Gond Katira, A Natural Coolant: An Overview

Abstract

Gond Katira is obtained from the discharge of Astragalus species. This is also known as Tragacanth gum, which has hydrophilic properties and is considered as natural coolant. Astragalus is a dicotyledonous plant and belongs to the Fabaceae family. Its important species are A. gummifer, A. brachycalyx, A. myriacanthus, A. kurdicus and A. echidna. This natural hydrocolloid after absorption of water swells to form a mucilaginous gel and helps to retain water and body temperature in summers. Tragacanth gum is made of tragacanthin and bassorin, which has anti-inflammatory, immunological, antioxidant and prebiotic effects in our body. During heat stress, Gond katira helps to maintain the cellular homeostasis by preserving osmotic equilibrium. As Gond katira is biocompatible and non-toxic, it is widely used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries, not only for medicinal product but also as stabilizer and emulsifier. Although Tragacanth gum is used extensively since ancient times, less research is available on the mechanism of its thermoregulation property. A complete understanding on its physiological, physicochemical, biological and therapeutic properties are required to understand it as natural coolant.

Introduction

Gond Katira, also known as Tragacanth gum, is a natural, biodegradable, and biocompatible exudate derived from various species of the Astragalus plant, mostly found in arid regions of Central and Middle East Asia, particularly Iran. It has traditional and modern applications across medicine, food, cosmetics, and healthcare due to its hydrogel-forming, water-absorbing, and cooling properties.

???? Medicinal Properties

Gond Katira has been traditionally used in Persian, Ayurvedic, and Unani medicine and is now recognized for its wide range of therapeutic properties, including:

• Antioxidant: Reduces oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals.

• Anti-inflammatory: Supports ulcer healing and gastroprotection by forming a protective lining in the stomach.

• Immunomodulatory: Boosts cytokine production and enhances immune response.

• Hypoglycemic: Reduces post-meal glucose absorption, aiding in diabetes control.

• Wound healing and tissue regeneration: Used in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound care.

• Cooling & hydrating: Helps prevent heat strokes and dehydration, especially in hot climates.

• Low toxicity & high biocompatibility: Suitable for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

?? More clinical research is needed to confirm its full therapeutic potential despite strong preclinical evidence.

???? Culinary Uses

Due to its hydrocolloid and gelling properties, Gond Katira is used in traditional and modern food items:

• Used in sharbat, falooda, herbal drinks, and desserts for its cooling effect.

• Acts as a natural thickener, emulsifier, and stabilizer in drinks, ice creams, and edible films.

• Adds texture without altering flavor, making it popular in health-oriented recipes.

???? Nutritional Profile (Per 100g)

• Calories: 70 kcal

• Fat: 0g

• Carbohydrates: 35g

• Dietary Fiber: 30g

• Protein: 5g

• Sodium: 0–9mg

Contains trace minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron, contributing to electrolyte balance. Its high fiber and prebiotic nature support gut health and weight management.

? Safety & Toxicity

• Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) for food and pharmaceutical use.

• Non-toxic at standard dosages; no harmful effects on human cells.

• Occasional allergic contact dermatitis in workers handling powdered form.

• Digestive discomfort (bloating, flatulence) may occur if consumed in high quantities due to fiber content.

Conclusion

Tragacanth gum, which is commonly known as Gond Katira, is a naturally occurring biopolymer that has significant usage in culinary, nutritional, health care and industrial sectors. Gond katira has the special characteristic i.e. it has the capacity to swell and make a gel in water. This unique property made it a natural stabilizer, emulsifier and thickening agent in both traditional and modern food recipes and in health care products. In addition to this, gum has high soluble fibre content, which facilitates developing gut microbiota, resulting in gastrointestinal health. Furthermore, these soluble fibers add little caloric value to food, and it is widely used in dietary supplements, made especially to fight against obesity or weight loss. In addition to all its benefits, the most significant is its safety to consume at standard dosage. Its exceptional level of safety is supported by regulatory bodies and considered in GRAS (Generally Recognised and Safe) as per the recent scientific studies. Only minimal cytotoxicity or hypersensitivity is reported at work related exposure. Even though its conventional usage in food and pharmaceutical industries is well established, a lot of research is still required to explore the bioactive properties and medicinal benefits, which will help to strengthen its role in functional food and promote health. In brief, Gond katira has a significant potential in culinary, pharmaceutical and functional food industries by mixing the traditional knowledge with today’s scientific knowledge (Shiam et al., 2025).

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. Seema Gupta. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.