3.3 Applications of Plant Polysaccharides
in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms
Various plant polysaccharides have extensively been utilized as thickeners, suspending agents, emulsifiers, stabilizers, gel forming agents, binders, disintegrating
agents, matrix formers, release retardants, film formers, coating materials, mucoadhesive agents, etc., in a variety of common pharmaceutical dosage forms, such as
suspensions, emulsions, gels, tablets, capsules, beads, microparticles, nanoparticles,
liposomes, transdermal formulations, buccal formulations, nasal formulations, ophthalmic formulations, etc. (Avachat et al. 2011; Nayak and Hasnain 2019a; Nayak and
Pal 2017a, b; Nayak et al. 2018c; Prajapati et al. 2013; Rana et al. 2011).
3.3.1 Emulsions
Plant polysaccharides are used as emulsifiers in various emulsions. These materials
can efficiently stabilize the emulsion via the interfacial absorption and the minimizations of droplet-coalescence. Porto and Cristianini (2014) investigated the
emulsifying property of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) gum and compared its
emulsifying property with that of the gum Arabic. Emulsions prepared using gum
Table 3.3 Sources of some important plant starches for pharmaceutical applications
Plant starches
Common sources
Scientific name of the plant
Family
Rice starch
Oryza sativa
Poaceae
Potato starch
Solanum tuberosum
Solanaceae
Sweet potato starch
Ipomoea batatas
Convolvulaceae
Maize starch
Zea mays
Poaceae
Tapioca starch
Manihot esculenta
Euphorbiaceae
Sago starch
Metroxylon sagu
Palmae
Cocoyam starch or
Malanga starch
Xanthosoma sagittifolium
Araceae
Jackfruit seed starch
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Moraceae
Sorghum starch
Sorghum bicolor
Poaceae
Dioscorea starch
Dioscorea dumetorum, Dioscorea
oppositifolia, Dioscorea alata,
Dioscorea rotundata, etc
Dioscoreaceae
Arrowroot starch
Maranta arundinacea
Marantaceae
Ginger starch
Zingiber officinale
Zingiberaceae
Indian palo rhizome
starch
Curcuma angustifolia Roxb
Zingiberaceae
Tiger nut starch
Cyperus esculentus
Cyperaceae
98
A. K. Nayak et al.
in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms
Various plant polysaccharides have extensively been utilized as thickeners, suspending agents, emulsifiers, stabilizers, gel forming agents, binders, disintegrating
agents, matrix formers, release retardants, film formers, coating materials, mucoadhesive agents, etc., in a variety of common pharmaceutical dosage forms, such as
suspensions, emulsions, gels, tablets, capsules, beads, microparticles, nanoparticles,
liposomes, transdermal formulations, buccal formulations, nasal formulations, ophthalmic formulations, etc. (Avachat et al. 2011; Nayak and Hasnain 2019a; Nayak and
Pal 2017a, b; Nayak et al. 2018c; Prajapati et al. 2013; Rana et al. 2011).
3.3.1 Emulsions
Plant polysaccharides are used as emulsifiers in various emulsions. These materials
can efficiently stabilize the emulsion via the interfacial absorption and the minimizations of droplet-coalescence. Porto and Cristianini (2014) investigated the
emulsifying property of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) gum and compared its
emulsifying property with that of the gum Arabic. Emulsions prepared using gum
Table 3.3 Sources of some important plant starches for pharmaceutical applications
Plant starches
Common sources
Scientific name of the plant
Family
Rice starch
Oryza sativa
Poaceae
Potato starch
Solanum tuberosum
Solanaceae
Sweet potato starch
Ipomoea batatas
Convolvulaceae
Maize starch
Zea mays
Poaceae
Tapioca starch
Manihot esculenta
Euphorbiaceae
Sago starch
Metroxylon sagu
Palmae
Cocoyam starch or
Malanga starch
Xanthosoma sagittifolium
Araceae
Jackfruit seed starch
Artocarpus heterophyllus
Moraceae
Sorghum starch
Sorghum bicolor
Poaceae
Dioscorea starch
Dioscorea dumetorum, Dioscorea
oppositifolia, Dioscorea alata,
Dioscorea rotundata, etc
Dioscoreaceae
Arrowroot starch
Maranta arundinacea
Marantaceae
Ginger starch
Zingiber officinale
Zingiberaceae
Indian palo rhizome
starch
Curcuma angustifolia Roxb
Zingiberaceae
Tiger nut starch
Cyperus esculentus
Cyperaceae
98
A. K. Nayak et al.