Gelatin

Synonyms:Gelatinum

Biological source:
Gelatin is obtained by the partial hydrolysis of collagen, derived from
the skin, white connective tissue, tendons, ligament and bones of ox
(Bos tourus ), sheep (Ovis aries )

Family:
Bovidae

Preparation of gelatin:

The insoluble collagens are converted into soluble gelatin which is

then purified and concentrated to a solid form. Commercially, gelatin
is obtained from by-product of slaughtered cattle, sheep and
hogs. The starting materials, e.g. bones are defatted with an organic
solvent. Sometimes decalcified with hydrochloric acid. The material is
then heated with water at 85°C to convert collagens to gelatin. The
solution is decolorized, filtered by electro-osmosis, concentrated
under reduced pressure, allowed to set into gel in shallow trays and
dried rapidly in drying- room at 30degree,

Characters:

Col0ur -light yellow, semi crystalline substance.

Odour- Odourless
Taste-tasteless.
Shape- thin sheets, strips or as granular powder
Solubility - In cold water it swells up and slowly solubilize on
warming to form viscous solution.

Chemical Constituents:

Gelatin consists of protein glutin, which on hydrolysis gives a

mixture of amino acids like glycine, alanine, leucine, aspartic acid,
argenine, lysine, isoleucine, valine, tyrosine, cystine, cysteine, glutamic
acid, argenine, etc. Adhesive property of gelatin is due to the
presence of glutin.

Uses:

1. In capsule preparation.
2. As culture medium in Bacteriology.
3. In making suppositories.
4. Source of protein in nutritional experiments.
5. As a substitute for blood plasma.
6. It is used as suspending agent and binding agent.
7. Widely used in food products and photographic emulsions.
8. Gelatin is also used for the microencapsulation of drugs

Chemical Tests:

1. Gelatin is heated with soda lime in dry test tube, ammonia is

evolved due to the presence of nitrogenous compound in gelatin.

2. Gelatin solution is added Million’s reagent to give a white ppt,

which turns red on heating.

3. Gelatin with tannic acid solution gives buff white ppt.

4. Biuret test to 3 ml of test solution of gelatin. NaOH (1ml of 5%) is

added white to whitish buff coloured ppt is formed which does
not dissolve on heating.

5. Gelatin with piciric acid gives a yellow ppt.

6. Gelatin with trinitrophenol in aqueous solution gives yellow ppt.

Reference


Gelatin: Sources, Preparation and Useswww.yourarticlelibrary.com
 www.slideshare.net/SudheerKandibanda/proteins-

 books.google.co.in/Pharmacognosy By Nirali Prakashan