PHcog J.

original article
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Extraction and Characterization of Tamarind Seed 3
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Polysaccharide as a Pharmaceutical Excipient 5
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Rupali Singh*, Rishabha Malviya, Pramod Kumar Sharma 7
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Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology Baghpat Crossing,
Delhi Roorkee Highway, NH‑58, Meerut-250005, U.P. India 9
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Abstract 13
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Objective: The objective of the present work was extraction of polysaccharide from tamarind seed and further
characterization as pharmaceutical excipient. Study includes phytochemical screening, micromeritic properties. Work
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also emphasize to study gelling properties of extracted polysaccharide. Methods: Water based extraction procedure was 17
used to extract polysaccharide from tamarind seed. Pharmacopoeial procedures were used to study the micromeritic 18
properties, solubility, organoleptic properties and pH. Different concentration based solution were prepared to evaluate 19
gelling properties of seed polysaccharide. Key findings: Results obtained from the study showed that used procedure 20
was efficient to extract gum from tamarind seed. Obtained results easily predict the fact that extracted polymer can be 21
used as pharmaceutical excipient in terms of micromeritic properties and flow behavior. It was also found that obtained 22
gum showed gelling behavior at 8% w/v solution of water. Conclusions: It can be concluded from whole study that
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tamarind seed polysaccharide can be an important pharmaceutical excipient for solid. Obtained results also showed that
extracted seed polysaccharide may be used as natural gelling agents in different pharmaceutical formulations. 24
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Key words: tamarind gum, rheological studies, natural polymers, polysaccharides, excipient. 26
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Introduction 65% of the seed components.[7, 8, 9] It is used as a thickening,
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stabilizing and gelling agents in food.[10] The gum can also
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Natural polymers are obtained in the form of macromolecules. be act as a binder in pharmaceutical tablets, as a humectants
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The natural polymers demands in the households, agriculture, and emulsifier in the different types of formulations.[11]
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food industries and in packaging and it also help in reducing This shows that the Tamarind gum is highly viscous,
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the environmental pollution and resulting in disposal in mucoadhesive and biocompatible in nature. Now the
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landfills. Natural polymers are act as an environment cleaner, regular research is going on in field of natural occurring
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renewable and help in recycling of global carbon. The natural biocompatible polymeric material in designing of dosage
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gums are biodegradable, nontoxic and biocompatible in form for oral controlled release administration. The
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nature and swells when comes in contact with the aqueous Tamarind gum has a widest scope in the pharmaceutical
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media so it has been used in the preparation of sustained industries and it is act as a binder in tablet dosage form,
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release or controlled release types of dosage form.[1, 2] In ocular drug delivery system and in sustained release drug
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the present investigation it shows that plant polysaccharide delivery systems. It is a novel mucoadhesive polymer, can
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have been useful for the construction of specific drug be used in the delivery system for the ocular administration
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delivery systems.[2] The polysaccharide that is present in of hydrophilic and hydrophobic antibiotics.[12]
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tamarind gum is known as tamarind seed polysaccharide 45
(TSP). Gum is present in the tamarind seed and it is a 46
Method
hydrophilic polymer and had been used as gelling, thickening, 47
suspending and emulsifying agents.[3, 4, 5, 6] Gum consisted Isolation of gum from tamarind seed 48
Take the tamarind seeds and peel out the outer cover 49
Address for correspondence:
and obtaining the white part of seeds and crush them. 50
E-mail: rupalisingh04py43@gmail.com The crushed seeds of Tamarindus indica were soaked 51
E-mail:
Ph.: +919758395798 in  water for 24 h and then take the muslin cloth and 52
the soaked seeds were put into it for the release of gum 53
DOI: ****
from it. The marc was removed from the gum and 54

Pharmacognosy Journal  |  February 2011  |  Vol 3  |  Issue 20 17

 Singh, et al.: Extraction and Characterization of Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide as a Pharmaceutical Excipient.

1 equal quantity of absolute ethyl alcohol was added to Powder flow property:

2 precipitate  the gum and the gum was separated by The flow characteristics were measured by angle of
3 filtration. The marc was not discarded because it was repose.  The experiment was repeated thrice. Using
4 sent for multiple extractions with decreasing quantity of the readings and the formula, the angle of repose was
5 extracting solvent i.e., water with the increase of number calculated.[15,16]
6 of extractions. The isolation was continued until the
7 material was free of gum. The separated gum was dried Powder compressibility:
8 in hot air oven at temperature 40ºC. Then the dried gum This property is also known as compressibility. The
9 was powdered and stored in airtight containers at room finely powdered gum (5 g) was transferred into a measuring
10 temperature.[11] cylinder and calculations were done using bulk density
11 apparatus.[15,16]
12 Physicochemical characterization of gum
13 Evaluation of gelling properties:
14 Identification tests for carbohydrates, proteins, The gelling property of the tamarind gum was evaluated
15 mucilage and gums: with preparing different concentration based gels of
16 Aqueous solution of extracted gum was used for chemical polymer. In this study initially 3%, 4% and 5% of solutions
17 characterization. Test for carbohydrates, proteins, mucilage, of the gum were prepared but the gel formation was not
18 alkaloids, fats, tannins, amino acids and gums were perform appeared. Further 6%, 8%, 10% and 12% solution were
19 according to standard procedure.[13,14] prepared and it was found that gelling property of polymer
20 was initiated with 8% solution at 25ºC. The viscosity of
21 Organoleptic evaluation of isolated gum: the prepared gels was estimated using Brookfield Rheometer
22 The isolated gum was characterized for organoleptic (Model No. R/S- PI).
23 properties such as color, odor, taste, fracture and texture.
24 Inter day measurementof viscosity:
25 Solubility behavior gum: Interday measurement of viscosity was carried out with an
26 One part of dry gum powder was shaken with different aim to evaluate effect of relatively long time on the viscosity
27 solvents and the solubility was determined. of prepared gel. All the measurements were carried out at
28 25ºC and 100 shear rate.
29 pH of gum:
30 The gum was weighed and dissolved in water separately to Results and Discussion
31 get a 1% w/v solution. The pH of solution was determined
32 using digital pH meter.[14] After extraction of the gum and then further precipitation
33 by the ethyl alcohol the yield of tamarind gum was obtained
34 Swelling index: 18.39% w/w. isolated gum was then used for identification
35 The swelling index is the volume (in ml) taken up by test. This showed the presence of carbohydrates in the
36 the  swelling of 1 g of test material under specified sample powder of the gum. The confirmatory test of
37 conditions. The swelling index of the pectin was gum was done when it gave negative test for mucilages,
38 determined by accurately weighing 1 g of pectin, which tannins, alkaloids and proteins. This can be considered
39 was further introduced into a 25 ml glass-Stoppard as a proof for purity of the isolated gum as depicted in
40 measuring cylinder. 25 ml of water was added and Table 1.
41 mixture was shaken thoroughly every 10 min for 1 h.
42 It was then allowed to stand for 3h at room temperature.
43 Then the volume occupied by gum, was measured. The
Table1: Chemical characterization of isolated gum
44 same procedure was repeated thrice and the mean value
45 was calculated.[14] Tests Present/Absent
46 Carbohydrates +
Hexose Sugar +
47 Bulk density and bulkiness:
Monosaccharide –
48 The inverse of bulk density is called as bulkiness. Accurately Proteins –
49 weighed quantity of (50 g) was introduced into a graduated Fats and oils –
50 measuring cylinder. The cylinder was fixed on the bulk Tannins –
Alkaloids –
51 density apparatus and the volume occupied by the powder Amino acids –
52 was noted. Then, the powder was subjected to tapping in Mucilage –
53 a bulk density apparatus until constant volume was obtained. Gums –
54 The final volume (bulk volume) was noted.[15, 16] +Present; –Absent.

18 Pharmacognosy Journal  |  February 2011  |  Vol 3  |  Issue 20

 Singh, et al.: Extraction and Characterization of Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide as a Pharmaceutical Excipient.

Organoleptic properties of gum were found to be Conclusions 1

accepted. Gum was odorless having the characteristics 2
taste. Gum was light brownish in color with rough It was found that polysaccharide can be successfully extracted 3
texture and rough fracture. Ash values are an important from tamarind seed using water based extraction procedure. 4
parameter to characterize the natural excipients in the Extracted polysaccharide has properties to be used as 5
gum. The solubility behavior of any excipient is an pharmaceutical excipient. It was also predicted from the 6
important parameter to determine its suitability in different study that extracted polysaccharide can be used as a gelling 7
formulations. Isolated gum was also used to study the agent in different pharmaceutical preparations. 8
solubility behavior. It was found that gum swells to form 9
gel in cold water while completely insoluble in organic 10
solvent such as benzene, ether, chloroform, n–butanol, Acknowledgement 11
methanol and ethanol. The pH value of 1% solution 12
of  the gum was found to be slightly acidic (6.7). So it Authors are highly thanks full to Dr. G.T. Kulkarni, Maratha 13
should not show the mucosal irritation when used Mandal College of Pharmacy, Karnataka for providing 14
in the formulations for the oral preparations. Physical necessary guidance. 15
characterization of gum was carried out for the bulk 16
density, bulkiness, true density total porosity, powder References 17
flow behavior and surface characteristics of the powder 18
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Table 2: Micromeritic study and flow properties
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of gum 9. Leakey RRB. Potential for novel food products from agro forestry trees:
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and Comparison of Sustained Release Matrix Tablets of Diclofenac
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rabbits. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2000; 46(5):831-4. 43
Table 3: Viscosity measurement of prepared gel 13. Lala PK. Practical Pharmacognosy. Calcutta, Lina Guha; 1981; p.135. 44
in different days 14. Kokate CK. Practical Pharmacognosy. 3rd ed. New Delhi; 1991 Vallabh 45
Prakashan; 1991.
Days Viscosity (Pa) 46
15. Malviya R, Srivastava P, Bansal M, Sharma PK. Preparation and Evaluation
6% 8% 10% 12%
of Disintegrating Properties of Cucurbita maxima Pulp Powder. Int.
47
1 6.79 11.9 8.21 9.41 J. Pharma. Sci. 2010; 2(1):395-9. 48
2 7.11 11.2 8.62 9.83 16. Srivastava P, Malviya R, Bansal S, Sharma P K. Evaluation of Various 49
3 7.98 11.4 8.44 9.54
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