Habitat: Highlands of Asia Minor, Iran, Greece, Syria and Russia.
English: Tragacanth Gum.Unani: Katiraa, Kataad (Gum)Action: Demulcent, emollient (used for irritation of the internal mucosa, colitis, dry coughs), laxative. Mucilage used as an application to burns.
The gum contains polysaccharides and proteinaceous polysaccharides.Tragacanthin is water-soluble, consisting of an arbinogalactan and traga- canthic acid. Bassorin is an insoluble methylated fraction (gel). The polysac- charides have been shown to have im- munostimulating activity (stimulation of phagocytosis and an increase in plasma cell counts of T-lymphocytes.Although tragacanth increases weight of stool and decreases gastrointestinal transit time, it does not appear to affect cholesterol triglyceride or phospholipid levels as other soluble fibres do. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)Tragacanth has been shown to be active against a variety of tumours. It appears to inhibit growth of cancer cells.