Application of Raphia hookeri Gum in Pharmaceutical Dosage Form Design-A Review

Raphia hookeri gum is an exudate of the Raphia hookeri tree. The tree is common in humid tropical rain forest of Africa and Western Asia where the gum attains its popularity. For its desirable emulsifying, stabilizing, binding, good flow properties, sustained-release, rheological, spectroscopic and physicochemical properties make it suitable as pharmaceutical excipient. The low protein contents couple with absence of fibres also confirm the emulsifying properties of RhG. Its pH sensitive nature may make it useful in intestinal/colon drug delivery. Current literature shows the presence of saponins 2.08 - 3.98 mg / 100 g, alkaloids alkaloids (0.28-0.49 mg 100g−1), tannins (0.47-0.72 mg 100g−1), flavonoids (0.26-0.39 mg 100g−1), and phenolic compounds (0.01–0.05 mg 100g−1). The carbohydrates, lipids and protein content were 77.42-78.90%, 2.02-4.185% and 16.63-18.38% respectively. The exudates are good source of water- soluble vitamins; ascorbic acid (7.04-26.40 mg 100g−1), niacin (3.12-4.00 mg 100g−1), riboflavin (0.14-0.54 mg 100g−1) and thiamine (0.15-0.22 mg 100g−1),). Its foray into all these properties fuel further investigation into its unexplored functionality. The objective of this review was to highlight the recently unraveled potential of this gum as pharmaceutical excipient and its future prospects.