Trade Names for Non-Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid
Non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid products are marketed under various trade names including Mucogyne® for vulvo-vaginal applications, while crosslinked formulations include Seprafilm® for adhesion prevention and numerous dermal fillers, though the question specifically asks about non-crosslinked formulations which are less commonly branded as standalone products. 1, 2
Understanding Non-Crosslinked vs. Crosslinked HA
Non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid refers to the native, unmodified polymer without chemical cross-linking agents:
- Native HA is a naturally occurring linear polysaccharide with high molecular weight (typically millions of Daltons) that degrades relatively quickly in the body 3, 4
- Non-crosslinked HA maintains the natural structure and is used when rapid degradation is acceptable or desired 1
- Crosslinked HA (like Seprafilm®) has enhanced degradation resistance due to chemical modification, extending its duration from months to over a year 1
Specific Trade Names by Application
Gynecological Applications
- Mucogyne® contains liposomal non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid for vulvo-vaginal dryness treatment, applied 3 times weekly with significant clinical improvement at 1 month (25% reduction in dryness, 46% reduction in pain) 2
Surgical Adhesion Prevention
- Seprafilm® is a hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose barrier (technically a modified HA product) that reduces reoperations for adhesive small bowel obstruction (RR 0.49,95% CI 0.28-0.88) 1
- Adept® (icodextrin) is a liquid barrier that reduced ASBO recurrence to 2.19% versus 11.11% in controls 1
Aesthetic Medicine Context
- Most dermal fillers are crosslinked HA to extend duration (6-18 months), not non-crosslinked formulations 1, 5
- Autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) can be combined with native HA for facial rejuvenation, though these are not branded non-crosslinked HA products per se 1
Clinical Considerations
The lack of prominent trade names for pure non-crosslinked HA reflects its rapid degradation profile - native HA degrades within days to weeks, making it less commercially viable as a standalone product compared to crosslinked formulations 1, 3:
- Non-crosslinked HA is primarily used in research settings or as a component in combination products 1
- When longer-lasting effects are needed, crosslinked formulations dominate the market 1, 5
- The addition of cross-linking agents significantly extends degradation properties, which is why most commercial products use this modification 1
For urological applications, intravesical HA instillations have been studied for recurrent UTI prevention, though specific trade names were not consistently reported in the guideline literature 1