AN ECONOMICAL BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER FOR NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY APPROACHES: GELATIN

With the advent of newer technologies, in expert opinions, nanobiotechnology is expected to revolutionize or at least significantly improve the pharmaceutical and life science market within the next 15 years. The problem associated with reproducibility prevailed, a need for an economical polymer is experienced by all the researchers so as to repeat and check the reproducibility of systems. To meet all these requirements, Gelatin comes in front as the best alternate. Gelatin (or gelatin, from Latin: gelatus = stiff, frozen) is a translucent, colorless, brittle (when dry), flavorless solid, derived from collagen obtained from various animal by-products. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar way are called gelatinous. Gelatin is an irreversibly hydrolyzed form of collagen. Gelatin being biodegradable in nature is a polymer of choice for the delivery of various proteins and peptides, can be an efficient and safe vaccine adjuvant,can be used forin vitro delivery of immunogenic CpG oligonucleotides, can be fabricated as nanoparticles and microspheres easily, hence Gelatin can be a very promising polymer for fulfilling the future need of nanobiotechnology.