Natural Gum Substitute for Karaya Gum for Ostomy Products: Phase 1

摘要

Results are presented of a search for a suitable substitute for Indian karaya gum for use in ostomy products. Three seaweeds were examined as was a family of twelve natural gums from India, Africa, and the United States. After being fabricated into skin barrier compositions, the substances were evaluated by a rheometer. Two new inexpensive gums from India and one seaweed from the United States exhibited complex moduli and loss tangent profiles, over four decades of frequency response, very similar to those of the best grade of Karaya. Bacterial counts on all of the samples ranged from 1000 to 7600, and yeasts and molds ranged from 0 to 300/gram, well within the industry maximum. Three samples of the rheologically successful fabricated compositions and two standard Karaya were found to be satisfactory by implantation tests on rabbits. All samples tested on mice via injection into lateral tail veins were found to be non-toxic.