The Guar gum is a natural plant extract obtained from the endosperm of the guar seeds. It has recently been seen to have numerous applications in industries and also in medicine.The Water soluble fiberin the guar acts as a laxative hence is used in promotion of regular bowel movements and as a reliever of constipation. Some therapeutic properties include;
Management of Diverticulosis
This is a condition which develops when pouches form in the walls of the colon. These are very small in size (less than 10 mm). Later they lead to the diseasediverticular disease which is a painful condition. Medical research has shown that diet with high fiber or roughages help in production of stool that bulky and easily move through the large intestines. The guar gum is a good ingredient that can be used for this condition.
Management of Physiological Disorders
Consumption of partially hydrolyzed guar gum has the effect of reducing the post prandial blood glucose absorption uptake which occurs in the small intestine. This has the effect of regulating the glucose level in the systemic circulation. It also acts as an agent for controlling the release rate of active ingredient in medicine.
Crohn’s Disease Management
This is a disorder in the small intestine that occurs mostly on the right side of the colon. It is an inflammatory disorder, where the bacteria residing in the gut invade the bowel causing the disease.in the management of this disease; doctors prescribe medicine that will aid movement of contents smoothly through the intestines. Guar gum acts as the laxative that is effective in the alleviation of these symptoms.
Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum
Partially hydrolyzed guar gum is also used in the prevention of “Iron Chloride induced arterial thrombosis” and hyper-lipidermia a high fat diet. Research has shown that the granulated form of guar gum can be used in the management of hypercholesterolemia. The suffocated degraded form of the guar has been found to reduce cholesterol and fibrinogen very effectively from the body.
Colitis Syndrome or Disease
Ulcerative colitis begins as a colon inflammation to the rectum. Rectal bleeding is the culmination of this disorder. The bleeding is a result of small open sores or ulcers. This leads to abdominal pain and frequent need to empty the colon. Guar gum remains the most popular g-free substitute ingredients in flours and helps to understand what part of the gluten molecule is actually the problem for celiacs.
Management of Diarrhea
The partially hydrolyzed guar gum has also been found to be effective in the management of Diarrhea and cholera symptoms in adults. It undergoes fermentation in the body to release fatty acids that are helpful in treatment of diarrhea when combined with oral rehydration solutions.
Research has also shown that the partially hydrolyzed form of the guar is active in the management of constipation as it enhances the bowel movement and eliminates the risk of colorectal cancer.
There is evidence from research that this modified form of guar prevents development of cancerous cells by inhibiting carcinogen-activatingenzymes, and promotion of the carcinogen detoxification enzyme called glutathione-s-transferase.
Conclusion
Increasing medical research shows that the guar gum has important therapeutic properties. The most important characteristic is its high fiber content and therefore acting as excellent roughage for the body. The roughages play a great role in movement of food through the digestive system. Recently the product has also been used in regulation of blood glucose.