Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide: An Emerging Excipient for Pharmaceutical Use

Abstract

Currently, various plant polysaccharides have been studied for their diverse applications as excipients like binders, granulating agents, disintegrants, emulsifiers, suspending agents, gelling agents, mucoadhesive agents, matrix-formers, release retardants, enteric resistants, etc., in various pharmaceutical dosage forms. Among these, tamarind seed polysaccharide is an emerging excipient, which is beingused and investigated for the preparation of various dosage forms like suspensions, emulsions, tablets, gels, creams, beads, spheroids, microparticles, nanoparticles, ophthalmic preparations, and buccal patches, etc. The current chapter deals with a comprehensive and useful discussion on pharmaceutical applications of tamarind seed polysaccharide withits some important features like source, isolation, chemical composition and properties.

Keywords: Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide; Excipient; Drug Delivery; Sustained Drug; Release