Hydrogels Based on Guar Gum: A Review

Polysaccharide-based hydrogels are potential materials for wide range of medical applications i.e., tissue engineering, controlled drug delivery and local therapy etc. An interesting fact related to hydrogels is their ability to be injected without any modification in their chemical, mechanical and/or biological properties, due to their thixotropic behavior. It is also feasible to alter the rheological and chemical-physical properties of polysaccharide hydrogels by modifying the cross-linking agents and exploiting their thixotropic behavior. We present here an overview of general chemistry, types, methods of preparation of hydrogels, and a brief literature review of guar gum chemistry, production and applications of hydrogels specially based on guar gum. Keywords: biocompatible, copolymer, guar gum, homo-polymer, interpenetrating network