Potential of plant mucilages in pharmaceuticals and therapy

Mucilages, and in particular plant mucilages, have gained more attention over the last few decades due to their reputable medicinal properties. Some publications have appeared in reputable Scientific Journals that have made appreciable contributions to the discovery of the functions and utilizations of such naturally occurring products. Therapeutic value of mucilages has been extended to wound healing, diabetes, immunostimulation, cancer, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition, stomachic, and antioxidant properties. Based on their sustaining capacities as well as binding and gelling properties, mucilages have been proposed to be one of the most useful materials to modulate drug delivery. Chemical analysis reveals that generally these contain monosachrides along with a range of other organic and inorganic components. Although physiological properties of various plant mucialges have been described, it still remains uncertain as to which of the component(s) is responsible for these physiological properties. Further research needs to be done to unravel the myth surrounding the biological activities and the functional properties of them. This review presents an overview of the current status and knowledge on the applications of plant mucilages as therapeutic agent and pharmaceutical additives.