Abstract
α-D-glucopyranosyl-[β-D-fructofuranosyl](n-1)-D-fructofuranoside, commonly referred to as inulin, is a natural plant-derived polysaccharide with a diverse range of food and pharmaceutical applications. It is used by the food industry as a soluble dietary fibre and fat or sugar replacement, and in the pharmaceutical industry as a stabiliser and excipient. It can also be used as a precursor in the synthesis of a wide range of compounds. New uses for inulin are constantly being discovered, with recent research into its use for slow-release drug delivery. Inulin, when in a particulate form, possesses anti-cancer and immune enhancing properties. Given its increasing importance to industry, this review explains how inulin's unique physico-chemical properties bestow it with many useful pharmaceutical applications.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 27-50 |
| Number of pages | 24 |
| Journal | Journal of Excipients and Food Chemicals |
| Volume | 1 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |