility and biodegradation assessments. A standard protocol involves implanting alginate hydrogels (with or without encapsulated cells) subcutaneously or at specific tissue sites in rodents. Animals are monitored for signs of inflammation or rejection over periods ranging from days to months. At study termination, the implantation sites are excised and examined histologically for tissue reaction, capsule formation, and inflammatory cell infiltration. For drug delivery studies, drug-loaded alginate beads are implanted, and drug release and efficacy are monitored.
ADME/Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacokinetic properties of calcium alginate are not applicable as it is a non-absorbable polymer. When used as a wound dressing or implant, alginate remains at the application site and is slowly biodegraded by hydrolysis or enzymatic degradation. Calcium alginate is not systemically absorbed and does not distribute to tissues. The polymer is excreted through normal clearance mechanisms. For drug delivery applications, the pharmacokinetics of the released drug are determined by the drug's own properties and the release kinetics from the alginate matrix.
Toxicity/Toxicokinetics
Calcium alginate is generally considered biocompatible and non-toxic for medical and research applications. It is not classified as a carcinogen, mutagen, or reproductive toxicant. The material is biodegradable and does not cause significant inflammatory responses. Standard laboratory precautions should be followed when handling the compound, including the use of gloves and safety glasses. The compound should be stored in a cool, dry place. No acute toxicity data are available for systemic exposure as the material is not absorbed.
References

[1]. Encapsulation of Lactobacillus kefiri in alginate microbeads using a double novel aerosol technique. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2017;77:548-555.

[2]. Electrosynthesis of magnetoresponsive microrobot for targeted drug delivery using calcium alginate. Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2016;2016:2111-2114.

[3]. Comparison of calcium alginate and carboxymethyl cellulose for nasal packing after endoscopic sinus surgery: a prospective, randomised, controlled single-blinded trial. Clin Otolaryngol. 2016;41(3):234-240.

Additional Infomation
Alginate and esters are used as absorbent materials in hydrogels, dental impression materials, and surgical dressings (bandages, hydrocolloids). They are also used to manufacture microspheres and nanoparticles for diagnostic kits and drug delivery systems.
See also: Calcium alginate (note moved here).
Therapeutic Uses
Radiation protectant; hemostatic agent; biocompatible material
Experimental Applications: Oral administration of calcium alginate (1 g/rat) in combination with (90)SR (2-6 MUCI/rat) reduced the accumulation of (90)SR in bones by 4.5-5 times and prolonged the lifespan of animals.
A variety of molecular weight derivatives have been shown to be effective hemostatic agents. /Alginate/
Calcium alginate is a natural polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed, widely used as a biomaterial in biomedical research and applications. It is used in wound dressings, drug delivery systems, cell encapsulation, and tissue engineering. The material forms hydrogels in the presence of calcium ions and provides a biocompatible 3D scaffold. Calcium alginate has not undergone clinical trials as a drug but is approved for use in medical devices. Its mechanism of action is physical—providing a hydrogel matrix for cell support and drug delivery.
These protocols are for reference only. InvivoChem does not independently validate these methods.
Physicochemical Properties
Molecular Formula
C18H24CAO19
Molecular Weight
584.4498
Exact Mass
1170.03
CAS #
9005-35-0
PubChem CID
44630049
Appearance
White to light yellow solid powder
Density
2.1173 g/cm3
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count
9
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count
19
Rotatable Bond Count
5
Heavy Atom Count
38
Complexity
842
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count
15
HS Tariff Code
2934.99.9001
Storage

Powder      -20°C    3 years

                     4°C     2 years

In solvent   -80°C    6 months

                  -20°C    1 month

Note: Please store this product in a sealed and protected environment, avoid exposure to moisture.
Shipping Condition
Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs)
Solubility Data
Solubility (In Vitro)
May dissolve in DMSO (in most cases), if not, try other solvents such as H2O, Ethanol, or DMF with a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples
Solubility (In Vivo)
Note: Listed below are some common formulations that may be used to formulate products with low water solubility (e.g. < 1 mg/mL), you may test these formulations using a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples.

Injection Formulations
(e.g. IP/IV/IM/SC)
Injection Formulation 1: DMSO : Tween 80: Saline = 10 : 5 : 85 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO stock solution 50 μL Tween 80 850 μL Saline)
*Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH ₂ O to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 2: DMSO : PEG300Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO 400 μLPEG300 50 μL Tween 80 450 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 3: DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO 900 μL Corn oil)
Example: Take the Injection Formulation 3 (DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90) as an example, if 1 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can take 100 μL 25 mg/mL DMSO stock solution and add to 900 μL corn oil, mix well to obtain a clear or suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).
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Injection Formulation 4: DMSO : 20% SBE-β-CD in saline = 10 : 90 [i.e. 100 μL DMSO 900 μL (20% SBE-β-CD in saline)]
*Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C,1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 5: 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin : Saline = 50 : 50 (i.e. 500 μL 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin 500 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 6: DMSO : PEG300 : castor oil : Saline = 5 : 10 : 20 : 65 (i.e. 50 μL DMSO 100 μLPEG300 200 μL castor oil 650 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 7: Ethanol : Cremophor : Saline = 10: 10 : 80 (i.e. 100 μL Ethanol 100 μL Cremophor 800 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 8: Dissolve in Cremophor/Ethanol (50 : 50), then diluted by Saline
Injection Formulation 9: EtOH : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH 900 μL Corn oil)
Injection Formulation 10: EtOH : PEG300Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH 400 μLPEG300 50 μL Tween 80 450 μL Saline)


Oral Formulations
Oral Formulation 1: Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na (carboxymethylcellulose sodium)
Oral Formulation 2: Suspend in 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Example: Take the Oral Formulation 1 (Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na) as an example, if 100 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can first prepare 0.5% CMC Na solution by measuring 0.5 g CMC Na and dissolve it in 100 mL ddH2O to obtain a clear solution; then add 250 mg of the product to 100 mL 0.5% CMC Na solution, to make the suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).
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Oral Formulation 3: Dissolved in PEG400
Oral Formulation 4: Suspend in 0.2% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 5: Dissolve in 0.25% Tween 80 and 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 6: Mixing with food powders


Note: Please be aware that the above formulations are for reference only. InvivoChem strongly recommends customers to read literature methods/protocols carefully before determining which formulation you should use for in vivo studies, as different compounds have different solubility properties and have to be formulated differently.

 (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.)
Preparing Stock Solutions 1 mg 5 mg 10 mg
1 mM 1.7110 mL 8.5551 mL 17.1101 mL
5 mM 0.3422 mL 1.7110 mL 3.4220 mL
10 mM 0.1711 mL 0.8555 mL 1.7110 mL

*Note: Please select an appropriate solvent for the preparation of stock solution based on your experiment needs. For most products, DMSO can be used for preparing stock solutions (e.g. 5 mM, 10 mM, or 20 mM concentration); some products with high aqueous solubility may be dissolved in water directly. Solubility information is available at the above Solubility Data section. Once the stock solution is prepared, aliquot it to routine usage volumes and store at -20°C or -80°C. Avoid repeated freeze and thaw cycles.

Calculator

Molarity Calculator allows you to calculate the mass, volume, and/or concentration required for a solution, as detailed below:

  • Calculate the Mass of a compound required to prepare a solution of known volume and concentration
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An example of molarity calculation using the molarity calculator is shown below:
What is the mass of compound required to make a 10 mM stock solution in 5 ml of DMSO given that the molecular weight of the compound is 350.26 g/mol?
  • Enter 350.26 in the Molecular Weight (MW) box
  • Enter 10 in the Concentration box and choose the correct unit (mM)
  • Enter 5 in the Volume box and choose the correct unit (mL)
  • Click the “Calculate” button
  • The answer of 17.513 mg appears in the Mass box. In a similar way, you may calculate the volume and concentration.

Dilution Calculator allows you to calculate how to dilute a stock solution of known concentrations. For example, you may Enter C1, C2 & V2 to calculate V1, as detailed below:

What volume of a given 10 mM stock solution is required to make 25 ml of a 25 μM solution?
Using the equation C1V1 = C2V2, where C1=10 mM, C2=25 μM, V2=25 ml and V1 is the unknown:
  • Enter 10 into the Concentration (Start) box and choose the correct unit (mM)
  • Enter 25 into the Concentration (End) box and select the correct unit (mM)
  • Enter 25 into the Volume (End) box and choose the correct unit (mL)
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  • The answer of 62.5 μL (0.1 ml) appears in the Volume (Start) box
g/mol

Molecular Weight Calculator allows you to calculate the molar mass and elemental composition of a compound, as detailed below:

Note: Chemical formula is case sensitive: C12H18N3O4  c12h18n3o4
Instructions to calculate molar mass (molecular weight) of a chemical compound:
  • To calculate molar mass of a chemical compound, please enter the chemical/molecular formula and click the “Calculate’ button.
Definitions of molecular mass, molecular weight, molar mass and molar weight:
  • Molecular mass (or molecular weight) is the mass of one molecule of a substance and is expressed in the unified atomic mass units (u). (1 u is equal to 1/12 the mass of one atom of carbon-12)
  • Molar mass (molar weight) is the mass of one mole of a substance and is expressed in g/mol.
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Reconstitution Calculator allows you to calculate the volume of solvent required to reconstitute your vial.

  • Enter the mass of the reagent and the desired reconstitution concentration as well as the correct units
  • Click the “Calculate” button
  • The answer appears in the Volume (to add to vial) box
In vivo Formulation Calculator (Clear solution)
Step 1: Enter information below (Recommended: An additional animal to make allowance for loss during the experiment)
Step 2: Enter in vivo formulation (This is only a calculator, not the exact formulation for a specific product. Please contact us first if there is no in vivo formulation in the solubility section.)
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Calculation results

Working concentration mg/mL;

Method for preparing DMSO stock solution mg drug pre-dissolved in μL DMSO (stock solution concentration mg/mL). Please contact us first if the concentration exceeds the DMSO solubility of the batch of drug.

Method for preparing in vivo formulation:Take μL DMSO stock solution, next add μL PEG300, mix and clarify, next addμL Tween 80, mix and clarify, next add μL ddH2O,mix and clarify.

(1) Please be sure that the solution is clear before the addition of next solvent. Dissolution methods like vortex, ultrasound or warming and heat may be used to aid dissolving.
             (2) Be sure to add the solvent(s) in order.

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