carob bean, the fruit of the carob tree, whose seed is leguminous. The finely pulverized meal of the dried ripe fruit contains albuminous proteins, carbohydrates, and small amounts of fat and crude fiber and has been used for centuries in pharmaceutic formulations as an adsorbent and demulcent in treatment of diarrhea. It is generally regarded as safe, but its effectiveness in treating diarrhea has not been rigorously assessed.
