Physicochemical and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Bombax ceiba Gum Powder for Potential Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications

The current study examines the extraction and analysis of gum powder derived from the bark of Bombax ceiba (Semal) to assess its feasibility as a biocompatible polymer for use in pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. A brown, water-soluble gum powder was successfully obtained with a yield of 18.75 ± 1.08%. Phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, phenolics, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The gum powder demonstrated favourable flow characteristics, with a Carr’s index of 12.46 ± 0.001% and a Hausner’s ratio of 1.14 ± 0.001. Its solubility and swelling capacity were found to be 71.33 ± 0.001% and 3.88 ± 0.012 g/g, respectively. Structural and elemental investigations conducted through FTIR, EDX, and XRD validated its functional groups, elemental composition, and amorphous nature, reinforcing its hydration capability. In vitro biocompatibility tests revealed excellent hemocompatibility (< 2% haemolysis), a non-thrombogenic profile (clot weight: 0.047 g), high cytocompatibility with a cell viability of 121% in human liver cells compared to untreated control after 48 hours & high neurogenetic potential with average neurite length of 84.84 ± 27.1 µm after 48 hrs. These findings indicate that the extracted gum powder possesses considerable potential as a natural, biocompatible polymer applicable in development of biomaterials, gelling agents, and pharmaceutical excipients.