Guggul

HABITAT

The guggul plant is derived from the mukul myrrh tree, a small thorny tree 4 to 6 feet tall, that is native to Arabia and India. may be found from northern Africa to central Asia but is most common in northern India. It prefers arid and semi-arid climates and is tolerant of poor soil.

INTRODUCTION

Guggul is also known as “Pura” which means “wards off disease”. It is used as a source of commercial “Gum guggul”. The major bioactive component of Guggul is oleo-gum-resin (a mixture of an oil and yellowish or brownish fluid secreted from the plant stem or bark). It is this oleo-gum resin that is said to have therapeutic benefits.

According to Ayurveda, Guggul is useful in weight management as it helps to improve metabolism and reduce Ama (toxic remains in the body due to improper digestion) by increasing the digestive fire. It also helps to reduce swelling, pain, and stiffness in joints in case of osteoarthritis as well as rheumatoid arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties. Guggul might also be helpful in managing blood cholesterol levels by lowering total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels.

BENEFITS

Manages High Cholesterol: Guggul may be useful in managing high cholesterol. It contains a bioactive component that lowers total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) and triglycerides.

Ayurvedic View: Guggul might help manage normal cholesterol level. It improves metabolism by reducing Ama (toxic remains in the body due to improper digestion). This is due to its Ushna (hot) nature. It also removes excess cholesterol from the body due to its Lekhaniya (scraping) property.

Reduces Inflammation: Guggul may be useful in managing osteoarthritis due to its anti-inflammatory property. It reduces swelling, pain and stiffness thereby giving relief from the symptoms of joint disorders like osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis etc.

Ayurvedic View: According to Ayurveda, osteoarthritis occurs due to an aggravation of Vata dosha and is known as Sandhivata. It causes pain, swelling, and joint mobility. Guggul has Vata balancing property and gives relief from the symptoms of osteoarthritis-like pain and swelling in the joints. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is known as Aamavata in Ayurveda. Amavata is a disease in which vitiation of Vata dosha and accumulation of Ama takes place in the joints. Amavata starts with a weak digestive fire which leads to accumulation of Ama (toxic remains in the body due to improper digestion). This Ama is carried to different locations through Vata but instead of being absorbed, it gets accumulated in the joints. Guggul helps to reduce Ama due to its Ushna (hot) potency.

Prevents and Heals Acne: Guggul extract contains a bioactive component that has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Guggul, when taken orally, reduces the production of sebum and inhibits the growth of acne-causing bacteria. Due to this, Guggul may be useful in managing the development of acne. It was seen in a study that Guggul works remarkably well in people with oily skin.

Ayurvedic View: A Kapha-Pitta dosha skin type can be prone to acne and pimples. According to Ayurveda, an aggravation of Kapha increases sebum production which clogs the pores. This results in the formation of both white and blackheads. An aggravation of Pitta also causes red papules (bumps) and inflammation with pus. Guggul helps to balance Kapha-Pitta because of Tridosha balancing property and reduces clogs and inflammation.

Promotes Weight Loss: Guggul is often claimed to help treat obesity by promoting fat loss and suppressing appetite. It may promote weight loss by inducing the breakdown of fat, thus reducing the volume of fatty tissue.

MECHANISM OF ACTION

Several animal studies showed the significant effect of E and Z guggulsterone on reducing serum lipid levels, Cholesterol levels and preventing cholesterol- induced arterioselerosis. Mechanism of action was found to inhibit liver cholesterol synthesis by acting on HMG-COA, decreased LDL and increased HDL level, increased lipolytic activity in liver and heart, increased excretion of bile acids and cholesterol in the feces. Bio-Active phytoconstituent, cambranoids controls GI absorption of cholesterol and fat antagonist ligand for bile acids receptor called Farnesoid X receptor, important regulator of cholesterol homeostasis.

CLINICAL STUDIES & REFERENCES

Khanna, D. S., Agarwal, O. P., Gupta, S. K. and Arora, R. B.: A biochemical approach to anti- atherosclerotic action of Commiphora mukul: an Indian indigenous drug in Indian domestic pigs (Sus scrofor) Ind. J. Med. Res., 57: 1969: 900-905
S. Nityanand, J. S. Srivastava, and O. P. Asthana, “Clinical trials with gugulipid—a new hypolipidaemic agent,” The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 323–328, 1989.
S. K. Verma and A. Bordia, “Effect of Commiphora mukul (gum guggulu) in patients of hyperlipidemia with special reference to HDL-cholesterol,” Indian Journal of Medical Research, vol. 87, no. 4, pp. 356–360, 1988.
G. V. Satyavati, C. Dwarakanath, and S. N. Tripathi, “Experimental studies on the hypocholesterolemic effect of Commiphora mukul,” The Indian Journal of Medical Research, vol. 57, no. 10, pp. 1950–1962, 1969.
Singh RB, Niaz MA, Ghosh S. Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of Commiphora mukul as an adjunct to dietary therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia, Cardiovasc. Drugs Ther 1994, 8(4): 659-664.