Psyllium
Psyllium (/ˈsɪliəm/), or ispaghula (/ˌɪspəˈɡuːlə/), is the common name used for several members of the plant genus Plantago whose seeds are used commercially for the production of mucilage.
Psyllium is mainly used as a dietary fiber to relieve symptoms of both constipation and mild diarrhea, and occasionally as a food thickener.
[5] The plants from which the seeds are extracted tolerate damp and cool climates, and are mainly cultivated in northern India.
The milled seed mucilage is a white fibrous material that is hydrophilic, meaning that its molecular structure causes it to attract and bind to water.
Dietary supplements containing psyllium are sold mainly to aid weight loss, although there is little scientific evidence for such effects.
[10] A 2023 review concluded that psyllium supplementation for 12 weeks by people who were overweight or obese produced a minor amount of weight loss, although the studies assessed had only moderate to low evidence quality.
[11] The mechanical action of psyllium mucilage is to absorb excess water while stimulating normal bowel elimination.
[16] To be eligible for the FDA-allowed health claim, one serving of a manufactured food or dietary supplement must contain at least 1.7 g of psyllium as soluble fiber.
[14] In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a qualified health claim for psyllium as a possible benefit for people with diabetes, requiring FDA-approved wording on a product label: "Psyllium husk may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, although the FDA has concluded that there is very little scientific evidence for this claim.
[4] A 2019 meta-analysis found that use of supplemental psyllium for 8 weeks or longer reduced blood pressure by 2 mmHg in people with hypertension.
[18] Some psyllium supplements sold in the USA have been found to contain lead,[19] in some cases exceeding levels requiring a warning label by Proposition 65 of the U.S. state of California.
[19] In 2013, in California, a legal settlement required the manufacturer of psyllium supplements to pay US$110,000 and agree to place warning labels on products exceeding acceptable lead levels [20] Psyllium fiber dietary supplements are used in veterinary medicine to treat sand impaction in horses to aid in elimination of sand from the horse's colon.
Seed produced from P. ovata is known in trading circles as white or blonde psyllium, Indian plantago, or isabgol.
Plantago wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) and downy mildew (Peronospora alta) are the major diseases of Isabgol.
In India, mature plants are cut 15 cm above the ground and then bound, left for a few days to dry, thrashed, and winnowed.
In its early years, Metamucil achieved sporadic drug-store distribution as a "behind the counter" product – sold in pharmacies but not on the shelf, so that the pharmacist may counsel the purchaser on correct usage.
Procter & Gamble sought to make Metamucil a household name by advertising in magazines and on television, using the claim "All fiber is not created equal".
