Emerging applications of Sterculia striata gum in medical, pharmaceutical, and environmental fields: prospects and challenges

Trees of the genus Sterculia produce acidic polysaccharides with high viscosity and the ability to form gels in water. This work emphasized the species Sterculia striata and the uses of its plant derivatives, such as seeds, fruits, stem bark, and exudates. The species showed prospects for industrial application (seeds with high protein content, fruits with antioxidant potential, and stem bark with anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and gastroprotective potential). From a physicochemical and rheological point of view, the exudate has a high molar mass value; it contains uronic acid, galactose, rhamnose, and xylose. Sterculia striata gum (SSG) is highly viscous in solution and can form thermoreversible gels where gelation conditions depend on the purification method, acetyl groups, and presence of salt. Due to the presence of carboxylic acid groups, polyanionic behaving SSG allow the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes, which have been used in drug delivery systems (DDS) to encapsulate drugs such as antimalarial drugs, improve essential oil stability and obtain films for antimicrobial purposes. This review contributes to the understanding of the use of this biomaterial, providing a basis for new research on its different applications and industrial use, with a focus on the pharmaceutical, medical, food, and environmental fields.