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Guggul
Gum resin, stem,
leaf.
DESCRIPTION :
A woody shrub to a
small tree, with spirally ascending branches. Leaves 1-3 foliate,
leaflets sessile to subsessile,terminal ones largest, rhomboid to ovate
in shape,irregularly toothed margin. Flowers small,brown to
pink,unisexual. Calyx shows glandular hairs,forming cylindrical cap;
Petals 4-5 times as long as sepal. Stigma 8-10, stigma, inconspicuously
bilobed. Fruit-drupe, red, ovate, accuminate in shape, with 2-celled
store, rarely 4 valved.
PHYTOACTIVE:
The olcoresin
contains 0.37% essential oil containing mainly myrecene, dimyrecene, and
polymyrecene. Alcohol extraction gives a soluble resin and an insoluble
carbohydrate gum(2,3). Solvent extraction,hydrolysis and column
chromatography over silica gel of guggul resin identifies a number of
compounds -a diterpene hydrocarbon, a diterpene alcohol, Z-guggulsterone
E-guggul- sterone, guggulsterol-I gugguisterol-II and guggulsterol-III
Cholesterol, sesamin and camphorene are also found(4) . The anti
inflammatory and hypolipidaemic fractions have been isolated.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE :
The two main areas
of investigation have been its 1) Hypolipidaemic action (which has been
recognised since the vedic ages) and 2) its anti-inflammatory
effect.Hypolipidaemic action was pioneered by the laboratory
investigations carried out by Satyavati based on the postulation of
Sushruta that guggul is very useful in the treatment of obesity. On
treatment of experimentally induced hypercholesterolaemia in rabbits,
with crude guggul, for a period of 8 weeks, the abnormal hyperlipaemia
was significantly less after four weeks. Regression in serum cholesterol
after loading was much greater in guggul-treated rabbits than in the
untreated controls(5,6) Oral administration of crude guggulu, as also
the alcohol soluble and insoluble fractions produce lower cholesterol
levels and lessening in serum turbidity. Of the three petroleum ether
fractions of guggulu A, B and C,fraction A is most effective in lowering
the hyper-cholesterolaemia in cholesterol fed chickens. When a 95%.
alcohol extract of guggulu was given to Indian domestic pigs kept on a
standard atherogenic diet for a period of six weeks, the total serum
cholesterol, and the serum lipoprotein were both significantly reduced.
In albino rats and in rabbits too, crude guggulu and a pure steroid
reduced the serum cholesterol by the second week of exposures. A similar
hypocholesterolaemic effect was found in the alcohol extract and two
pure fractions-a terpenod and a steroid- this being the most potent
fraction with a lowering rate of 69% and a c/p ratio of 1.24 to 0.73.
The cholesterol lowering effects of fraction A have been seen in monkeys
kept on a high cholesterol diet, the results being comparable to those
of Atromid-S(14). The mode of action appears to lie in its fibrinolytic
activity and a fall in the platelet adhesive index. Purified steroidal
fractions of guggulu show a marked inhibition of platelet aggregation by
ADP, adrenaline, and scrotonin, the effect being comparable to that of
clofibrate. The steroidal component of Fraction A of the petroleum ether
extract has marked antiarthritic effect,comparable to that of
hydrocortisone,and more potent than phenyl-butazone. It has a high anti-
inflammatory potential against Brownlee's formaldehyde-induced arthritis
in albino rats. However, only the acidic fraction showed significant
activity, the nonacid and solid fraction being inactive. Carrageenin
oedema of the rat paw also regressed on exposure to the steroidal
component of Fraction A of gum guggulu. The resin extract is reported to
have some immunosuppressive effect on rabbits sensitised with typhoid H
antigen
In human subjects,
22 patients suffering from varied maladies such as hemiplegia, diabetes,
hypertension and ischaemic heart disease, when treated with 6-12 gms of
crude guggulu, in divided doses for a fortnight to one month, showed a
decrease in serum cholesterol and serum lipid phosphate levels. In human
trials, Fraction A of the petroleum ether extract lowered serum
triglycerides and lipoproteins to 30% and 21% respectively, the total
lowering effect being comparable to clofibrate and a Ciba compound.
Clinical trials with
the crude guggulu, as well as the Fraction A of the petroleum ether
extract, showed a considerable decrease in mean serum cholesterol
levels, to a statistically significant level in obese subjects.In
patients with coronary insufficiency and ischaemic heart disease the
oleoresin of guggulu had a cholesterol lowering effect comparable to
other hypolipidaemic agents. A very important use of the gum resin from
C. mukul has been in the treatment of various clinical types of
arthritis, on the basis of its anti-inflammatory potential.
CONTRAINDICATION :
No significant side
effects are reported. Mild burning in epigastrium and mild diarrhoea
have been found on administration of higher doses. The phase 1 studies
in volunteers were carried out with large doses.
FORMULATION AND
DOSAGE :
Yogaraj Guggul : 1 -
3 gms. t.d.s./o.d.s.
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