Guar gum valuable for pharmacological and pharmaceutical conscious: A review

Abstract

Guar gum is derived from the seeds of the drought-tolerant plant Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, a member of the Leguminosae family. The primary constituent of guar gum is a Galactomannan which is composed of galactose and mannose in a ratio of 1:2 that provides the main physical phenomenon of gelling or thickening to this gum. Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a water-soluble, non-gelling dietary fiber with an ample range of uses in clinical nutrition. Industrial applications of guar gum are due to its ability to form hydrogen bonding with water molecules. It is also beneficial in the control of many health problems like diabetes, bowel movements, heart disease, low immunity and colon cancer due to its dietary fiber action. Guar gum is natural polymer encumbered with potential applicability in pharmaceutical formulations due to its unique chemistry and be short of of toxicity. This article focuses on the composition, health benefits and use of guar gum as a rate controlling recipient in designing novel drug delivery systems of guar gum.