Tragacanth

This article is compiled based on the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) – 2025 Edition

Issued and maintained by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)

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1 DEFINITION

Tragacanth is the dried gummy exudation from Astragalus gummifer Labill., or other Asiatic species of Astragalus (Fam. Leguminosae).

2 IDENTIFICATION

A. Add 1 g to 50 mL of water: it swells and forms a smooth, nearly uniform, stiff, opalescent mucilage free from cellular fragments.

3 IMPURITIES

Change to read:

LEAD (251), Procedures. Procedure 1_{▲(CN 1-JUN-2023)}: NMT 10 ppm

4 SPECIFIC TESTS

4.1 MICROBIAL ENUMERATION TESTS (61), and TESTS FOR SPECIFIED MICROORGANISMS (62)

It meets the requirements for absence of Salmonella species and Escherichia coli.

4.2 BOTANIC CHARACTERISTICS

Tragacanth: It is flattened, lamellated, frequently curved fragments or straight or spirally twisted linear pieces from 0.5 to 2.5 mm in thickness. It is white to weak yellow in color, translucent, and horny in texture. Its fracture is short. It is rendered more easily pulverizable by heating to 50°. It is odorless.

Histology: Pieces of Tragacanth softened in water and mounted in water or Glycerin show numerous lamellae and a few starch grains.

Powdered tragacanth: It is white to yellowish white. When examined in water mounts, it shows numerous angular fragments of mucilage with circular or irregular lamellae, and occasional starch grains up to 25 µm in diameter, mostly simple, spherical to elliptical, with occasional two- to four-compound grains, a few of the grains being swollen and more or less altered. The powder shows few or no fragments of lignified vegetable tissue (Indian gum).

4.3 KARAYA GUM

Sample solution: 1 g in 20 mL of water

Analysis: Boil the Sample solution until a mucilage is formed, add 5 mL of hydrochloric acid, and again boil the mixture for 5 min.

Acceptance criteria: No pink or red color develops.

5 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

PACKAGING AND STORAGE: Preserve in well-closed containers.