Eco-friendly Synthesis of Gelatin Nanoparticles Using Genipin as the Crosslinker

The development of eco-friendly and biocompatible nanoparticle formulations is crucial for advancing sustainable biomedical applications. This study reports the sustainable synthesis of gelatin nanoparticles using the desolvation method, with genipin as a natural crosslinking agent. The effect of genipin concentration on nanoparticle size and polydispersity index (PDI) was investigated, revealing that higher genipin concentrations resulted in reduced particle sizes and improved size uniformity. The optimized formulation exhibited particle size and PDI comparable to gelatin nanoparticles crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, a commonly used but more toxic alternative. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging confirmed relatively spherical morphology of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were also shown to be stable in collodial form at 4 °C over 7 days. These findings underscore the potential of genipin-crosslinked gelatin nanoparticles as a sustainable and safer alternative for drug delivery applications.