Tragacanth is a gum obtained from incisions made on the stems and branches of various Astragalus species found in the Middle East, India, and Central Asia. It is collected as an exudate that dries into thin, ribbon-like flakes that are white or pale yellow in color. Tragacanth is composed of tragacanthin, which is water soluble, and bassorin, which is water insoluble. It is used as a thickening, suspending, and emulsifying agent in foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics due to its high viscosity when dissolved in water.

1. TRAGACANTH

2. Synonyms :
• Gum tragacanth, tragacanth
Biological source :
• It is the dried gummy exudation obtained by incision from stem
and branches of Astragalus gummifer L., Astragalus
membranaceus, and other species of Astragalus, Family
Leguminosae.
Geographical source :
• It is obtained from Iran, Greexe, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, In India,
Garhwal, Kumaon and Punjab this species is found.

3. Description :
Colour : white or pale yellowish
Odour : Odourless
Taste : Mucilaginous
Shape : Thin, flattened ribbon like flakes, more or less curved.
Size. : 25×12×2 mm in size.
• The gum is horny,translucent,with transverse and longitudinal
ridges. Fractures of drug is short.
• It is partly soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol.

4. Cultivation and Collection :
• The shrubs of tragacanth are grown altitude of 1000 – 3000 m
and they are thorny.
• The gum is exuding out immediately after injury to plants.
• Tragacanth gum is formed as a result of transformation of the cell
of pith and medullary rays into gummy substance.
• Incisions are made on various parts of stem.
• The fluid which oozes out, is called tragacanth and it is collected
after drying.

5. • The gum is in irregular flattened flakes with ribbon like
appearance.
• It is collected fromApril to November every year.
Standards :
1. Foreign organic matter : Not more than 1.0%
2. SulphatesAsh : Not more than 4.0%
3. Moisture content : Not more than 15.0%

6. Chemical constituents :
It contains two fractions :
1. Tragacanthin 8 – 10% and is water soluble.
2. Bassorin 60 – 70% and is insoluble in water.
• Tragacanth contains 15% of methoxy group,it swells in water and is
responsible for high viscosity.
• 1% solution of tragacanth has 250 centipoises viscosity.
• The products of hydrolysis of tragacanth are galactouronic acid, D-
galactopyranose,L-arabino-rhamnose,and D-xylopyranose.

7. Chemical tests :
Test Observations Inference
Tragacanth foil with
freshly prepared 10%
fecl3 Solution.
Deep yellow ppt
_____________
Tragacanth is present
Dissolve tragacanth
and ppt copper
oxide in
con.NH4OH.
White ppt
____________
Tragacanth is present

8. Tragacanth +
Iodine solution
Green colour
___________
Tragacanth is
present
Fehling’s solution
test
Red ppt
___________
Tragacanth is
present
Drug solution +
lead acetate
White ppt
___________
Tragacanth is present
Tragacanth power
+ 5% aqueous
KOH
Coronaryyellow
colour
______________________
Tragacanth is
present

9. Uses :
• It is used as a demulcent,emollient, thickening, suspending,
emulsifying agent.
• Mucilage of tragacanth is used a binding agent in tables and
excipient in the pills.
• Powder of tragacanth is used as an adhesive,in lotions for
external use,in spermicidal jellies, stabilizer in ice-crem sances.
Substitutes and Adulterations :
• Tragacanth gum of lower grades is used in textile industries and
in the pickles.. Citral gum & Shirij gum are the substitutes.