Review of Plant Exudates to Smart Drug Delivery: The Evolving Role of Natural Gums

Because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, renewability, and affordability, natural gums have drawn a lot of interest as multipurpose pharmaceutical excipients. These naturally occurring polysaccharides, which come from plant, microbial, marine, and animal sources, have exceptional physicochemical qualities that make them appropriate for a variety of pharmaceutical applications. These qualities include swelling, viscosity enhancement, gel formation, film-forming ability, and mucoadhesion. The classification, sources, extraction procedures, chemical composition, structural features, physicochemical qualities, and characterisation methods of natural gums are all covered in detail in this review. Additionally included are their various pharmaceutical uses as carriers in controlled drug delivery systems, binders, disintegrants, suspending agents, emulsifying agents, gelling agents, film-forming polymers, and mucoadhesive compounds. The therapeutic potential of natural gums has been greatly increased by recent developments in nanotechnology, hydrogel-based formulations, tissue engineering, 3D printing, and intelligent drug delivery systems. Their toxicological profile, regulatory issues, current research trends, future prospects, and the difficulties of standardization, quality control, and large-scale production are also highlighted in the review. All things considered, natural gums are adaptable and durable biomaterials that can effectively replace synthetic polymers in contemporary pharmaceutical formulations. It is anticipated that ongoing research on enhanced characterisation, green extraction technologies, chemical modification, and regulatory harmonization would strengthen their position in next-generation drug delivery systems and biomedical and it is anticipated that regulatory harmonization would further strengthen their position in biomedical applications and next-generation drug delivery systems.

Natural gums, polysaccharides, drug delivery, biodegradable polymers, controlled release, nanotechnology, mucoadhesion, hydrogels, and pharmaceutical applications are some of the keywords.

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