ASBAGOOL , PSYLLIUM

INFORMATION ABOUT اسپغول ASBAGOOL , PSYLLIUM , BAZR E QUTUNA AND ITS SIMPLE UNANI USES

INTRODUCTION

Psyllium is the common name used for several members of the plant genus Plantago.The genus Plantago contains over 200 species

 It is known as Aspaghol in Unani,

Indian Plantago or Isabgol. Isabgol, the common name in India for P. ovata, comes from the Persian words "isap" and "ghol" that mean horse ear, which is descriptive of the shape of the seed. India dominates the world market in the production and export of psyllium. Psyllium research and field trials in the U.S. have been conducted mainly in Arizona and also in Washington

Ispaghula seeds are used commercially for the production of mucilage.

 The plant from which the seeds are extracted tolerates dry and cool climates and is mainly cultivated in northern India. Psyllium products are marketed under several brand names, such as Metamucil, Fybogel, Konsyl, and Lunelax

Special note

Psylliums are produced commercially in many European countries, the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, and India.

Psyllium has a long history of use throughout the world. Psyllium has been used in traditional medicine in the US, Europe, India, and China. .

 It is indigenous to Mediterranean region and West Asia extending up to Sutlej and Sindh in West Pakistan, also distributed from Canary Islands across Southern Spain, North Africa, Middle East and North-Western Asia. In India the use of isabgol is as old as the Ayurveda System of Medicine. It is commercially cultivated in North Gujarat, Western Rajasthan, Punjab, Hariyana and Uttar Pradesh

  In 1990s German health authorities approved the use of psyllium to reduce serum cholesterol levels.

In 1998, the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) authorized the use of health claim label in food and dietary supplements containing Psyllium (Sat-Isabgol).

Isabgol (Psyllium), is an annual herb that grows to a height of 12 to 18 inch. Flowers are numerous, small, and white. Plants flower about 60 days after planting.

It has a significant property of absorbing water and form a bulk mucilage. Its action is purely mechanical and its efficiency is entirely due to the large quantity of mucilage present in the husks

OTHER COMMON NAMES OF ASPAGHOL

	BOTNICAL NAME
	Plantago Ovata Plantago Ispaghula  Hindi: Isabgol, Isabgol Bhusi, Isapagula husk, Ispaghula English: Spogel Seed husk, Psyllium, Ispagol Psyllium, Plantago ispagol, Blond psyllium Arabic: Bazre-Qutuna Persian and Urdu: Aspiyoos, Shikamdarida Aspghol Aspaghol Musallam, Suboos-e-Aspaghol Siddha: Isapppa

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT 

Plantago ovata is an annual herb that grows to a height of 30–46 cm (12–18 in). Leaves are opposite, linear or linear lanceolate 1 cm × 19 cm (0.39 in × 7.48 in). The root system has a well-developed tap root with few fibrous secondary roots. A large number of flowering shoots arise from the base of the plant. Flowers are numerous, small, and white. Plants flower about 60 days after planting. The seeds are enclosed in capsules that open at maturity.

 Flowers are bisexual, tetramerous, anemophilous and protogynous and as such favoring out crossing. The fruits are ellipsoid capsules, about 8 mm long, obtuse, membranous, glabrous, upper half coming off as a blunt conical lid.

Seeds are ovoid-oblong, boat-shaped, smooth, rosy-white being concave on one side and convex on the other. 

 The concave side of the seed is covered with a thin white membrane produced by fusing of outer layer of ovule together with the inner epidermis, forming the seed coat. 

The seed epidermis is made of polyhedral cells whose walls are thickened by a secondary deposit which is the source of mucilage.

On mechanical milling, the coating of seed provides the husk, a membranous covering of the seed, white to light pink in colour, translucent and odorless.

The fields are generally irrigated prior to seeding to achieve ideal soil moisture, to enhance seed soil contact, and to avoid burying the seed too deeply as a result of later irrigations or rainfall. Maximum germination occurs at a seeding depth of 6 mm (1/4 in). Emerging seedlings are frost sensitive; therefore, planting should be delayed until conditions are expected to remain frost free. Seed is broadcast at 5.5 to 8.25 kg/hectare (5 to 7.5 lb/acre) in India. In Arizona trials, seeding rates of 22 to 27.5 kg/ha (20 to 25 lb/acre) resulted in stands of 1 plant/25mm (1 inch) in 15 cm (6 inch) rows produced excellent yields. Weed control is normally achieved by one or two hand weedings early in the growing season. Control of weeds by pre-plant irrigation that germinates weed seeds followed by shallow tillage may be effective on fields with minimal weed pressure. Psyllium is a poor competitor with most weed species.

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

KINGDOM: Plantae Plants 

SUB KINGDOM: Tracheobionta Vascular plants

SUPERDIVISION: Spermatophyta  Seed plants

DIVISION: Magnoliophyta Flowering plants

CLASS: Magnoliopsida  Dicotyledons

SUBCLASS: Asteridae

ORDER: Plantaginaceae

FAMILY: Plantaginaceae  Plantain family

GENUS: Plantago L. plantain 

PSPECIES: Plantago ovata Forssk. – Desert Indian wheat

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ISABGOL OR PSYLLIUM

Psyllium husk contains a high proportion of hemicelluloses, composed of a xylan backbone linked with arabinose rhamnose and galacturonic acid units (arabinoxylans). It also contains Carbohydrates, Protein, Tannin, Glycosides, Fixed oil, Linoleic acid, Palmetic acids, Iron, Zinc, Potassium and Sodium.

PARTS USED

Whole Seeds or Husk of the Seeds.

THE MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF ISABGOL OR PSYLLIUM

LAXATIVE

Psyllium is mainly used as a dietary fiber, which is not absorbed by the small intestine. The purely mechanical action of psyllium mucilage is to absorb excess water while stimulating normal bowel elimination. Although its main use has been as a laxative it is more appropriately termed a true dietary fiber and as such can help reduce the symptoms of both constipation and mild diarrhea. The laxative properties of Isabgol are attributed to the fiber absorbing water and subsequently softening the stool. It however does increase flatulence to some degree.

Psyllium has been found to be practically unaffected by the digestive enzymes of stomach and bacteria and passes unchanged through the intestine. It pass through the small intestine to large intestine. There the husk absorbs water and swells approximately ten times. This causes formation of soft stool bulk and since it is jelly-like so it moves easily. This further causes normal stimulation for bowel. It takes about half day to cause motion after Consuming

High blood cholesterol

Psyllium fiber has been shown in studies to lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels while another common fiber, methylcellulose, has not shown these benefits. The use of soluble-fiber cereals is an effective and well-tolerated part of a prudent diet for the treatment of mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia . Although the cholesterol-reducing and glycemic-response properties of psyllium-containing foods are fairly well documented, the effect of long-term inclusion of psyllium in the diet has not been determined. Supplementation with fiber as ispaghula husk may have adverse effects on colorectal adenoma, recurrence, especially in patients with high dietary calcium intake. Research reported in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concludes that the use of soluble-fiber cereals is an effective and well tolerated part of a prudent diet for the treatment of mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia.

 Although the cholesterol reducing properties and glycemic response properties of psyllium containing foods are fairly well documented, the effect of long term inclusion of psyllium in the diet has not been determined.

Food

As a thickener, it has been used in ice cream and frozen desserts. A 1.5% weight/volume ratio of psyllium mucilage exhibits binding properties that are superior to a 10% weight/volume ratio of starch mucilage. The viscosity  of psyllium mucilage dispersions are relatively unaffected between temperatures of 20 and 50 °C (68 and 122 °F), by pH from 2 to 10 and by salt (sodium chloride) concentrations up to 0.15 M. These physical properties, along with its status as a natural dietary fiber, may lead to increased use of psyllium by the food-processing industry. Technical-grade psyllium has been used as a hydrocolloidal agent to improve water retention for newly seeded grass areas, and to improve transplanting success with woody plants.

BLOOD SUGAR

Research also indicates that psyllium incorporated into food products is more effective at reducing blood glucose response than use of a soluble fiber supplement that is separate from the food

Adverse effect

Since psyllium husk-containing products are sometimes used as a source of dietary fiber, the intake of dietary fiber could hinder the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and proteins

Gas or stomach cramping may also occur. It is recommended that this product be taken with a full glass of water to avoid it swelling in the throat and causing choking. Serious allergic reaction to this product is rare. However, seek medical attention if any signs of anaphylaxis arise, such as a rash, itching/swelling, dizziness or difficulty breathing.

Choking is a hazard if psyllium is taken without adequate water as it thickens in the throat.

 Cases of allergic reaction to psyllium-containing cereal have also been documented

Mechanism of action

 The soluble fiber in psyllium is polysaccharide arabinoxylan, a  hemicellulose

Psyllium is produced mainly for its mucila content. The term mucilage describes a group of clear, colorless, gelling agents derived from plants. The mucilage obtained from psyllium comes from the seed coat. Mucilage is obtained by mechanical milling (i.e. grinding) of the outer layer of the seed. Mucilage yield amounts to about 25% (by weight) of the total seed yield. Plantago-seed mucilage is often referred to as husk, or psyllium husk. The milled seed mucilage is a white fibrous material that is hydrophilic, meaning that its molecular structure causes it to attract and bind to water. Upon absorbing water, the clear, colorless, mucilaginous gel that forms increases in volume by tenfold or more.

Harvested seed must be dried to below 12% moisture to allow for cleaning, milling, and storage. Seed stored for future crops has shown a significant loss in viability after 2 years in storage.