Genipin is an aglycone derived from an iridoid glycoside called Geniposide present in fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis. Genipin is an excellent natural cross-linker for protein, collagen, gelatin, and chitosan cross-linking. It has much less toxic than glutaraldehyde and many other commonly used synthetic cross -linking regents. It is also used for pharmaceutical purposes, such as choleretic action for liver diseases control. 
Genipin is an excellent natural cross-linker for proteins, collagen, gelatin, and chitosan cross-linking.[1] It has a low acute toxicity, with LD50 i.v. 382 mg/kg in mice, therefore, much less toxic than glutaraldehyde and many other commonly used synthetic cross-linking reagents.Furthermore, genipin can be used as a regulating agent for drug delivery, as the raw material for gardenia blue pigment preparation, and as the intermediate for alkaloidsyntheses.