Gelatin offers a broad spectrum of qualities that make it a highly effective excipient for pharmaceutical applications. Despite attempts to find suitable alternatives, its unique technological and biopharmaceutical properties ensure it retains huge importance to the pharmaceutical industry and beyond.
What is gelatin?
Gelatin is a natural, water-soluble protein that is transparent and colorless. It is obtained through the controlled and partial hydrolysis of collagen from animal skin, bone, and tissue. The collagen itself is a fibrous protein that is composed of three intertwined polypeptide chains.1 In vivo, collagen is generally white and opaque, with unbranched fibrils embedded in a matrix of mucopolysaccharides and other proteins.
The composition of gelatin is determined by the amino acid sequence of its collagen source; when derived from type I collagen, the gelatin consists of a sequence of amino acids in the form of a triple helix. Due to its size and structure, this form of gelatin has the ability to gel or to remain as a liquid.
What’s so unique about gelatin in pharma?
Used for capsules, tablets, and more, the many benefits of gelatin include its ability to protect active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)2 excellent bioavailability3, and the potential for modified release4.
Gelatin meets both consumer and production needs, which makes it an ideal ingredient for the pharma industry.
Differences from Food-Grade Gelatin
You may wonder how pharma gelatin differs from the gelatin you find in food. Pharma gelatin undergoes more rigorous purification and testing. This process removes impurities and ensures the product meets pharmaceutical standards. Food-grade gelatin does not require the same level of scrutiny.
Pharma gelatin also offers better machinability and mechanical resistance. You get medicines that are less likely to break or degrade during storage and transport. In addition, pharma gelatin provides superior protection for sensitive ingredients, which helps maintain drug stability and effectiveness.
Manufacturers choose pharma gelatin because it costs less to produce than some alternatives, such as HPMC. It also works well with existing equipment, so you benefit from reliable and affordable medicines.
How does gelatin meet consumer needs?
Gelatin is a safe and virtually non-allergenic ingredient that is universally tolerated by the human body. Therefore, it can be used in different medical applications, e.g. blood plasma expanders, surgery (hemostatic sponges), and regenerative medicine (tissue engineering).
Moreover, it has excellent solubility, dissolving rapidly in the stomach and this allows a fast release of the active content of the oral drug form while masking its odor and taste.
How does gelatin meet pharma production needs?
When used in capsules, gelatin provides an effective means of protecting the filling from light, atmospheric oxygen, contamination and microbial growth. Gelatin also meets the viscosity requirements for capsule production. It is available in a wide range of viscosities, which means a tailor-made solution that is based on the process requirements can be offered to the capsule producers.
Moreover, its thermoreversability (the ability to move from liquid and solid state and back to liquid without losing its gel strength), plays an important role in the production process of gelatin capsules. Thanks to this unique property:
● Soft gelatin capsules can be effectively sealed after being filled with an active ingredient
● In case of any deviations during hard capsule production, the thermoreversability of gelatin allows in-process adjustments
An additional benefit of gelatin in these applications is its ability to work on a broad range of pHs without the use of salts, ions, or additives.
Furthermore, its film formation capacity plays a role in capsule formation and coating of tablets. In tableting, gelatin can also be used to improve the binding power between different ingredients.
Gelatin also has an excellent absorption capacity, making it perfectly suitable for medical applications such as ostomy patches, hemostatic sponges, wound healing products, etc.
In addition to these benefits, the versatility of gelatin also means it is well-placed to help pharmaceutical manufacturers cater to the personalization trend as well as meeting the requirements of aging populations, including different preferences for delivery formats and the need for swallowability.
FAQ
What makes pharma gelatin different from regular gelatin?
Pharma gelatin meets stricter purity and safety standards. You get medicines with fewer impurities and better protection for sensitive ingredients.
How does pharma gelatin improve medicine effectiveness?
Pharma gelatin helps control drug release and boosts absorption. You receive more consistent results and better treatment outcomes.
● Enhanced bioavailability
● Stable dosage delivery
Post time: Sep-15-2025