ABSTRACT
In general, gums having a complex, branched polymeric structure, show high cohesive and adhesive properties. Such properties are particularly desirable in pharmaceutical preparations. Okra gum is collected from plant-derived Okra fruit (Hibiscus esculentus (family Malvaceae)), which is a natural polysaccharide that consists of d-galactose, l-rhamnose, and l-galacturonic acid. The plant is capable of tolerating heat and drought as well as the fruit is very popular mainly in Asia and Africa, which has opened the door to consider Okra other than food. These exorcisms of Okra gum lead to aptness as excipients in the development of different pharmaceutical formulations. In continuation, in many literatures, as a pharmaceutical excipient, the efficiency of Okra gum has received considerable attention as a binder to tablets giving good hardness and friability, controlled release agent, film coating material, bio-adhesive, suspending agent, sustained-release drug delivery matrices, disintegrate, etc. In addition, comparing to commercial synthetic polymers, it has vast advantages, e.g., it is safe, biodegradable, biocompatible, chemically inert, non-irritant, eco-friendly, and biocompatible. One of the most common uses of Okra gum is in Paracetamol tablet providing controlled release after intake. In this chapter, we have tried to illustrate the significant pharmaceutical 184applications of Okra gum as well as to enlighten the potential implication on future natural gum applications.
