ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MUCILAGE FROM VIGNA MUNGO AND ITS UTILIZATION AS NATURAL SUSPENDING AGENT

Abstract

The process typically begins with a botanist, ethno botanist, ethnopharmacologist, or plant ecologist who identifies the plant of interest. Collection may involve species with known biological activity for which active compound(s) have not been isolated (e.g., traditionally used herbal remedies). On the basis of intensive literature survey, Vigna mungo. phytochemical screening of the methanol extract and water extract of fruit powder of Vigna mungo showed the presence of various phytoconstituents such as Carbohydrates, phenolics, tannins resin, and protein. Heavy metal content was found below detection limit. In addition from the result of microbial load, it was found that raw material showed the presence of TPC, yeast and molds, E.coli but were found to be absent in both ethanolic and aqueous extracts. S.aureus and Salmonella were found to be absent in raw material as well as both the extracts. The viscosity of the extracted dried mucilage was compared with starch. The viscosity of the dried mucilage has viscosity comparable with starch. The polydispersity of isolated mucilage was obtained as 1.45. The polydispersity index (Mw/Mn) is used as a convenient measure of the range of molecular weight present in a distribution and is in the range of 1.4-6.0 for natural polysaccharide gums. The data of intrinsic viscosity was used to calculate the average molecular weight of the extracted mucilage and was found to be 1.8X103 kDa, which was comparable to Vigna mungo powder polysaccharides reported for its food applications (1.3X103 kDa). The mucilage of Vigna mungo consists of about 50.17 % of total carbohydrates. The total carbohydrates were estimated as dextrose by using anthrone reagent. The results showed that as the concentration of mucilage or sodium CMC increases, viscosity increases and consequently flow rate decreases gradually. The results obtained so far therefore have indicated that, the mucilage isolated from Vigna mungo has the potential to be used as a suspending agent; however, its actual in vivo performance on suitable animals or humans remains to be studied.