Konjac glucomannan: Properties, modifications and applications in pharmacy

Abstract

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a natural polysaccharide extracted from the tuber of Amorphophallus konjac, known for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and safety, making it suitable for use in both the food and pharmaceutical industries. Nevertheless, its high viscosity and limited solubility present major obstacles for its use in pharmaceutical formulations. To overcome these challenges, various chemical and physical modification techniques such as hydrolysis, oxidation, and carboxymethylation have been employed to adjust their molecular weight, viscosity, and solubility characteristics to align with pharmaceutical formulation requirements. These modifications enable KGM to function as a drug delivery vehicle capable of controlled and targeted release, with potential applications in intracellular therapies, colon-targeted delivery systems, and oral nanocarriers for insulin and other bioactive agents. Its effectiveness as an excipient and drug carrier matrix is further supported by its ability to interact selectively with target cells, including macrophages, via mannose receptors and its inherent antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. The combination of its modifiability, pharmaceutical functionality, and therapeutic potential positions KGM as a strong candidate among natural polymers for the development of advanced biomaterial-based drug delivery systems.