Important of Katira Gum (Gond Katira) or Tragacanth Gum as a Herbal Medicine

Tragacanth gum comes from a thorny shrub which is native to western Asia, Iraq, Iran and the Middle East. Tragacanth is a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species of the genus Astragalus, including A. adscendens, A. gummifer, and A. tragacanthus. The plant is a member of the pea family of plants, Fabaceae, and produces pods like other members of the Leguminoseae family such as carob trees. Gum tragacanth is a viscous, odorless, tasteless, water-soluble mixture of polysaccharides obtained from sap which is drained from the root of the plant and dried. It contains an alkaloid that has historically been used as an herbal remedy for such conditions as cough and diarrhea as mucilage or paste it has been used as a topical treatment for burns. It is used in pharmaceuticals and foods as an emulsifier, thickener, stabilizer, and texturant additive gum tragacanth is also used in incense making as a binder to hold all the powdered herbs together.

Keywords:

Katira Gum , Gond Katira , Medicine plant