Abstract

XANTHAN GUM; ITS BIOPHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS: AN OVERVIEW

Abdulsalam Alhalmi*, Nafaa Alzubaidi, Marwan Altowairi, Marwan Almoiliqy and
Bharti Sharma

ABSTRACT

Polysaccharides have been finding, in the last decades, very interesting and useful applications in the biomedical and, specifically, in the biopharmaceutical field. Xanthan gum is a natural polysaccharide, produced by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. This polymer displays a number of appealing characteristics for biopharmaceutical applications, among which its high thickening capacity should be highlighted. In this review, we describe critical aspects of xanthan gum, contributing for its role in biopharmaceutical applications. Physicochemical properties, production, as well as strong and effective synergies with other biomaterials are described. The specific biopharmaceutical applications are discussed.

Keywords: Controlled release, gelling capacity, xanthan gum, polysaccharides, synergy.