Natural gum polysaccharides as efficient tissue engineering and drug delivery biopolymers

The usage of plant origin natural gum polysaccharides in various biomedical applications is steadily rising in recent years because of their peculiar properties like biocompatibility, biodegradability, cytocompatibility and with no eliciting of immune response. The natural gums were used in various dosage forms as thickening agents, suspending agents, binders, emulsifying agents and have showed excellent controlled drug release profiles because of their good drug holding capacity. These polysaccharides were found to be efficient biopolymers than the other biomaterials (ceramics and synthetic polymers) used in tissue engineering applications because of their exceptional properties. In this review various natural gums (tragacanth, guar gum, gum acacia, locust bean gum and cashew gum) and their specific properties which facilitated their use in biomedical applications were discussed. The natural gum exudates have been found to be promising candidates in fabrication of scaffolds for tissue engineering applications due to their high solubility, porosity and large surface area. Applications of natural gums in drug delivery, stem cell culture and tissue engineering were enlisted with relevant studies. The ongoing research in nanotechnology and polysaccharides has opened the gates to integrate topographical, morphological and biological properties into these compounds. Nano composites have the ability to provide better drug delivery and also help in improved cell proliferations when used in scaffold fabrication. The gum polysaccharides have the potential to improve the physical, mechanical and biological properties of the fabricated scaffold when used as composites with other biomaterials. The cytotoxicity of the various biomaterials can be overcome by blending them with the natural gum polysaccharides.