Tragacanth

Scientific Name(s): Astragalus gummifer Labill., Astragalus
Common Name(s): Goat's thorn, Green dragon, Gum dragon, Gum tragacanth, Gummi tragacanthae, Hog gum, Milkvetch, Syrian tragacanth, Tragacanth

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 21, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Clinical data regarding tragacanth application, other than as a gel, are lacking. An effect on the moderation of glucose levels has not been consistently demonstrated.

Dosing

Recent clinical evidence does not support a specific dosage of tragacanth. The gum has generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status as a food additive.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Tragacanth is not associated with adverse effects when used for up to 21 days.

Toxicology

No data.

Scientific Family

• Fabaceae (bean)

Botany

The tragacanth species comprises low-growing, thorny shrubs native to the mountainous regions of the Middle East. Gum tragacanth is obtained from the branches and taproots. The gum dries as it exudes and must be collected rapidly. The name "tragacanth" derives from the Greek words tragos (meaning "goat") and akantha ("thorn"), which describe the appearance and texture of the crude gum.Khan 2010, USDA 2015

History

Tragacanth has traditionally been used as an emulsifier, thickening agent, and suspending agent.Morton 1977, Nuttall 1993 It has also been used to manage diarrhea and as a demulcent in cough and cold preparations.Morton 1977

Tragacanth is currently used in foods and dressings, in denture fixatives, and to thicken ice cream;Anderson 1989, Berg 1991 it is also being investigated as a novel drug delivery tool.Kumar 2014

Chemistry

Tragacanth has 2 major constituents: tragacanthin (20% to 30%), a water-soluble fraction consisting of tragacanthic acid and arabinogalactan, and bassorin (60% to 70%), a water-insoluble fraction. Tragacanthic acid includes D-galacturonic acid, D-xylose, L-fructose, D-galactose, and other sugars. Tragacanthin is composed of uronic acid and arabinose; it dissolves in water to form a viscous colloidal solution, while bassorin swells to form a thick gel.Duke 1992, Khan 2010, Morton 1977, Tischer 2002

Maximum viscosity of tragacanthin is attained only after 24 hours at room temperature or after heating for 8 hours at high temperatures. The viscosity of these solutions is generally considered to be the highest among plant gums.Khan 2010

Uses and Pharmacology

Diabetes

Animal data

Information regarding the use of tragacanth in diabetes is limited.

Clinical data

As with other water-soluble gums, some preliminary evidence suggests that concomitant ingestion of tragacanth with a high sugar load can moderate glucose levels in patients with diabetes.Eastwood 1984 However, this effect has not been consistently demonstratedEastwood 1986 and more detailed investigation is needed. Although gum tragacanth swells to increase stool weight and decrease GI transit time, it differs from o...