Myrrh, also known as Guggulipid, is used for arthritis, lowering high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, nodulocystic acne, skin diseases and weight loss.
Guggul is the extract of the gum resin of the Commiphora mukul tree, which is native to India. Guggulsterones can inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver, may have an antioxidant effect on lipids and may have thyroid-stimulating activity. Preliminary evidence suggests that it has protective effects against drug-induced myocardial necrosis.
Guggulipid might reduce secretion of sebum and inhibit bacterial metabolism of triglycerides, which induces acne. Other evidence suggests guggul extracts might have anti-inflammatory activity. Guggul might also lower lipoprotein and C-reactive protein. Preliminary evidence also suggests guggul might have antiplatelet and anticoagulant activity.
Published Clinical Studiescltop
1
Beneficial effects of Allium sativum, Allium cepa and Commiphora mukul on experimental hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis--a comparative evaluation.
Lata S, Saxena KK, Bhasin V, Saxena RS, Kumar A, Srivastava VK.
Department of Pharmacology, L. L. R. M. Medical College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Oral administration of petroleum ether extract of Allium sativum, Allium cepa and ethylacetate extract of Commiphora mukul in albino rats significantly prevented rise in serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride level, caused by atherogenic diet. All the three agents were also found to confer significant protection against atherogenic diet induced atherosclerosis.
PMID: 1784023 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
The effectiveness of Commiphora mukul for osteoarthritis of the knee: an outcomes study.2
Singh BB, Mishra LC, Vinjamury SP, Aquilina N, Singh VJ, Shepard N.
Southern California University of Health Sciences, USA.
CONTEXT: Ayurveda, the traditional system of healthcare in India, has many remedies for Osteoarthritis (OA). One of the ingredients most commonly found in Ayurvedic arthritis formulas is guggul, an oleoresin of the herb Commiphora mukul (CM). The authors have conducted both preclinical and clinical investigations of guggul for reduction of pain, stiffness, and improved function, and to determine tolerability in older patients with a diagnosis of OA of the knee. METHODS: The study was conducted using an outcome, quasi-experimental, model. Thirty male and female participants meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria, with a score of 2 or more on the Kellegran-Lawrence scale for at least 1 knee, were admitted in the study. CM was administered in capsule form (500 mg concentrated exact delivered TID) along with food. The WOMAC Total Score was used as a primary outcome measure. VAS scales, 6-minute walk-test, and WOMAC subscales were used as outcome measures. RESULTS: At the end of treatment, there was a significant difference in the scores of the primary and secondary outcome measures. On the primary measure, WOMAC total score, participants were significantly improved (P < 0.0001) after taking the supplement for 1 month and continued to improve at the 2-month marker and follow-up. Secondary measures of pain in the VAS format demonstrated participant improvement; however, mood state, and current pain were not significantly different (P < 0.05) than baseline until the 2 month assessment (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Overall data indicate significant improvement for participants during the trial in both scales and objective measures used for assessment purposes. There were no side effects reported during the trial. CM appears to be a relatively safe and effective supplement to reduce symptoms of OA.
Publication Types:
PMID: 12776478 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
3
The hypolipidemic natural product guggulsterone acts as an antagonist of the bile acid receptor.
Wu J, Xia C, Meier J, Li S, Hu X, Lala DS.
Department of Biotechnology, Pharmacia Corp., St. Louis, Missouri 63198, USA.
Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of health care and medicine, has a well-organized materia medica in which plants form a dominant part. A key illustration of the exploitation of this knowledge toward the development of a modern drug is the isolation and characterization of two antihyperlipidemic compounds, Z-, and E-guggulsterone from the tree Commiphora mukul, the exudate of which has been traditionally used for mitigating lipid disorders. Here, we demonstrate that Z-guggulsterone and an analog, 80-574 currently in clinical trials, act as antagonists of the bile acid receptor (BAR), a member of the intracellular receptor superfamily. These compounds antagonize the activity of BAR in vitro, and in cell culture systems on promoters and endogenous target genes. In biochemical assays, they are able to displace coactivator peptides from the receptor in a dose-dependent manner. The mechanism by which they act as BAR antagonists is likely through their inability to recruit coactivator proteins, failure to release corepressor proteins from unliganded receptor, and ability to compete with BAR agonists to block coactivator recruitment. Our data suggest these compounds may mediate at least some of their effects via the BAR.
PMID: 12089353 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
GUGULIPID: a natural cholesterol-lowering agent.4
Urizar NL, Moore DD.
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. nurizar@bcm.tmc.edu
The resin of the Commiphora mukul tree has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 2000 years to treat a variety of ailments. Studies in both animal models and humans have shown that this resin, termed gum guggul, can decrease elevated lipid levels. The stereoisomers E- and Z-guggulsterone have been identified as the active agents in this resin. Recent studies have shown that these compounds are antagonist ligands for the bile acid receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR), which is an important regulator of cholesterol homeostasis. It is likely that this effect accounts for the hypolipidemic activity of these phytosteroids.
Publication Types:
PMID: 12626688 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
5
Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of Commiphora mukul as an adjunct to dietary therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
Singh RB, Niaz MA, Ghosh S.
Heart Research Laboratory, Medical Hospital and Research Centre, Moradabad, India.
The effects of the administration of 50 mg of guggulipid or placebo capsules twice daily for 24 weeks were compared as adjuncts to a fruit- and vegetable-enriched prudent diet in the management of 61 patients with hypercholesterolemia (31 in the guggulipid group and 30 in the placebo group) in a randomized, double-blind fashion. Guggulipid decreased the total cholesterol level by 11.7%, the low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) by 12.5%, triglycerides by 12.0%, and the total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio by 11.1% from the postdiet levels, whereas the levels were unchanged in the placebo group. The HDL cholesterol level showed no changes in the two groups. The lipid peroxides, indicating oxidative stress, declined 33.3% in the guggulipid group without any decrease in the placebo group. The compliance of patients was greater than 96%. The combined effect of diet and guggulipid at 36 weeks was as great as the reported lipid-lowering effect of modern drugs. After a washout period of another 12 weeks, changes in blood lipoproteins were reversed in the guggulipid group without such changes in the placebo group. Side effects of guggulipid were headache, mild nausea, eructation, and hiccup in a few patients.
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6
Gugulu (Commiphora mukul) induces triiodothyronine production: possible involvement of lipid peroxidation.
Panda S, Kar A.
School of Life Sciences, Devi Ahilya University, Vigyan Bhawan, Indore, India.
An investigation was made to find out the importance of gugulu (Commiphora mukul) in thyroid function of mice and to reveal the possible involvement of lipid peroxidation (LPO), if any. While no marked change in the concentrations of serum thyroxine (T4) was observed, triiodoth yronine (T3) concentration and T3/T4 ratio were enhanced following the administration of gugulu extract (0.2 g/kg b. wt./d for 15 days). A concomitant decrease in LPO was also noticed in liver, the principal site of T3 generation, suggesting that gugulu induced increase in T3 concentration is LPO mediated.
PMID: 10503949 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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