Guggul

Other Names: Devadhupa, Balsamodendrum wightii, Balsamodendrum mukul, Commiphora mukul, Commiphora wightii, Gomme Guggul, Gomme-Résine de Guggul, Guggal, Guggul Gum Resin, Guggul Lipids, Guggulipid, Guggulipide, Guggulu, Guggulu Suddha, Guggulsterone, Guggulstérone, Guggulsterones, Guggulstérones, Guglipid, Gugulipid, Gum Guggal, Gum Guggulu, Indian Bdellium, Indian Bdellium-Tree, Koushika, Mukul Myrrh Tree, Palankasha, Yogaraj Guggul Gum Resin.
See also : Myrrh
A yellowish resin secreted by the mukul myrrh tree (Commiphora mukul), guggul has been used for thousands of years in ayurveda (the traditional medicine of India).

Special Precautions of Guggul

Although it's generally considered safe, guggul extract may trigger side effects like headache, nausea, and skin irritation (usually in the form of a rash) in some individuals. Since guggul has also been found to stimulate the thyroid, anyone with a thyroid condition should consult a physician before using guggul extract. In a 2004 study, scientists discovered that guggulsterone may inhibit the action of drugs that are metabolized by the body's CYP3A enzymes. These drugs include Lipitor, cyclosporine, and quinidine.

The benefits of Guggul are

This ancient herb contains several bioactive components that fight inflammation. Two highly effective compounds are gugglesterone and myrrhanol A.

• Treating some types of acne. Guggul seems to work about as well as the antibiotic tetracycline in the treatment of nodulocystic acne. Both treatments decrease pain, swelling , and redness (inflammation), and the number of acne outbreaks.
• Lowering cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood of people eating a Western diet. Interestingly, guggul does seem to work in Indian populations, who eat a different type of diet. Among this group, guggul seems to lower total cholesterol, “bad cholesterol” (LDL cholesterol), and other blood fats called triglycerides.
• Arthritis. Preliminary clinical evidence suggests that taking 500 mg of guggul (containing 3.5% guggulsterones) three times daily might improve arthritis pain.
• Other research shows that guggul extract may help reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.
• Weight loss. There is some clinical evidence that guggul in combination with phosphate, hydroxycitric acid, and L-tyrosine plus exercise and a low-calorie diet might result in modest weight loss. However, a separate study of a standardized guggul extract generally used for lowering cholesterol found that doses of 3000 or 6000 mg daily for 8 weeks had no effect on body weight.
• Cancer : Preliminary research suggests that guggul extract may help fight tumors. One 2007 study on human cells found that guggulsterone (a compound found in guggul) induced the death of Prostate Cancer cells, while a 2008 report revealed that guggulsterone thwarted the growth of skin tumors in mice.