Gelatin

It works as a hemostatic by providing a physical framework within which clotting may occur.

As a volume expander, gelatin remains in the vascular space. When used in the treatment of hypovolaemia gelatin can produce a significant increase in blood volume, cardiac output, stroke volume, blood pressure, urinary output and oxygen delivery, increasing volume and pressure.

For intravascular volume expansion, the majority or gelatins produce an effect which is almost equivalent to of which are mild, although severe reactions albumin, with a duration of action of 3 to 4 hours to have been reported.

Gelatin or collagen chains suspended in solution can be covalently cross-linked to form matrices that are able to swell in the presence of aqueous solutions, forming what are called gelatin hydrogels. Hydrogels, characterized by their hydrophilicity and insolubility in water, have the capability of swelling into an equilibrium volume while maintaining their shape. The chemical cross-linkers used may be either small bifunctional molecules or polyfunctional macromolecules, for example, glutaraldehyde.