A Novel Use of Genipin-fixed Gelatin as Extracellular Matrix for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration BAI-SHUAN LIU, 1,2 CHUN-HSU YAO 1 AND SHAN-HUI HSU 2 1 Department of Radiological Technology Chungtai Institute of Health Science and Technology Taichang, Taiwan 2 Department of Chemical Engineering National Chung Hsing University Taichung, Taiwan TSUNG-SHU YEH,YUEH-SHENG CHEN* AND SHUNG-TE KAO Institute of Chinese Medical Science China Medical University Taichung, Taiwan ABSTRACT: Application of combining herbal medicine and biomedical material science to nerve regeneration is a new approach. In this study, we describe a novel use of purified genipin, which can be extracted from Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, fixing the gelatin to be an extracellular matrix for peripheral nerve regeneration. A 10-mm gap of rat sciatic nerve was created between the proximal and distal nerve stumps, which were sutured into silicone rubber tubes filled with either the genipin-fixed gelatin or collagen gel. Silicone rubber tubes filled with saline were used as controls. Six weeks after implantation, regeneration across the nerve gaps occurred in 80 and 90% of the animals from *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: yuehsc@mail.cmu.edu.tw JOURNAL OF BIOMATERIALS APPLICATIONS Volume 19 — July 2004 21 0885-3282/04/01 0021–14 $10.00/0 DOI: 10.1177/0885328204042544 ß 2004 Sage Publications