Psyllium seeds are Agri-Farm product of the dried ripe seeds of Plantago ovata forks (family: Plantaginaceae) and it has been cleaned, and free of all heavy and light extraneous matter (such as sand, dust, stones, iron particles, mud and other fibers) (USP Monographs: Plantago Seeds, 2007).
It a low herbaceous annual plant native to Iran and India, extensively cultivated there and in other countries, including Pakistan (WHO, 1999).
Psyllium seeds are broadly elliptical to ovate, boat-shaped, from 2 to 3.5 mm in length and from 1 to 1.5 mm in width. It is pale brown to moderate brown with a dull surface, the convex surface having a small, elongated, glossy brown spot. The concave surface has a deep cavity, in the centre of the base of which occurs a hilum covered with a thin membrane (WHO, 1999).
| Property | Psyllium Seeds | Psyllium Seed Powder | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color | Light brown to moderate brown | Light brown to moderate brown | |||||
| Odor | Faint, characteristic | Faint, characteristic | |||||
| Taste | Bland, mucilaginous | Bland, mucilaginous | |||||
| Particle Size | NMT5.0 % | 20-120 mesh (As per requirements) | |||||
| Moisture (loss or drying) | NMT 12.0 % | NMT 12.0 % | |||||
| Total Ash | NMT 4.0 % | NMT 4.0 % | |||||
| Acid Insoluble Ash | NMT 1.0% | NMT 1.0% | |||||
| Foreign Organic Matter | NMT 0.5 % | NMT 0.5 % | |||||
| Light Extraneous Matter | NMT 1% | NMT 30% | |||||
| Purity | NLT 99% | NLT 70% | |||||
| NMT-Not More Than, NLT-Not Less Than | |||||||