Philippine Sources of Plant Constituents

Carbohydrates
1. Tragacanth
a. SN: Astragalus gummifer
Fam: Fabaceae
Syn: Gum tragacanth, vermiform
tragacanth, tragacanth sorts
b. Description
-dried, gummy exudate
Etym:
a. (Gr.) tragos goat
b. akantha horn curved shape of
drug
c. astragalus milkbone exuding
and hardening of plant
d. gummifer gum bearing
c. Const: Bassorin(60 70%) , Tragacanthin
(30%)
d. Uses: suspending agent, emulsifying
agent, adhesive, demulcent, emollient
e. Addtl info:
a. Process:
b. Injured plant cell walls of pith
and medullary rays turn to gum
gum absorbs water create
internal pressure in stem gum
moves towards incision of stem
caused by injury of plant
Gum strikes air exposes to evaporation,
hardens incision type affects gum shape
Ex. Vermiform tragacanth wormlike,
twisted coils
Tragacanth sorts irregular tears, yellowbrown color
Ribbon gum, flake gum transverse
incisions from knife
Commercial Grade of Tragacanth:
Grade 1 colorless nearly transluscent
Grade 2 & 3 more color & opacity
2. Acacia
a. SN: Acacia senegal
a. Fam: Fabaceae
b. Syn: Gum arabic
b. Description
-dried, gummy exudate from stems and
branches
- gum Arabic is only related to Arabic people
because it was extensively used by Arabian
physicians
-unusually sol. For hydrocolloid
-Sol. In NLT 60% alcohol
- acacia soln low viscosity, good stability @
pH 2- 10
Etym:
a. (Gr.) akake ake pointed &
thorny
b. Senegal - habitat
c. Const: arabin (Ca, K, Mg salts of Arabic
acid), enzymes (oxidases, peroxidases,
pectinases)
d. Uses: suspending agent, emulsifying
agent, adhesive and binder in tablets,
demulcent, emollient
e. Addtl info:
Process:
- Transverse incision of tree
- Formation of gum caused by bacterial
action/ fermentation
- Gum is occasionally exposed and bleached to
sun (semiopaque appearance)

3. Axlewood (Ghatti gum)

a. SN: Anogeissus latifolia
a. Fam: Combretaceae
b. Syn: Indian Gum
b. Description
a. Indigenous tree in Sri Lanka and
India
b. Gummy exudate is Branched
hydrocolloid
c. Uses: emulsifying agent
d. Addtl info:
a. Readily forms dispersion w/ cold
liquid and more viscous than acacia
b. Product substitute for acacia
4. Karaya Gum
a. SN: Sterculia ulens, S. villosa, S.
tragacantha
Fam: Sterculariaceae
SN: Cochlospermum gossypium
Fam: Bixaceae
Syn: Sterculia gum
b. Description:
-pale yellow pinkish brown
- Acetylated branched
heteropolysaccharides
Etym: (L.) Sterculius deity of manuring
fetid odor
c. Const:
- High amt. of D galacturonic acid, Dglucuronic acid residues
d. Uses: bulk laxative, emulsifier, suspender,
dental adhesive
e. Addtl info:
-form discontinuous mucilage
- - One of the least soluble
5. Sodium Alginate
a.
b. SN: Macrocystis pyrifera
Fam: Lessonisceae
Class: Phaeophyceae
Other spp.: Ascophyllum, Ecklonia,
Laminaria,
Nereocystis
Syn: algin
c. Description:
o Purified carbohydrate extract from
brown seaweed by use of dilute
alkali
d. Const: alginic acid, mannuronic acid
e. Uses: emulsifying agent
f. Addtl info:
o Odorless, tasteless powder
o Yellowish white color
o Sol in water
o Insol in alcohol, ether, chloroform,
strong acid
o 1.4 cal / g
6. Agar
a. SN: Gelidium cartilaginum
Fam: Gelidiaceae
SN: Gracilaria confervoides
Fam: Shaerococcaceae
Syn: Japanese isinglas
Other class: Rhodophyceae
b. Description:
- Dried, hydrophilic, colloidal
c. Const: agarose, agaropectin
d. Uses: laxative, suspender, emulsifier,
gelating agent in suppositories, surgical
lubricant, tablet excipient & lubricant,
culture media, cultural diagnostics

e. Addtl info:
-thin membranous agglutinated strips
- colorless - yellow
- Mucilaginous taste
- insol in cold water
7. Carrageenan
a. SN: Chondrus crispus
Gigartina mamillosa
Fam: Gigartinaceae
Syn: carrageenin
b. Description:
- Hydrocolloid from various red algae and
seaweeds
c. Const: k carrageenan, i- carrageenan, carrageenan
d. Uses: form gels, stabilizers to emulsions
and suspensions, demulcent, bulk
laxative, toothpaste formulation
e. Addtl info:
- Etym:
Chondrus cartilage like thallus
Gigartina fruit bodies on thallus
Crispus curled fronds
Mamillosa small, breastlike, stalked fruit
bodies
-Furcellaria fastigiata
- extract = furcellaran/ Danish agar
-same as k carrageenan
-gelating agent, suspending agent
8. Plantago Seed
a. SN: Plantago psyllium
Fam: Plantaginaceae
Syn: psyllium seed, plantain seed
b. Description:
-10 30 % hydrocolloid
-gum is thixothropic
- viscosity decreases as shear rate increases
c. Const:
d. Uses: 7.5 g of psyllium hydrophilic
mucilloid from husk= cathartic, tx for
constipation
e. Addtl info:
- P. indica - Spanish or French psyllium
seed
-P. ovata blonde psyllium, indian
plantago seed
9. Cydonium
a. SN: Cydonia vulgaris
Fam: Rosaceae
Syn: quince seed
b. Description:
- Ripe seed
c. Const: L arabinose, aldobiouronic acids
d. Uses: ing. In some wave setting lotions
e. Addtl info:
-20% mucilaginous epithelium contain active
const.
10.Guar Gum
a. SN: Cyamopsis tetragonolobus
Fam: Fabaceae
Syn: guaran

b.
c.
d.

Description:
Powdered endosperm
Const: galactomannan
Uses: bulk forming laxative, thickening
agent, tablet binder, disintegrator
e. Addtl info:
- Gum hydrates in water, stable in acidic
formulations
11.Locust Bean Gum
a. SN: Ceratonia siliqua
Fam: Fabaceae
b. Description:
- Hydrocolloid-containing powdered
endosperm
c. Const: galactomannan
d. Uses: thickener, stabilizer
e. Addtl info:
- Carob flour made from flesh of mature
seed pods, resembles chocolates, carob
pulp, St. Johns bread
12.Xanthan Gum
a. SN: Xanthomonas campestris
Fam: Xanthomonadaceae
b. Description:
-high mol. Weight microbial gum
-exocellular gum from fermentation of broth
by ppt with isopropyl alcohol
c. Const: branched, partially acetylated
polysaccharide containing D-glucose, Dglucoronic acid, D-mannose
d. Uses: emulsifier, suspender
e. Addtl info:
-pseudoplastic properties enable toothpastes and
ung. To hold shape and spread readily
13.Pectin
a. SN: Pyrus malus
Fam: Rosaceae
Others: Citrus spp.
b. Description:
- Purified carbohydrate product obtained
from the dilute acid extract of inner
portion of rind of citrus fruits
c. Const: 6.7% methoxyl group, 74%
galacturonic acid
d. Uses: protectant, suspender, ing. In
antidiarrheal preparations,
e. Addtl info:
Pharmaceutic pectin doesnt contain sugars or
organic acids, unlike the commercial pectin
- Can be standardized to 150 jelly grade
- Powder, yellowish white, almost odorless
- From citrus peels

References:
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19723196
- United States Dispensatory
- http://www.henriettesherb.com/eclectic/usdisp/anogeissus.html