Gum is a viscous plant secretion, that is produced when there is an injury. Gums are amorphous, translucent substances which are insoluble in alcohol & most organic solvents. It is soluble in water & gives a viscous, sticky solution. Gums are commonly found in trees and usually produced by- injury of the plant unfavorable conditions (e.g. drought) a breakdown of cell walls Upon hydrolysis, it produces arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose and various uronic acids.

1. Gums and Mucilages

2. Gums
• A polysaccharide
• Readily dissolve in
water
• Pathologic products
• Gum is found outside of
the plant or just under
the bark.
• Ex- okra gum
Mucilages
• A glycoprotein
• Form slimy masses in
water
• Physiologic products
• It is found in tissues of
the leaves, bark and seed
of plants, and in seaweed.
• Ex- agar

3. • Gum is a viscous plant secretion, that is produced when
there is an injury.
• Gums are amorphous, translucent substances which are
insoluble in alcohol & most organic solvents. It is soluble
in water & gives a viscous, sticky solution.
• Gums are commonly found in trees and usually produced
by-
injury of the plant
unfavorable conditions (e.g. drought)
a breakdown of cell walls
• Upon hydrolysis, it produces arabinose, galactose,
glucose, mannose, xylose and various uronic acids.
Gums

4. Sources of Gums
• Shrub or tree exudates: Acacia, Karaya,
Tragacanth
• Marine gums: Agar, Algin, Carrageenan
• Seed gums: Guar, Locust bean, Psyllium
• Plant extracts: Pectin
• Microbial gums: Dextrans, Xanthan

5. • As adhesive
• As tablet binders
• As emulsifiers
• As suspending agents
• As stabilizers and
• As thickeners.
Uses of Gums

6. Mucilages
Mucilages are generally normal products of metabolism formed
within the cell (intracellular formation). Herbs containing
mucilages, such as- Psyllium.
Function of Mucilages:
Storage material
Water storage reservoir
Protection for germinating seeds
Sources of Mucilages:
 epidermal leaf cells (Senna)
 seed coats (Linseeds, Psyllium)
 roots (Marshmallow)

7. Tragacanth
• Tragacanth is the dried, gummy exudate from
Astragalus gummifer (Family: Leguminosae).
• It is commonly known as gum tragacanth.
• Tragacanth contains 60 to 70% of basorin which
swells in water but does not dissolve.
• Pharmaceutically used as suspending agent for
insoluble powders in mixtures, emulsifying agent for
oils and resins, and as adhesive. It is employed in
cosmetics as demulcent and as emollient in cloth
printing, confectionary etc.

8. Acacia
• Acacia is a dried gum obtained from
the stem & branches of Acacia senegal
and some other species of Acacia
(Leguminosae).
• Common name- Gum Arabic
• Constituents- Mainly arabin (Ca-salt of Arabic acid,
minor amount of Mg and K salts may be present).
• Others : Galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, uronic acid and
14% water.
• Used as stabilizer in emulsions and mucilage of acacia
have demulcent properties.
• Used in the granulation process of tablet manufacturing.

9. Agar
• Also known as vegetable gelatin.
• It is the dried gelatinous substance obtained by the extraction with
water from Gelidium amansii or various species of red algae like
Gracilaria and Pterocladia.
• Agar is a complex heteropolysaccharide and contains two
different polysaccharides known as agarose and agaropectin.
• Agarose is responsible for the gel property of agar whereas
agaropectin is responsible for the viscosity of agar solution.
• Agar is used to-
 Treat chronic constipation as a laxative,
 Suspending agent, an emulsifier, a gelling
agent for suppositories,
 It is used as a gel in nutrient media for
bacterial cultures.

10. Sterculia
• Sterculia is the gummy exudate obtained from the tree
Sterculia urens (Family: Sterculiaceae).
• Also known as Karaya gum, Indian Tragacanth.
• Granular grade gums are used as a bulk laxative.
• Powdered gum is used in lozenges, pastes & denture
fixture powders.

11. Sodium alginate
• Algin (or sodium alginate) is the sodium salt of alginic
acid which is a purified carbohydrate extracted from
brown seaweed (algae like Macrocystis pyrifera) by the
careful treatment with dilute sodium hydroxide.
• Sodium alginate is used -
 In the manufacture of ice-creams where it serves as a
stabilizing colloid, ensuring creamy texture.
 In the flocculation of suspended solids water treatment
plants.
 As a stabilizing and thickening agent in
Food and pharmaceutical industry.
 As binding and disintegrating agent
in tablets and lozenges.

12. Thank you