©JIPBS, All rights reserved Journal of Innovations in Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences (JIPBS) ISSN: 2349-2759 Available online at www.jipbs.com Key words: Mucilage, Excipient, Pharmaceutical applications, Cyto- protective, Antiulcer. *Corresponding Author: Moumita Chowdhury , Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology 157/F Nilgunj Road, Sodepur, Panihati, Kolkata- 700114, West Bengal. Abstract Now a days, a large number of pharmaceutical excipients are obtained from natural sources. Mucilages and their derivatives are a group of polymers extensively used in pharmaceutical dosage forms. On one hand, it acts as pharmaceutical adjuvants and on the other hand, mucilages of different sources act as cytoprotective agents. It has been reported that mucilage helps in the treatment of gastric ulcer. It may act by forming a protective layer with increase in mucous secretion from the superficial epithelial cells against the ulcer inducer and thus the necrotizing agent is prevented from penetrating into the gastric mucosa. The present review discusses the expansive sources of mucilage, its versatile excipient property as tablet binders, disintegrating, emulsifying, suspending, gelling, stabilizing, thickening and film forming agents along with the cytoprotective nature of mucilage obtained from certain plants which adds an antiulcer property to its uses. Introduction Drugs are converted into a suitable dosage form by using different type of excipients. Traditionally, excipients were used as inert vehicle and diluent in formulating a dosage form but in modern pharmaceutical dosage forms they often play different multi-functional roles. Pharmaceutical aid in drug formulations help to modify the drug release, improve stability of dosage form and bioavailability of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, enhance patient acceptability and ensure ease of manufacture. To meet the needs of advanced drug delivery system continuously new improved and modified excipients are developed[1, 2]. As natural materials are cost effective, nontoxic, stable, easily available with less regulatory issues, eco-friendly, capable of multiple chemical modifications, degradable and compatible due to their natural origin, so they have been gaining lot of importance in the field of drug delivery [3]. The synthetic excipients are continuously being replaced with natural ones as recent trend toward the use of the vegetable and nontoxic products has increased. Today, a large number of naturally obtained pharmaceutical excipients are available. Like other natural products application of mucilage is increasing in industry so it has become necessary to explore the newer source of plant mucilage for industrial demand. Mucilages are polysaccharide hydrocolloids with sugar molecules linked with uronic acids. They are translucent amorphous substances and polymers of a monosaccharide or mixed monosaccharides combined with uronic acids. On hydrolysis they yield mixture of sugars and uronic acids. Since, they contain hydrophilic molecules so they combine with water to form viscous solution or gel. Mucilages are complexes polysaccharides which consist of arabinose, galactose, rhamnose and galacturonic acid and in solution form large molecular aggregates. Mucilage present in plants help to store water and food and also play a role in seed germination and thickening membranes. The term mucilage in plants means “those substances which are soluble, or at least swell very perceptibly in water and which , upon addition of alcohol, are precipitated in a more or less amorphous or granular mass” [4]. They are similar to gums except that mucilages are generally normal products of metabolism, formed within the cell (intracellular formation) and/or are produced without injury to the plant. Mucilages of different sources and their derivatives represent a group of polymers widely used in pharmaceutical dosage forms. On one hand, it acts as pharmaceutical adjuvants and on the other hand, mucilages of different sources act as cytoprotective agents. It has been reported that mucilage helps in the treatment of gastric ulcer. It may act by forming a protective layer with increase in mucous secretion from the superficial epithelial cells against the ulcer inducer and thus prevent the penetration of necrotizing agent into the gastric mucosa [5]. This review gives an insight of mucilage, as a potent candidate to be used in various pharmaceutical formulations. It discusses the expansive sources of mucilage, its versatile excipient property as tablet binders, disintegrants, emulsifiers, suspending agents, gelling agents, stabilizing agents, thickening agents, film forming agents and the cytoprotective action of mucilage of certain plants which gives it an antiulcer property. Review article Role of mucilage as pharmaceutical additives and cytoprotective agent Moumita Chowdhury * , Abhijit Sengupta, Lopamudra Datta, Sumana Chatterjee Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, 157/F Nilgunj Road, Sodepur, Panihati, Kolkata- 700114.