IngredientsGhatti, universally known as gum ghatti or Indian gum, is a natural polysaccharide exudate produced by the tree Anogeissus latifolia (Roxb. ex DC.) Wall., a member of the family Combretaceae. Known commonly as Axlewood or Dhawra, the tree holds a significant position in traditional medicine due to its diverse therapeutic applications. It is also widely listed under the synonymous Latin designations Gummi Indicum and Gummi Indici. The presence of this tree in the mountains of India, recognized as "Ghats," is the reason behind the nomenclature of this exudate gum as gum ghatti or Indian gum; it is also known as Gummi Indici and Gummi Indicum worldwide. Additional vernacular names for the tree include Baklee and Dhaura in Hindi.
Gum ghatti gets its name from its early transportation route, originally through mountain passes in India called ghats. Gum ghatti is obtained from the Anogeissus latifolia tree of the family Combretaceae, a large tree found abundantly in the deciduous forests of India and Sri Lanka. The geographic range also includes Nepal and Myanmar. Gum ghatti is a complex nonstarch polysaccharide exudate of Anogeissus latifolia, which is a blend of magnesium and calcium salts produced from ghattic or uronic acids, and most commonly found in the dry deciduous forests of India.
The harvest of gum ghatti is somewhat different from other gum varieties: the trees exude ghatti gum on their own, either through naturally occurring wounds in the bark or when the temperature is very hot. Due to this, tapping β that is, human-made cuts in the trees β is not necessary in the harvest of gum ghatti. The raw material gum ghatti consists of small, whitish to dark red, odorless resin lumps. The A. latifolia plant produces a good quantity of gum commonly known as ghatti gum, which is gray to reddish gray in color.
Medicinal uses of gum ghatti have been reported since ancient times in Ayurvedic and Unani therapies, and its unique properties also make it more valuable for use in different food items. Known as Axlewood or Dhawra, the plant holds a significant position in traditional medicine due to its diverse therapeutic applications. Across various indigenous systems, including Ayurveda and Siddha, this plant has been used for centuries to address numerous ailments such as wounds, diabetes, diarrhea, and respiratory disorders.
In Ayurvedic and Unani medicine, multiple parts of the tree β not only the gum β were employed. The bark, leaves, and gum exudates are highly valued for their astringent, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The plant is described as astringent and cooling and was used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, ulcers, piles, urinary disorders, and dysuria. It was also used in Indian medicine against epilepsy.
Stem bark, leaf, seed, fruit, and root of the plants were used for the treatment of several health disorders such as diabetes, fever, diarrhoea, dysentery, tuberculosis, wound healing, skin diseases including eczema and psoriasis, and snake and scorpion venom. Gum ghatti obtained from Anogeissus latifolia was used after delivery as a tonic and in spermatorrhoea.
Traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Siddha utilized various parts of A. latifolia, including its bark, leaves, and gum, for treating wounds, diarrhea, diabetes, fever, and more. The gum specifically was ingested for gut problems due to its high content of water-soluble fibre. Gum ghatti is traditionally used in India for its therapeutical properties and as food. Due to the high content of water-soluble fibre, gum ghatti is ingested in the case of gut problems.
An important historical context is that gum ghatti was the primary Indian gum recognized in the British Pharmacopoeia and was regarded as a substitute or analog of gum arabic. Gum ghatti was originally used as an alternative to gum arabic due to its similar properties. A specimen jar of gum ghatti from India dated to 1830β1930 is held in the Science Museum Group Collection in London, attesting to its long history of trade and pharmacopoeial recognition in Britain. The gum has cooling and astringent (tissue-contracting) properties; the latter helps reduce blood loss.
Gum ghatti, popularly known as Indian gum and obtained from Anogeissus latifolia, is a complex high-molecular-weight, water-soluble, and swellable nonstarch polysaccharide comprised of magnesium and calcium salts of ghattic acids and multiple monosugars. This gum exists as calcium and magnesium salts. It has (1,4)-Ξ²-d-glucopyranosyl uronic acid and (1,2)-Ξ±-d-mannopyranose units as the main chain and comprises l-arabinose, d-galactose, and d-glucuronic acid as side chains.
Component analysis of the refined gum ghatti samples revealed that they contain arabinose (34.0β38.0%), galactose (21.0β24.6%), mannose (5.3β7.9%), xylose (0.8β1.2%), rhamnose (0.8β1.2%), and glucuronic acid (15.4β18.6%) as constituent sugars, protein (2.7β3.6%), moisture (4.9β8.3%), and tannin (0.041β0.092%).
Several serological and structural studies based on the gum revealed that the molecular weight of ghatti gum is approximately 8.94 Γ 107 g/mol. The gummy solution at low concentration shows pseudoplastic, time-dependent shear and thickening behavior.
Beyond the gum, other parts of A. latifolia contain a rich array of secondary metabolites. Different parts of the plant contain various proteins, carbohydrates, sugars (arabinose, galactose, mannose, xylose, rhamnose, and glucuronic acid), minerals (magnesium and calcium salts of ghattic acid), and a wide range of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, sterols, saponins, tannins, coumarins, quinine, and ellagic acid.
Anogeissus latifolia is widely used in the Indian indigenous system of medicine and is reported to contain leucocyanidins and tannoid principles like ellagic acid and its derivatives. The percentage of gallic acid was estimated and found to be 0.95%, which is considered one of the reasons for the potent antioxidant activity exhibited by the plant.
About 55 secondary metabolites are isolated from the genus Anogeissus. Many phytochemical investigations on this genus confirmed that it is rich in phenolic compounds.
Industrial applications of gum ghatti are primarily due to its excellent emulsification, stabilization, thickening, heat tolerance, pH stability, carrier, and biodegradable properties. The physicochemical study of this gum shows high viscosity that solely depends upon the pH of the medium. Gum ghatti is a high-molecular-weight anionic polysaccharide used in food and pharmaceutically applied as binder, thickener, emulsifier, and sustained-release matrix.
The gum known as "ghatti gum" exhibits hypolipidemic activity, showing promise in lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels while enhancing HDL cholesterol in hyperlipidemic models. The key direct evidence, however, is restricted to animal experiments.
The most directly relevant preclinical study is a rat study evaluating gum ghatti's effect on serum lipid levels. The study was carried out to investigate the effect of gum ghatti of Anogeissus latifolia on serum lipid levels of albino rats. Rats were made hyperlipidemic by the oral administration of cholesterol (400 mg/kg body weight/day) along with cholic acid (50 mg/kg) in coconut oil. In the atherogenic diet-induced hyperlipidemic model, the rats receiving treatment with gum ghatti at 250 mg/kg dosage showed significant reduction in serum triglyceride only, and there was no significant change either in serum total cholesterol or elevation in HDL.
Strength of evidence: Hypolipidemic evidence for ghatti gum specifically is limited to preclinical (animal) models and the results were mixed even within those experiments, demonstrating only a reduction in triglycerides at the dose tested rather than a comprehensive lipid-lowering effect. No human clinical trials on gum ghatti's lipid effects have been published in the peer-reviewed literature as of the time of writing. Claims of broad hypolipidemic activity should be interpreted cautiously.
In view of its wide use and its chemical composition, one study examined the antioxidant activity of the extract of A. latifolia. The extract was studied for total antioxidant capacity, hydrogen-donating ability, nitric oxide, superoxide scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide decomposition activity, along with lipid peroxidation. The results indicate that the A. latifolia extract has potent antioxidant activity. These observations were made in in vitro assays and using a rat liver homogenate model, and the findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal (PubMed, PMID 15305034). The percentage of gallic acid was estimated at 0.95%, which could be one of the reasons for the potent antioxidant activity exhibited by the plant.
Strength of evidence: In vitro and animal studies only. No clinical trials in humans have been conducted specifically on the antioxidant effects of gum ghatti.
One published study examined the antiulcer potential and antimicrobial activity of the 50% aqueous alcoholic extract of A. latifolia to validate ethnobotanical claims regarding the plant's use in stomach and skin diseases. Gastroprotective potential of the Anogeissus latifolia extract (ALE) at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight was studied in aspirin-induced, cold-resistant stress (CRS), pylorus-ligated, and ethanol-induced ulcer models. The results of the present study showed for the first time that the ALE possessed gastroprotective activity as evidenced by significant inhibition in the formation of ulcers induced by physical and chemical agents, with a maximum of 84.16% curation (200 mg/kg body weight) in CRS-induced ulcers.
Strength of evidence: Preclinical (animal study) only. This study used plant extracts rather than isolated gum ghatti. No human clinical data are available.
Compounds isolated from A. latifolia contribute to diverse pharmacological activities including antimicrobial effects. Notably, the high tannin content in the bark plays a pivotal role in microbial inhibition and tissue regeneration. Modern pharmacology research has confirmed that the crude extracts or the isolated active compounds of the genus Anogeissus possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound-healing, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetics, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, antiparasitic, and neuroprotective effects.
Strength of evidence: Antimicrobial data come predominantly from in vitro studies on plant extracts, primarily the bark. Specific clinical evidence for antimicrobial efficacy of gum ghatti itself is absent.
The bark's high tannin content contributes to its remarkable wound-healing and antimicrobial efficacy. Research indicates its potential in reducing ulceration and promoting epithelialization in skin injuries. The bark's high tannin content contributes to its remarkable wound-healing and antimicrobial efficacy. Research indicates its potential in reducing ulceration and promoting epithelialization in skin injuries.
Strength of evidence: Wound healing findings are derived primarily from preclinical animal and in vitro studies, predominantly pertaining to bark extracts rather than gum ghatti per se. No controlled clinical data exist in humans.
Studies have indicated the potential of Anogeissus latifolia in managing various health conditions including anti-diabetic effects. These studies predominantly involve crude plant extracts tested in animal models and in vitro assays.
Strength of evidence: Preclinical only. No human trials investigating the antidiabetic properties of gum ghatti or its extracts have been published in peer-reviewed literature.
This area has generated a meaningful body of published pharmaceutical science literature, though it pertains to gum ghatti as a formulation excipient rather than a biologically active agent in itself.
One study aimed to extend the GI residence time of a dosage form and to control the release of domperidone using directly compressible sustained-release mucoadhesive matrix tablets. A 2-factor centre composite design (CCD) was employed to study the influence of independent variables, including gum ghatti (GG, X1) and hydroxylpropylmethylcellulose K 15M (HPMC K 15M, X2), on dependent variables including mucoadhesive strength, tensile strength, release exponent (n), t50 (time for 50% drug release), and drug release at 10 h and 18 h.
An investigation of ghatti gum as a carrier to develop sustained-release floating tablets of diltiazem hydrochloride was also reported. The aim was to prepare floating tablets of diltiazem hydrochloride using ghatti gum as a matrix polymer. The tablet formulations were prepared by varying the concentrations of ghatti gum, sodium bicarbonate, and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC K4M). Addition of HPMC K4M improved the floating capability of the tablets to a great extent. It was concluded that ghatti gum can be used as a potential pharmaceutical excipient to develop a floating drug delivery system.
Another study investigated the formulation of sustained-release matrix tablets of diclofenac sodium using karaya and ghatti gum as the matrix polymers. A 32 full factorial design was employed to optimize the drug release profile systematically. Matrix tablets were prepared by the wet granulation technique.
A study evaluated gum ghatti as a mucoadhesive polymer by preparing buccal discs using metronidazole as a model drug. The effect of varying concentrations of gum ghatti and compression pressure on ex vivo bioadhesion time and in vitro release was studied using a 2-factor 3-level central composite experimental design.
Strength of evidence: This pharmaceutical excipient research is robust within its domain (laboratory-scale pharmaceutical engineering), but it addresses gum ghatti as a delivery vehicle and not as a therapeutic agent. No clinical pharmacokinetic or efficacy trials using gum ghatti-based drug formulations in humans have been published.
Natural medicinal exudates such as gum arabic are high-molecular-weight natural polysaccharides and are highly soluble in water. The dissolved solutions of these exudates show viscous behavior and exhibit favorable emulsion stability. These exudates have been widely used not only as a medicinal additive, such as a coating agent for tablets and as an emulsifier and stabilizer in beverage and food products, but also for other industrial applications such as paints and ink. Gum ghatti is used in the food industry as a source of water-soluble fibre. The stabilizing properties of gum ghatti are used for emulsions and suspension in beverages, sweets, and flavors.
In the modern pharmaceutical industry, it is frequently utilized as an emulsifier and may be a better emulsifying agent than gum arabic.
Published studies have used a variety of dosing regimens; the following are taken directly from source material and represent experimental parameters, not clinical recommendations:
No standardized human clinical dosage for gum ghatti as a dietary supplement has been established in the peer-reviewed literature.
Gum ghatti is marketed in Japan as an existing food additive, and was assigned "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) status in the United States in 1965 by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA No. 2519), and by the US FDA in 1977 (21 CFR 184.1333).
Regulatory status in the USA as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) since 1976 was based on tests for toxicity, mutagenicity, and teratogenicity, but the European Union subsequently demanded more detailed evaluation of the safety of these gums as food additives, and lack of the required information has resulted in the deletion of gum ghatti from European lists of approved additives. In the European Union, gum ghatti is not approved as a food additive and thus has no European Food Safety E-number.
No acceptable dietary intake limits have been established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) for gum ghatti due to the very limited toxicity and genotoxicity information available, especially at concentrations exceeding currently accepted levels.
A formal Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) genotoxicity evaluation was published in 2012. To evaluate its genotoxic potential, researchers conducted GLP-compliant in vitro and in vivo studies in accordance with OECD guidelines. No evidence of toxicity or mutagenicity was detected in a bacterial reverse mutation assay using five tester strains evaluating gum ghatti at up to 6 mg/plate, with or without metabolic activation. Gum ghatti also did not induce chromosome structural damage in a chromosome aberration assay using Chinese hamster ovary cells. Gum ghatti was recently reported to have no evidence of genotoxic potential when given at the maximum OECD-recommended guidelines.
The purpose of the 90-day oral toxicity report was to document the lack of systemic and organ-specific toxicity of gum ghatti following administration to rats at up to 5% in the diet. Gum ghatti, a polysaccharide of natural origin, is used in foods as a thickening, gelling, emulsifying, and stabilizing agent. In the 90-day toxicity study following OECD Guideline #408, male and female SpragueβDawley rats were exposed to 0 (control), 0.5, 1.5, and 5% gum ghatti in AIN-93M basal diet. Expected changes included increased full and empty cecal weights in the 5% groups. Incidentally, 2/10 females from the 5% gum ghatti group had a single colon ulcer with associated acute inflammation. A single colon ulcer with associated acute inflammation also occurred in 1/20 control females given AIN-93M basal diet. The authors regarded these as sporadic findings.
GG is non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible to the human digestive system. GG is non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible to the human digestive system. These assessments are based on the available preclinical data and its long history of food use in India.
Like many medicinal plants, Anogeissus latifolia demonstrates a dose-dependent toxicity profile, particularly when administered intraperitoneally. Route of administration is a key variable; intraperitoneal dosing in rodents is not comparable to oral ingestion in terms of safety conclusions.
Because of limited toxicity data on gum ghatti, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has not as yet set dietary intake limits. The European Food Safety Authority has not retained gum ghatti in the list of food additives due to a lack of detailed food safety evaluation data. This regulatory gap is described as resulting not from demonstrated harm, but from the absence of formal dossier submissions rather than adverse safety findings. Gum ghatti is not approved as a food additive in the EU because there were no application sponsors for application for registration.
A significant ecological concern affects the supply and sustainability of gum ghatti. The population of Anogeissus spp. is continuously declining due to poor natural propagation, overexploitation, and habitat fragmentation. A. latifolia cannot be propagated on a large scale using traditional methods; instead, nonconventional methods requiring an understanding of population genetics and biology are needed. The species faces significant threats due to overexploitation for pharmaceuticals, the leather industry, deforestation, and low seed germination rates.
The existing review literature emphasizes the need for more robust clinical studies and mechanistic research to fully harness the therapeutic potential of A. latifolia. Utilization of gum ghatti is poorly explored and implemented due to a lack of knowledge of its production, processing, and properties. The body of human clinical data for gum ghatti as a dietary supplement or medicinal agent is, as of the current evidence base, absent. All pharmacological claims rest on in vitro assays, animal models, and traditional use documentation. Readers should take note that positive findings in these early-stage models frequently do not translate to equivalent effects in human subjects.
Health conditions that Ghatti may help support.
Body systems that Ghatti may help support.
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