A volume of attention is currently being drawn to the potentials inherent in African
tropical plants as sources of bioactive substances and drug carriers as well as adjuncts in the
formulation of drug delivery systems. One group of such carriers or adjuvants consists of
polymeric plant metabolites, which can hydrate into gels or mucilages. These are generally
known as plant gums. Although gums obtained from African tropical plants have been known
for a very long time, their extraction, purification and utilization in pharmaceutical
formulations are still at rudimentary stages. There appears to be greater industrial preference
for synthetic or semi-synthetic hydrogels as vehicles, carriers and excipients in
pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food products. But because of the naturalness of biopolymers of
plant origin, with associated inertness and safety, more interest has to be shown, particularly
by the pharmaceutical industry, towards the employment of plant gums as drug carriers, or
adjuncts, in drug dosage forms. This article seeks to draw attention to some African tropical
plant gums, obtained from different plant species, which have been shown, via laboratory
studies, to exhibit potential applicability in the development of drug delivery systems.
