COMPARISON OF 3 ANACARDIACEAE GUM EXUDATES

The gum exudates from Anacardium occidentale, Spondias purpurea and Sp ondias mombin are very soluble in water. Analytical data for a Venezue lan gum sample of A. occidentale showed that the intrinsic viscosity l imit is lower than those reported for the Papuan and Indian gum exudat es. On the other hand, the galactose/arabinose ratio (1:6) appears low er than that reported (4:3). The gums studied contained galactose, ara binose, mannose, xylose and rhamnose. Xylose was not evidenced in S. m ombin. The cationic composition of the ash of Anacardiaceae gums studi ed have high calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium contents. C-13-N MR spectral studies are according with the chemical results. The reson ances attributed to galactose and uronic acids are inequivocally assig ned. There are evidences of arabinofuranose residues as structural fea tures of the Spondias gums.