4382. Gelatin

Nomenclature

CAS number: 9000-70-8
Gelfilm (Pfizer); Gelfoam (Pfizer).

Description and references

A heterogeneous mixture of water-soluble proteins of high average mol wt. Derived from the denaturation and hydrolysis of collagen, q.v. Amino acid composition is variable: glycine or alanine account for one third to half of the amino acid residues; approx 25% is proline or hydroxyproline; close to 25% is basic or acidic; contains no tryptophan. Amino acid composition studies: R. E. Neuman, Arch. Biochem. 24, 289 (1949); J. E. Eastoe, Biochem. J. 61, 589 (1955). Surgical use in hemostasis: R. U. Light, H. R. Prentice, J. Neurosurg. 2, 435 (1945). Review of the chemistry and structure of collagen with emphasis on its transformation to gelatin: A. Veis, The Macromolecular Chemistry of Gelatin (Academic Press, New York, 1964) 433 pp. Review of therapeutic use as an embolic agent in neurologic disease: A. Berenstein, E. Russell, Radiology 141, 105-112 (1981); of prepn, properties, and use in food and pharmaceutical industries: K. B. Djagny et al., Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 41, 481-492 (2001).

Properties

Colorless or slightly yellow, transparent, brittle, practically odorless, tasteless sheets, flakes, or coarse powder. Amphoteric. Swells up and absorbs 5-10 times its weight of water to form a gel in solutions below 35-40°. Sol in hot water, glycerol, acetic acid. Insol in organic solvents.

Use

As stabilizer, thickener and texturizer in food; manuf rubber substitutes, adhesives, cements, lithographic and printing inks, plastic compds, artificial silk, photographic plates and films, matches, light filters for mercury lamps; clarifying agent; in hectographic masters; sizing paper and textiles; for inhibiting crystn in bacteriology, for preparing cultures. Pharmaceutic aid (suspending agent; encapsulating agent; tablet binder; tablet and coating agent).

Therapeutic Category

Hemostatic.

Therapeutic Category (Veterinary)

Plasma expander; hemostasis (sponge).

Keywords

Hemostatic