Acacia

Synonyms
Acaciae gummi; acacia gum; arabic gum; E414; gum acacia; gummi africanum; gum arabic; gummi arabicum; gummi mimosae; talha gum. 

Description
Acacia is available as white or yellowish-white thin flakes, spheroidal tears, granules, powder, or spray-dried powder. It is odorless and has a bland taste.

Chemical Name: Acacia

Emulsifying agent; stabilizing agent; suspending agent; tablet binder; viscosity-increasing agent.

• Acacia is mainly used in oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations as a suspending and emulsifying agent, often in combination with tragacanth.
• It is also used in the preparation of pastilles and lozenges, and as a tablet binder, although if used incautiously it can produce tablets with a prolonged disintegration time.
• Acacia has also been evaluated as a bioadhesive and has been used in novel tablet formulations and modified release tablets.
  
• Acacia is also used in cosmetics, confectionery, food products,
  and spray-dried flavors.

Acacia is incompatible with a number of substances including amidopyrine, apomorphine, cresol, ethanol (95%), ferric salts, morphine, phenol, physostigmine, tannins, thymol, and vanillin.

An oxidizing enzyme present in acacia may affect preparations containing easily oxidizable substances. However, the enzyme may be inactivated by heating at 1008C for a short time

Acacia is used in cosmetics, foods, and oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations. Although it is generally regarded as an essentially nontoxic material, there have been a limited number of reports of hypersensitivity to acacia after inhalation or ingestion. Severe anaphylactic reactions have occurred following the parenteral administration of acacia and it is now no longer used for this purpose.

Observe normal precautions appropriate to the circumstances and quantity of material handled. Acacia can be irritant to the eyes and skin and upon inhalation. Gloves, eye protection, and a dust respirator are recommended.

Ceratonia; guar gum; tragacanth.