Gums are carbohydrate biomolecules that have the potential to bind water and form gels. Gums are regularly linked with proteins and minerals in their construction. Gums have several forms, such as mucilage gums, seed gums, exudate gums, etc. Plant gums are one of the most important gums because of their bioavailability. Plant-derived gums have been used by humans since ancient times for numerous applications. The main features that make them appropriate for use in different applications are high stabilization, viscosity, adhesive property, emulsification action, and surface-active activity. In many pharmaceutical formulations, plant-based gums and mucilages are the key ingredients due to their bioavailability, widespread accessibility, non-toxicity, and reasonable prices. These compete with many polymeric materials for use as different pharmaceuticals in today’s time and have created a significant achievement from being an excipient to innovative drug carriers. In particular, scientists and pharmacy industries around the world have been drawn to uncover the secret potential of plant-based gums and mucilages through a deeper understanding of their physicochemical characteristics and the development of safety profile information. This innovative unique class of drug products, useful in advanced drug delivery applications, gene therapy, and biosynthesis, has been developed by modification of plant-based gums and mucilages. In this review, both fundamental and novel medicinal aspects of plant-based gums and mucilages, along with their capacity for pharmacology and nanomedicine, were demonstrated.
Nanomaterials have received increasing attention due to their unique chemical and physical properties for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the most common complex multifactorial joint-associated autoimmune inflammatory disorder. RA is characterized by an inflammation of the synovium with increased production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) and by the destruction of the articular cartilage and bone, and it is associated with the development of cardiovascular disorders such as heart attack and stroke. While a number of imaging tools allow for the monitoring and diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis, and despite ongoing work to enhance their sensitivity and precision, the proper assessment of RA remains difficult particularly in the early stages of the disease. Our goal here is to describe the benefits of applying various nanomaterials as next-generation RA imaging and detection tools using contrast agents and nanosensors and as improved drug delivery systems for the effective treatment of the disease.
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