The implementation of gelatin in the pharmacy industry has been due to its versatility and reliability. Gelatin is a polydisperse polymer consisting of essential amino acids with significant properties and functions in pharmaceutical and medical applications. Gelatin is a safe and popular choice of raw material in the pharmaceutical industry as it is odorless, digestible, soluble, and biocompatible. The capsules and tablets get an increased shelf life due to the gelatin containment that protects them from light, moisture, and oxygen. The non-allergenic potential makes it safe for all consumers to use the products with confidence. Implementing pharmaceutical grade gelatin in making medicines and medical devices makes it almost indispensable for the pharmaceutical industry.

Medicines 

The use of gelatin in producing hard capsules and soft gels lowers the manufacturing cost and complexities. Gelling gelatin provides resistance and hardness to the tablets. It protects sensitive and delicate ingredients from microbial growth and other types of contamination. Specially purified gelatin having low endotoxin level has its use in stabilizing lyophilized components of a vaccine. It also helps in reducing the potential side effects making the product safe for the patient. Highly purified gelatin with a lower level of endotoxin can be an important component of plasma substitutes and helps in increasing blood volume during emergencies. The viscosity and behavior of molecules in gelatin make it a close substitute for blood plasma.

Medical devices

Sponges, strips, and nanofibers consist of gelatin that helps minimize blood loss, and doctors use them as hemostats in emergencies. The ability of a gelatin hemostat to absorb more than forty times its weight makes it an easy choice to create an artificial blood clot. The combination of gelatin hemostat and thrombin has its use in the formation of artificial blood clots. The hip replacement procedure needs femoral plugs that consist of purified gelatin. Plasticizer combined with gelatin can help form a more elastic shape and protect the tissues from exothermic reaction during plaster setting. With the continuous development in medical science, gelatin may have other significant uses in the near future.