Staple foods are generally the conventional sources of starch. The exploration of non‐conventional and cheap sources of starch has gained momentum. In present study, starch from mankanda (Alocaisa macrrorhizos) tubers was isolated by using basic (NaOH 0.05%, w/w; NAS) and acidic (citric acid 0.03%; CAS) media and evaluated for its physicochemical, structural, thermal, rheological and release profile. The %yield of NAS and CAS starch was found to be 8.14% and 7.28%, with neutral pH, high water holding capacity, moisture content, amylose content, low ash values, restricted swelling, and excellent flow. The granules of the starches were irregular, with a diameter ranging from 1.34‐16.12 um. XRD analysis revealed the combination of type A and B crystal. FT‐IR spectra of both starch samples were almost found to be similar in nature. TGA and DSC analysis indicate good thermal stability. Both starches exhibited shear thinning behavior. In‐vitro drug release studies reflects that that the extracted native starch from mankanda tubers has an immense potential for the development of sustained release formulations to target the lower gastrointestinal region like colon by protecting the drug from the physiological environment of the stomach and small intestine.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved