(Prajapati et al. 2013a, b). Complicated macromolecular architecture and water
solubility offers natural gums adhesiveness and cohesiveness which render natural
gums a biopolymer of choice to be used as stabilizing agent, gelling agent, binder,
disintegrant and suspending agent in the pharmaceutical preparations (Prajapati
et al. 2013a, b). Gums tend to work efficiently at a higher concentration in the drug
delivery systems and high swellability possesses challenges. Apart from these
above described versatile properties of natural gums, certain drawbacks associated
with them are environmental and microbial contamination during procurement and
storage, loss of viscosity on long-term storage and high degree of hydration
capacity. Chemical modification and copolymer grafting are the two major methods
which are followed to neutralize the above-mentioned issues with natural gums
(Prajapati et al. 2013a, b).
Various plant-derived gums such as guar gum, locust bean gum, acacia gum and
gum karaya are used as natural excipient and therapeutic agent for application in
diverse drug delivery systems (Castro et al. 2018; Prajapati et al. 2014; Singh
2018). Fenugreek gum hosts enormous biopharmaceutical possibilities as an
excipient and therapeutic agent due its unique physiochemical properties such as
low cytotoxicity, water solubility and biocompatibility like other natural
plant-derived gums. This article attempts to discuss various physiochemical properties and biosafety issues of fenugreek gum which play a critical role in selection
of a polymer as an excipient to develop a formulation. The latest developments in
drug discovery using fenugreek gum are surveyed to illustrate areas of research
advancing the frontiers of biomedicine.
11.1.2 Fenugreek Gum
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) belongs to family Leguminosae
(Fabaceae) and known as one of the oldest medicinal plant cultivated around the
globe (Goyal et al. 2016; Ouzir et al. 2016). Both leaves and seeds of fenugreek
have been traditionally used as flavuor enhancers in foods and medicinal products.
Seeds of fenugreek contain a gummy substance, i.e. mucilage, and consists of
galactomannan which is a polysaccharide (Sindhu et al. 2012). Apparently,
galactomannan of various gums differs in the physiochemical properties as the ratio
of mannose to galactose varies. The higher number of galactose in fenugreek gum
reduces this ratio to approximately one as a result, the water dissolving capacity
increases (Iurian et al. 2017). Due to the high water solubility of fenugreek gum
(Doyle et al. 2009; Kamble et al. 2013) numerous properties such as disintegrating
ability (Kumar et al. 2009), suspending capacity (Nayak et al. 2013a, b),
mucoadhesiveness (Nayak et al. 2013a, b; Nayak and Pal 2014) have been investigated extensively.
11 Pharmaceutical and Therapeutic Applications of Fenugreek Gum
381
solubility offers natural gums adhesiveness and cohesiveness which render natural
gums a biopolymer of choice to be used as stabilizing agent, gelling agent, binder,
disintegrant and suspending agent in the pharmaceutical preparations (Prajapati
et al. 2013a, b). Gums tend to work efficiently at a higher concentration in the drug
delivery systems and high swellability possesses challenges. Apart from these
above described versatile properties of natural gums, certain drawbacks associated
with them are environmental and microbial contamination during procurement and
storage, loss of viscosity on long-term storage and high degree of hydration
capacity. Chemical modification and copolymer grafting are the two major methods
which are followed to neutralize the above-mentioned issues with natural gums
(Prajapati et al. 2013a, b).
Various plant-derived gums such as guar gum, locust bean gum, acacia gum and
gum karaya are used as natural excipient and therapeutic agent for application in
diverse drug delivery systems (Castro et al. 2018; Prajapati et al. 2014; Singh
2018). Fenugreek gum hosts enormous biopharmaceutical possibilities as an
excipient and therapeutic agent due its unique physiochemical properties such as
low cytotoxicity, water solubility and biocompatibility like other natural
plant-derived gums. This article attempts to discuss various physiochemical properties and biosafety issues of fenugreek gum which play a critical role in selection
of a polymer as an excipient to develop a formulation. The latest developments in
drug discovery using fenugreek gum are surveyed to illustrate areas of research
advancing the frontiers of biomedicine.
11.1.2 Fenugreek Gum
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) belongs to family Leguminosae
(Fabaceae) and known as one of the oldest medicinal plant cultivated around the
globe (Goyal et al. 2016; Ouzir et al. 2016). Both leaves and seeds of fenugreek
have been traditionally used as flavuor enhancers in foods and medicinal products.
Seeds of fenugreek contain a gummy substance, i.e. mucilage, and consists of
galactomannan which is a polysaccharide (Sindhu et al. 2012). Apparently,
galactomannan of various gums differs in the physiochemical properties as the ratio
of mannose to galactose varies. The higher number of galactose in fenugreek gum
reduces this ratio to approximately one as a result, the water dissolving capacity
increases (Iurian et al. 2017). Due to the high water solubility of fenugreek gum
(Doyle et al. 2009; Kamble et al. 2013) numerous properties such as disintegrating
ability (Kumar et al. 2009), suspending capacity (Nayak et al. 2013a, b),
mucoadhesiveness (Nayak et al. 2013a, b; Nayak and Pal 2014) have been investigated extensively.
11 Pharmaceutical and Therapeutic Applications of Fenugreek Gum
381