Tara (Caesalpinia spinosa), commonly known as"Tara spinosa," is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to the Andean regions of Peru and Chile. It is renowned for its spiny branches and its pods, which are rich in a gum-like substance known as tara gum. This plant is valued for its ecological role and its use in various industries.

Botanical Classification:

Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Caesalpinia
Species: Caesalpinia spinosa

Plant Characteristics:
Caesalpinia spinosa is characterized by:

Appearance: A shrub or small tree that typically grows to about 3 to 6 meters in height. It has a distinctive appearance with spiny branches and finely divided, feathery leaves.
Flowers: Small, yellow to orange flowers with a tubular shape, which are arranged in clusters. The flowering period usually occurs in late spring to summer.
Fruits: Produces brown, elongated pods that contain seeds. The pods are known for their gum content, which is a key economic product.
Habitat: Prefers arid to semi-arid regions and can tolerate drought conditions. It typically grows in well-drained soils and can be found in a variety of environments from lowlands to high-altitude areas.

Chemical Composition and Structure:
The chemical composition of Caesalpinia spinosa includes:

Tara Gum: The primary component extracted from the pods, tara gum is a polysaccharide with thickening, gelling, and stabilizing properties. It is used extensively in the food and cosmetic industries.
Other Compounds: Contains various secondary metabolites, including flavonoids and tannins, which have potential antioxidant and astringent properties.

Uses and Benefits:

Industrial: Tara gum derived from the pods is used as a thickening, gelling, and stabilizing agent in food products, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. It is valued for its ability to form gels and stabilize emulsions.
Ecological: Plays a role in its native ecosystem by providing habitat and contributing to soil stabilization in arid environments.
Economic: Cultivated for its economic value, especially for the production of tara gum, which supports local economies in its native regions.

Applications:

Food Industry: Tara gum is used as a thickening and gelling agent in various food products such as sauces, dressings, and dairy products.
Cosmetics: Utilized in cosmetic formulations for its thickening and stabilizing properties.
Pharmaceuticals: Employed in pharmaceutical products for its stabilizing effects.
Environmental Management: Used in reforestation and land reclamation projects due to its ability to stabilize soils and enhance land productivity.

Environmental and Safety Considerations:

Environmental Impact: Generally positive, as Caesalpinia spinosa contributes to soil stabilization and provides habitat. However, its introduction to non-native environments should be managed carefully to avoid potential ecological imbalances.
Safety: Tara gum is generally safe for use in food and cosmetics. However, as with any substance, it is important to ensure that its use is in accordance with safety regulations to prevent any adverse effects.

INCI:


Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.

Hair conditioning agent. A significant number of ingredients with specific and targeted purposes may co-exist in hair shampoo formulations: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, matting agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersants that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioning agents includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners. They can perform their task generally accompanied by other different ingredients.
Synonyms:

CAS: 39300-88-4 EC number 254-409-6