9000-65-1

Basic information

• Product Name: Tragacanth gum
• Synonyms: Gum tragacanth powder;ASTRAGALUS GUMMIFER GUM;Tragacanth powder;Gumtragacanth=Tragacanth;TRAGACANTH(ASTRAGALUSGUMMIFER)GUM;TRAGACANTH,NO.1RIBBON,FCC;TRAGACANTH,NO.1RIBBON,NF;TRAGACANTH,POWDER,NF
• CAS NO: 9000-65-1
• Molecular Formula: NULL
• Molecular Weight: 840000
• EINECS: 232-552-5
• Mol File: 9000-65-1.mol
• Article Data: 0

Chemical Properties

• Appearance: light beige powder
• Solubility: H2O: soluble20mg/mL
• Water Solubility: Slightly soluble in water.
• Stability: Stable. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents. High levels of dust in the air create the risk of explosion.
• Merck: 14,4581
• CAS DataBase Reference: Tragacanth gum(CAS DataBase Reference)
• NIST Chemistry Reference: Tragacanth gum(9000-65-1)
• EPA Substance Registry System: Tragacanth gum(9000-65-1)

Safety Data

• Safety Statements: 22-24/25
• WGK Germany: 2
• RTECS: XW7750000
• TSCA: Yes
• Hazardous Substances Data: 9000-65-1(Hazardous Substances Data)

Usage

Description

Tragacanth gum, also known as gum tragacanth, is a natural gum exudate obtained from the Astragalus gummifer shrub, belonging to the genus Astragalus. It forms a highly viscous solution or paste when mixed with water, with a 1% solution exhibiting a viscosity of around 3,400 cps. The gum is stable at low pH levels and possesses acid resistance, making it an effective suspending agent.

Uses

Used in Food Industry:
Tragacanth gum is used as a stabilizer, thickener, and texturizer in various food products, including salad dressings, sauces, fruit fillings, and citrus beverages. Its ability to create a highly viscous solution makes it an ideal ingredient for enhancing the consistency and texture of these products.
Used in Pharmaceutical Industry:
In pharmaceutical compounding and dispensing, Tragacanth gum is used to suspend heavy insoluble powders, as an excipient for tablets, and to impart consistency to troches. It is also utilized in the creation of emulsions and emulsifying agents, thanks to its effectiveness as an emulsifying agent, binder, film former, and viscosity controller.
Used in Cosmetics:
Tragacanth gum serves as a stabilizing ingredient in lotions, where its emulsifying, binding, and viscosity controlling properties contribute to the formulation of various cosmetic products.
Used in Adhesives:
The gum is employed in the production of mucilages and pastes, which are used as adhesives in various applications.
Used in Textile Industry:
Tragacanth gum is utilized in textile sizing, textile printing, and general printing inks, as well as in dyeing with insoluble color lakes, due to its binding and film-forming properties.

Production Methods

Tragacanth gum is the air-dried gum obtained from Astragalus gummifer Labillardie`re and other species of Astragalus grown principally in Iran, Syria, and Turkey. A low-quality gum is obtained by collecting the natural air-dried exudate from Astragalus bushes. A higher-grade material is obtained by making incisions in the trunk and branches of the bush, which are held open with variously sized wooden pegs. The exudate is left to drain from the incision and dry naturally in the air before being collected. The size and position of the wooden wedges determine the physical form of the exudate, while the drying conditions determine the color of the gum. After collection, the tragacanth gum is sorted by hand into various grades, such as ribbons or flakes.

Pharmaceutical Applications

Tragacanth gum is used as an emulsifying and suspending agent in a variety of pharmaceutical formulations. It is used in creams, gels, and emulsions at various concentrations according to the application of the formulation and the grade of gum used. Tragacanth gum is also used similarly in cosmetics and food products, and has been used as a diluent in tablet formulations.

Safety Profile

Mildly toxic by ingestion. A mild allergen. A skin and eye irritant. Combustible when exposed to heat or flame. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Safety

Tragacanth has been used for many years in oral pharmaceutical formulations and food products, and is generally regarded as an essentially nontoxic material. Tragacanth has been shown to be noncarcinogenic. However, hypersensitivity reactions, which are occasionaly severe, have been reported following ingestion of products containing tragacanth. Contact dermatitis has also been reported following the topical use of tragacanth formulations. The WHO has not specified an acceptable daily intake for tragacanth gum, as the daily intake necessary to achieve a desired effect, and its background levels in food, were not considered to be a hazard to health. LD50 (hamster, oral): 8.8 g/kg LD50 (mouse, oral): 10 g/kg LD50 (rabbit, oral): 7.2 g/kg LD50 (rat, oral): 16.4 g/kg

storage

Both the flaked and powdered forms of tragacanth are stable. Tragacanth gels are liable to exhibit microbial contamination with enterobacterial species, and stock solutions should therefore contain suitable antimicrobial preservatives. In emulsions, glycerin or propylene glycol are used as preservatives; in gel formulations, tragacanth is usually preserved with either 0.1% w/v benzoic acid or sodium benzoate. A combination of 0.17% w/v methylparaben and 0.03% w/v propylparaben is also an effective preservative for tragacanth gels. Gels may be sterilized by autoclaving. Sterilization by gamma irradiation causes a marked reduction in the viscosity of tragacanth dispersions. Tragacanth dispersions are most stable at pH 4–8, although stability is satisfactory at higher pH or as low as pH 2. The bulk material should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Incompatibilities

At pH 7, tragacanth has been reported to considerably reduce the efficacy of the antimicrobial preservatives benzalkonium chloride, chlorobutanol, and methylparaben, and to a lesser extent that of phenol and phenylmercuric acetate. However, at pH < 5 tragacanth was reported to have no adverse effects on the preservative efficacy of benzoic acid, chlorobutanol, or methylparaben. The addition of strong mineral and organic acids can reduce the viscosity of tragacanth dispersions. Viscosity may also be reduced by the addition of alkali or sodium chloride, particularly if the dispersion is heated. Tragacanth is compatible with relatively high salt concentrations and most other natural and synthetic suspending agents such as acacia, carboxymethylcellulose, starch, and sucrose. Ayellow colored, stringy, precipitate is formed with 10% w/v ferric chloride solution.

Regulatory Status

GRAS listed. Accepted for use as a food additive in Europe. Included in the FDA Inactive Ingredients Database (buccal/ sublingual tablets, oral powders, suspensions, syrups, and tablets). Included in nonparenteral medicines licensed in the UK. Included in the Canadian List of Acceptable Non-medicinal Ingredients.