NEEM GUM
Neem exudes a gum known as East India gum or neem gum, which hardens upon drying on
the bark as small tears or vermiform masses. The gum is clear, bright and amber-coloured.
Neem gum is non-bitter and is soluble in cold water unlike neem oil.
In Gujarat the annual production of neem gum is estimated at 4,200 kg. As an adhesive,
neem gum is inferior to gum Arabic. It is used in the preparation of colours for dyeing silk.
Neem gum is a stimulant, demulcent, tonic and is useful in catarrhal afflictions. It is reported
that acetone precipitated neem gum contains 28.7% protein, which is unbelievably high.
Neem does not have a natural gum
producing tissue system. The gum ducts or
cavities are induced by injury. The initiation
and development of gum ducts are
lysigenous. The immediate derivatives of
cambium near the injury differentiate into a
duct initial which shows a high amount of
succinate dehydrogenase and acid
phosphates activity. The duct initial
undergoes lysis, leading to an incipient duct .
The cells lining the duct lumen become
differentiated into epithelial cells. The
widening of the duct is by lyrics of the
epithelial cells which show intense acid
phosphatase and succinate dehydrogenase
activity. Before they disintegrate, the epithelial
cells show a highly active secretory phase.