Abstract
Natural medicinal exudates such as gum arabic are high-molecular-weight natural polysaccharides and are highly soluble in water. The dissolved solutions of these exudates show viscous behavior and exhibit favorable emulsion stability. These exudates have been widely used not only as a medicinal additive, such as a coating agent for tablets and as an emulsifier and stabilizer in beverage and food products, but also for other industrial applications, such as paints and ink. Gum ghatti was originally used as an alternative to gum arabic due to its similar properties to those found in gum arabic. Gum ghatti has been used as a food additive due to its excellent emulsification properties. In this study, we obtained gum ghatti nodules and branches as botanical specimens, which were collected from the same harvesting area. Refined gum ghatti processed from the collected gum ghatti nodules was found to comply with the specifications set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and also to be identical to commercially available gum ghatti products as a food additive. Component analysis of the refined gum ghatti samples revealed that they contain arabinose (34.0–38.0 %), galactose (21.0–24.6 %), mannose (5.3–7.9 %), xylose (0.8–1.2 %), rhamnose (0.8–1.2 %), and glucuronic acid (15.4–18.6 %) as constituent sugars, protein (2.7–3.6 %), moisture (4.9–8.3 %), and tannin (0.041–0.092 %). As a result of the investigation of collected branches as botanical specimens, they were identified as Anogeissus latifolia Wallich. Detailed observation of their morphological characteristics revealed that many crystal cells were aligned in the lengthwise section of branch specimens.



Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.References
Manual Specification and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, etc., Under the Food Sanitation Act (Abstract) 2010 (2011) Japan External Trade Organization, pp 156
Japan’s Specification and Standards for Food Additives (8th edn.) (2007), pp 279
Whistler R, BeMiller J (eds) (1993) Industrial gums, polysaccharides and their derivatives. Academic Press, New York, pp 326–330
Ido T, Ogasawara T, Katayama T, Sasaki Y, Al-Assaf S, Phillips G (2008) Emulsification properties of GATIFOLIA (gum ghatti) used for emulsions in food products. Foods Food Ingred J Jpn 213(4):365–371
Katayama T, Ido T, Sasaki Y, Ogasawara T, Al-Assaf S, Phillips G (2008) Characteristics of the adsorbed component of gum ghatti responsible for its oil–water interface advantages. Foods Food Ingred J Jpn 213(4):372–376
Castellani O, Al-Assaf S, Axelos M, Phillips G, Anton M (2010) Hydrocolloids with emulsifying capacity. Part 2-adsorption properties at the n-hexadecane-water interface. Food Hydrocoll 24:121–130
Castellani O, Gaillard C, Vie V, Al-Assaf S, Axelos M, Phillips G, Anton M (2010) Hydrocolloids with emulsifying capacity. Part 3-adsorption and structural properties at the air-water surface. Food Hydrocoll 24:131–140
Al-Assaf S, Phillips G, Amar V (2009) Handbook of hydrocolloids second edition. Gum ghatti 17:477–494
Aspinall G, Hirst E, Wickstrom A (1955) Gum ghatti (Indian gum) the composition of the gum and structure of two aldobiouronic acids derived from it. J Chem Soc 1160–1165
Aspinall G, Auret B, Hirst E (1958) Gum ghatti (Indian gum), Part III. Neutral oligosaccharides formed on partial acid hydrolysis of the gum. J Chem Soc 221:4408–4414
Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications, FAO JECFA Monographs 1, vol 2 (2006) CAS Number 9000-28-6, ISBN:9251053936
Mopper K, Schultz C, Chevolot L, Germain C, Revuelta R, Dawson R (1992) Determination of sugars in unconcentrated seawater and other natural waters by liquid chromatography and pulsed amperometric detection. Environ Sci Technol 26:133–138
Taylor KA, Buchanan SJ (1992) A colorimetric method for the quantitation of uronic acids and a specific assay of galacturonic acid. Anal Biochem 201:190–196
Standard methods of analysis in food safety regulation Rikagakuhen (2005) 32–67, ISBN:9784889250039
The voluntary specifications of existing food additives 4th edition, tea extract (2008), pp 395–396
The Japanese Pharmacopoeia Sixteenth Edition (2011) Microscopic examination, pp 665
Yoganarasimhan S (1996) Medicinal plants of India, vol I Karnataka. Interline, India, pp 43, ISBN:81-7296-037-9
Arya VS (1994) Indian medicinal plants Volume 1 Orient Longman. India. pp 163–166, ISBN:8125003010
Scott AJ (1978) A revision of Anogeissus (Combretaceae). Kew Bull 33(4):555–566
Li P,Fu L, Hong T, (2001) Higher plants of China, vol 7, Qingdao Publishing House, China, pp 665, ISBN:7-5435-3556-3
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sakai, E., Katayama, T., Ogasawara, T. et al. Identification of Anogeissus latifolia Wallich and analysis of refined gum ghatti. J Nat Med 67, 276–280 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-012-0678-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-012-0678-3

