Compositions comprising neutralized polysaccharide derivatives

A vehicle comprising

• (a) 1 to 45% by weight of a polysaccharide derivative having the formula
• {GLU.(OCH.sub.2 COOH).sub.x (ONO.sub.2).sub.Y (OH).sub.Z }.sub.n (I)
• wherein GLU. represents a glucose residue, the hydrophilic carboxymethyl ether functional groups of said polysaccharide derivative being neutralizable and the nitrate groups of said polysaccharide derivative being linked directly to the polysaccharide structure, wherein said hydrophilic and nitrate groups are either part of an existing polysaccharide or introduced via modification of an existing polysaccharide, and hydroxyl groups per one repeating unit, respectively, in the following range:
• X is greater than or equal to 0.2 and less than or equal to 1.5, Y is greater than or equal to 0.4 and less than or equal to 2.2, X+Y+Z=3;
• and n is an integer in the range of 20 to 1000,
• wherein X, Y, and Z represent the numbers of hydrophilic functional groups, nitrate groups, and hydroxyl groups per one repeating unit in the polysaccharide derivative, respectively;
• and having at least 1% by mole of the neutralizable hydrophilic functional groups neutralized with at least one base;
• (b) 1 to 45% by weight of an organic solvent that is compatible with water;
• (c) 30 to 93% by weight of water;
• and
• (d) 5 to 49% by weight of a water-soluble resin and/or a water-dispersible resin;
• wherein the total amount of components (a) and (d) is in the range of 6 to 50% by weight,
• said vehicle comprising an aqueous solution wherein the neutralized polysaccharide derivatives are substantially dissolved in components (b)-(d) or an aqueous dispersion wherein the neutralized polysaccharide derivatives are substantially uniformly dispersed in components (b)-(d).