*3.6.3 Porcine collagen*

Pigskin is a by-product of the pork production industry. Collagen extracted from pigskin or bone is not favourable to be a component of foods or pharmaceuticals

**Figure 7.** *Structure of bovine hide [31] (used with permission).*

due to religious objections. Porcine collagen type I is extracted from pig hides, and in the medical field. Porcine collagen sheet material has proven to be useful as an implant for reconstructive surgery [34].

Biosciences aims to target joint and bone health, immune and digestive support, along with skin and hair care. Marine collagen, natural collagen and chondroitin complex are some of their products [39]. The marine collagen produced by Waitaki Biosciences is in powder form, with a blend of ingredients selected from marine species. This marine collagen is designed for use as an oral supplement to support

Observing the collagen suppliers in New Zealand, there is a clear shortage in further innovation with the extracted collagen. Most of the above collagen suppliers distribute the collagen in a powder form or a liquid solution and export to external markets or distribute to local contractors. This collagen once supplied to contractors is usually blended in cosmetic products or encapsulated as pills in the pharmaceutical industry.

Collagen has been widely used in a range of applications in cosmetic, biomedical, pharmaceutical, film industries, tissue engineering and recently in 3D/bio-printing.

> The collagen sponges act as a biological absorbance material. They have been useful in the treatment of severe burns and as a dressing for pressure

> quantities of tissue exudate, smooth adherence to the wet wound bed with preservation of low moist climate as well as shielding against mechanical

Collagen sponges have also been found to be effective as drug delivery systems. For example, the collagen sponges were found to be suitable for

Originally, collagen shields were designed for bandage contact lenses. However, it's mostly used as a delivery device and has led to the

development of drug delivery systems for ophthalmic applications [43]. For example, the collagen corneal shield is produced from porcine sclera tissue that closely resembles collagen molecules of the human eye. The collagen corneal shield promotes epithelial healing after corneal

A mini pellet made from collagen is usually a rod with a diameter and length of 1 mm and 1 cm respectively. These are very useful as a drug delivery device. This is because the mini pellet (rod) is small enough to be injected into the subcutaneous space through a syringe needle and still spacious enough to contain large molecular weight protein drugs, such as

Collagen has been widely used as vehicles for transportation of cultured skin cells or drug carrier for skin replacement and burn wounds [45]. Type

short term delivery of antibiotics, such as gentamicin [42].

sores, leg ulcers and donor sites. Collagen sponges can absorb large

skin, nail and hair health [40].

*Collagen: From Waste to Gold*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94266*

**4.2 Collagen applications**

*4.2.1 Biomedical uses of collagen*

i. Collagen sponges

ii. Collagen shields

transplantation [44].

iii. Collagen mini pellets

interferon [42].

iv. Skin replacement

**215**

harm and bacterial infection [41].
