Psyllium seed

Psyllium Seed Gum. PsyUium seed gum [8036-16-9] is derived from plants of the genus Plantago several species of which are used as commercial sources. However, most current production is from Plantago ovata grown in India. The gum is located in the coat which is removed by cracking. The gum is then extracted with boiling water and separated from the insoluble residue by filtration. It consists of mixtures of both neutral and acidic polysaccharides, the composition of which is species dependent (66). 

As predictable from the similarity of the properties of the two gums, quince seed gum is used in the appHcations described above for psyllium seed gum. Specific appHcations are in cosmetics and hair-setting lotions. It has also been used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in pharmaceutical preparations. 

Floh-farbe, /, puce color, -kraut, n. fleabane. -kzautSl, n. (usually) pennyroyal oil, -sa-men, m. fleawort seed, psyllium seed,... 

DAVIDSON M H, MAKI K C, KONG J C, DUGAN L D, TORRI S A, HALL H A, DRENNAN K B, ANDERSON s M, FULGONI V L, SALDANHA L G, OLSON B H (1998) Long-term effects of consuming foods containing psyllium seed husk on serum lipids on subjects with hypercholesterolemia , American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 67, 367-76. 

Pectin, ground psyllium seed husks, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, and agar have also been used, but are not well accepted today. The use of many of these hydrocolloids in frozen confections singly and in combination, is covered by patents too numerous to list. 

Seed extracts Guar gum Locust bean gum Psyllium seed Quince seed... 

Barbera, M. A., and Burns, L. E. (1993). Processes for selectively comminuting and purifying psyllium seed husk. US Patent 5,224,655. 

Nakamura, Y., Yoshikawa, N., Hiroki, L, Sato, K., Ohtsuki, K., Chang, C. C., Upham, B. L., and Trosko, J. E. (2005). P-Sitosterol from psyllium seed husk (Plantago ovata Forsk)... 

Ndife, L. 1. (1993). Method for decreasing the allergenicity of psyllium seed husk by alkaline treatment. US Patent 5,248,502. 

On the other hand, some food companies have chosen to pursue the steps necessary to obtain FDA approval for certain specific health claims for their natural food products. For example, the Kellogg company received approval in 1998 to say that the soluble fiber obtained from psyllium seed husks can help reduce coronary heart disease. General Mills received FDA permission a year later... 

Hydrophilic substances such as calcium polycarbophil (FiberCon, Equalactin), methylceUulose (Citrucel), and various psyllium seed derivatives (Metamucil) are natural or synthetic fiber supplements that bind water and bile salts and may be useful in controlling diarrhea associated with the passing of excessively watery stools. 

The bulk-forming laxative group includes the hydrophilic substances described previously calcium polycarbophil FiberCon, Equalactin), methylcellulose Citrucel), and various psyllium seed derivatives Metamucil). All act by increasing the bulk of the feces, part of this action being due to their capacity to attract water and form a hydrogel. The increased volume of feces stretches the walls of the GI tract and stimulates peristalsis. Their action may not be evident for 2 to 3 days after starting treatment. Because their use results... 

Cholesterol level decrease. The husks and seeds were administered orally to six normal adult males and five adult males with ileostomy and six normal adult males and four adult males with ileostomy, respectively, at a dose of 10 g/day for 3 weeks. The husk had no effect on cholesterol or triglyceride concentrations in either normal or ileostomy subjects. Total and HDL cholesterol concentrations were reduced on average by 6.4 and 9.3%, respectively, in normal group after seed supplementation. No effect on fecal bile acid excretion in the normal subjects was found after both regimens. Ileostomy bile acids were increased (on average 25%) after seed supplementation, whereas no effect on cholesterol concentrations was found. These results suggest that psyllium seed may be more effective than the husk in... 

POOH Davidson, M. H., K. C. Maki, ]. C. Kong, et al. Long-term effects of consuming food containing psyllium seed husk on serum lipids in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. Amer J Clin Nutr 1998 67(3) 367-376. 

Segawa, K., T. Kataoka, and Y. Fukuo. Cholesterol-lowering effects of psyllium seed associated with urea metabolism. Biol Pharm Bull 1998 21(2) 184-187. 

Rutinoside-3 -apioside Plantago ovata and P. psyllium seeds Plantaginaceae 327... 

Fiber, including Psyllium seed husks (a fiber source)... 

Common complaints are constipation and bloating, usually relieved by increasing dietary fiber or mixing psyllium seed with the resin. Resins should be avoided in patients with diverticulitis. Heartburn and diarrhea are occasionally reported. 

Psyllium Hydrophilic Mucciloid. Metamucil, or psyllium hydrophilic mucciloid, is a white-to-cream colored, slighdy granular powder having litde or no odor and a slightly acidic taste. It is made from the mucilaginous portion, ie, outer epidermis, of blond psyllium seeds (Plantago ovata). 

The purified gum hydrates slowly in water to give viscous solutions at concentrations up to 1% and clear gelatinous masses at higher concentrations. Psyllium seed gum is a laxative additive and is used in cosmetics and in hair-setting lotions. 

This is a cosmopolitan family of which one genus, Planlago, yields the familiar laxative, psyllium seed. 

Does Citrus Pectin Bind Bile Salts A possible mechanism by which dietary pectin may cause lowering of cholesterol levels in rats has been reported (1 9). In these in vitro studies, pectin was found to inhibit the transport of taurocholic acid from everted sacs of rat intestine. The absorption of labelled cholesterol was depressed by the addition of 5% pectin to the diet as evidenced by increased excretion of labelled cholesterol and diminished cholesterol deposition in the liver. It was concluded from these studies that pectin lowers cholesterol levels in cholesterol-fed rats primarily by binding bile salts and, consequently, by impairing cholesterol absorption. Results similar to those obtained with dietary pectin and described have also been reported for other non-nutritive substances such as guar gum, psyllium seed colloid and seruglucan (20). 

One should consider that plant-derived steroids alone account for about 15% ( 22 billion) of the 150 billion world pharmaceuticals market and that the annual market for taxol exceeded 1 billion in the year 2000. The antineoplastic agents vinblastine and vincristine have sales amounting to 100 million per year the market for psyllium seed products amounts to some 300 million annually and nicotine and scopolamine patches now have combined sales of more than 1 billion per year. It is obvious that natural products continue to play important economic as well as therapeutic roles in modem medicine. 

BeMiller, J.N. 1973. Quince seed, psyllium seed, flax seed and okra gums. In Industrial Gumes (R.L. Whistler and J.N. BeMiller, eds), 2nd Ed. Academic Press, New York. 

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