Design and development of polysaccharide hemostatic materials and their hemostatic mechanism

The formation of stable blood clots or hemostasis is essential to prevent major blood loss and death from excessive bleeding. However, the body's own coagulation process is not able to accomplish timely hemostasis without the assistance of hemostatic agents. For developing novel topical hemostatic agents, tissue adhesives and sealants, it is necessary to understand the coagulation process and the hemostasis mechanism of different materials. Among hemostatic materials, polysaccharides are naturally derived polymers having excellent biodegradable and biocompatible properties. This review provides an overview of polysaccharide-based hemostatic materials and agents, including their advantages and drawbacks in hemostatic applications. Furthermore, polysaccharide-based hemostatic materials with anti-microbial and healing functions are also introduced.