ACACIA

                                                                ACACIA

Synonym :Gucacia, Gum arabica, Indian gum

Biological Source : Indian gum is the dried gummy exudation obtained from the stem and branches of wild Acacia arabicabélonging to family Leguminosae.

Geographical Source : The plant is found in India, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Morocco and Africa. In India, it occurs in Punjab, Rajasthan and Western Ghats. About 85 per cent of world supply of gum acacia is from Sudan.

Cultivation and Collection  :It is a common member of dry monsoon forests of India. It

Is an evergreen tree with short trunk . It is not cultivated on commercial scale. Gum is Collected from wild grown plants, agent, made free of bark and foreign organic matter, dried in Sun, which also results  in partial bleaching of gum.

Description :

Colour                    -               Tears are cream-brown to red incolour, while powder is light brown in

Colour.

Odour              -          Odourless

Taste               -           Bland and mucilaginous

Size and Shape -        Irregular brown tears of varying size

Extra Features

The tears are glossy and marked with minute fissures and are brittle in nature. The pieces of broken tears are with angular fragments and glistering surfaces, breaking with difficulty, and with conchoidal fracture.

Solubility

It is soluble in water; the watery solution is viscous and acidic. It is insoluble in alcohol.

Standard

It should contain not more than 15 per cent of moisture and 5 per cent of ash Indian gum should not contain tannin, starch and dextrin.

Chemical Constituents

It consists principally of arabin, which is a Complex mixture of Calcium, magnesium and potassium salts of Arabic acid. Arabic acid on hydrolysis gives L-arabinose, L-rhamnose, D-galactose and D-glucuronic acid. It also contains an enzyme oxidase and peroxidase.

Identification

 1. Solution of lead sub acetate gelatinizes the aqueous Solution of Indian gum.

 2. It does not produce a pink Colour with the Solution of ruthenium red.

3. On addition of solutions of hydrogen peroxide and benzidine in alcohol to aqueous solution of gum, it turns blue in due to oxidase enzyme.

Uses :

1.    Acacia Acacia is a demulcent. It is also administered intravenously in haemolysis. In the form of mucilage, it is used as a suspending agent, specifically in mixtures with resinous substance.

2.      Acacia is a-good emulsifying agent for fixed oils, volatile oils and also for liquid paraffin.

3.      It is a good binding agent and is used in the preparation of lozenges, pastilles and compressed tablets.

4.       It is a gum of choice, as it is compatible with other plant hydrocolloids, as well as, starches and carbohydrates.

5.      In combination with gelatin, it is used to form coacervates for microencapsulation of

drugs.

Storage

Acacia or powdered acacia should be stored in Cool dry place in air-tight Containers