Guggulu

Guggulu Health Benefits*

Guggulu (Commiphora Guggul) herb is very effective for maintaining normal cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and normal ratio of HDL-LDL. Additionally, it also supports in weight loss. Guggulu is gum resin, being produced by stems of small shrub known as commiphora wiighti. This shrub is basically found in Indian subcontinent.

Guggulu wiz. Commiphora mukul has been is use for more then 2500 years in Ayurveda medical system, for supporting normal body fat levels, normal metabolism. The support of this plant for maintaining cholesterol has also been referred in The American research journal Science, by scholars of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

Guggulu supports cholesterol metabolism, also exerts antioxidant effect and thus supports normal oxidation levels of cholesterol in our body. Some scholars have discovered about the usefulness of this herb for increasing mobility levels.

Researchers of the Jackson Laboratory at Bar Harbor, Maine have recently shown that
Commiphora mukul along its component guggulsterone provides a significant support to the normal level of LDL.

The ingredients of Guggulu which are used are some natural plant sterols. Among those, the substances known as “guggulsterones” are of prime importance as ingredients for cholesterol support and metabolism related properties of this herb. Some of the other sterols act as synergistic supporting cast. Apart from guggulsterones, it also contains E stereoisomers, Z stereoisomers, gugulipid, myrrhanol, alpha-camphorene.

*The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information provided on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition, consult your physician. All information is provided for educational purposes only. Please consult your doctor if your pregnat. Keep these and all supplements out of the reach of children.

Clinical Studies and Researches on Guggulu

Various studies are undertaken to discover the usefulness of Guggulu as a medicinal herb. A study carried out by some scientists at Central Drug Research Institute in Lucknow, India in 1997, has proved of guggulsterones’s ability to prevent LDL oxidation. This research strengthens the evidence of Guggulu working against the ‘coating and obstruction of channels’. When LDL is oxidized, it forms plaque which coats blood vessels and then eventually obstructs them. LDL from blood was mixed with some free radical promoting agent, alone or combined with guggulsterones. Samples were analyzed and the later proved to protect LDL from oxidation. Guggulsterones block hydroxyl radicals, which is a potent type free-radical and attacks cell membranes.

A twelve-week study was conducted on people to find the effect of Guggulu for reduction of cholesterol. The study showed that 1500 mg of guggulipid had an average of 22% reduction in the serum cholesterol, and about 25% of reduction in triglycerides. Studies have also proved that guggulipid does work best in people having higher cholesterol reading of type IIb (increased VLDL, LDL, triglycerides)
Comparative studies carried out with guggulipid and a drug called Clofibrate show that guggulipid has better effects, an additional effect being of reduction in HDL, which was not evident in the other drug.

Guggulu’s therapeutic effects on heart have also been evident in some researches. It cardiovascular benefits are a derivative from multiple pharmacological properties of Guggulsterone, the bioactive ingredient which promotes therapeutic effects. Its hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities are most important. Guggulsterone also upregulates bile salt export pump (BSEP). BSEP removes cholesterol metabolites and bile acids from liver. This action promotes the cholesterol metabolism in bile acids, another possible mechanism for its hypolipidemic activity.
Guggulsterone potently inhibits the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) that triggers inflammatory responses. Repressing NF-kappaB is a proposed mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect of guggulsterone

Guggulu in Ayurveda

References to Guggulu was founds in old Ayurvedic books written centuries back.

The Indian reaseachers also have submitted doctoral thesis on gum Guggulu. Guggulu has been mentioned in Vedas, The most ancient holy scriptures of India. They mention about the condition ‘coating and obstruction of channels’ and the cause for this is believed as faulty metabolism resulting by overeating fatty foods and lacking of exercise. The recommended treatment in such condition is a diet plan which basically emphasized herbs along, chiefly Guggulu.

Other Names For Guggulu

Latin Name - Commiphora Mukul
Family Name - Burseraceae
Popular Names - Commiphora, Mukul, Balsamodendrom Mukul, Indian Bedellium Tree, Moql, Moqle-arzagi, Guggul.