Guggul benefits and side effects

Guggul Benefits and Side Effects

Guggul (gum guggul) is a resin produced by the mukul mirth
tree. Its active ingredients are plant sterols, guggulsterones E
and Z; collectively known as guggulipid. Guggul was
traditionally believed to benefit people suffered from asthma,
bleeding, cold symptoms, colitis, diabetes, gingivitis,
hemorrhoids, mouth infections, nerve pain, pain, psoriasis,
sore throat and sores in India. However, scientific evidence is
very limited for these uses.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GUGGUL
Guggul may benefit people suffered from high cholesterol and
obesity. Ulbricht C and coworkers at Massachusetts General
Hospital reviewed a few articles and concluded that the effects
of guggul were unclear and the results from various studies
were conflicting. They stated that those studies with positive
results (i.e. showing benefits of cholesterol-lowering) were
small and methodologically flawed in their review article. [1]
They also listed out the reference for studies with positive
results in their abstract, indicating the studies mostly done in
India. .. I have a few questions in my mind:
  "Did all researchers use the same dose for the study?"
    "Is the release kinetics for the guggul products used in all studies
     the same?"
    "Are the extraction or purification methods the same for all guggul p
     roducts used in the studies with positive and negative results?"

AN INTERESTING FINDING
Recently, researchers at Lilly Research Laboratories have found
guggulsterone could behave as an antagonist of androgen
which may contribute health benefits:

The hypolipidemic natural product guggulsterone is a promiscuous steroid
receptor ligand. Mol Pharmacol. 2005 Mar;67(3):948-54. Epub 2004 Dec 15.
Burris TP et al. Lilly Research Laboratories, IN 46285, USA.

Guggulsterone behaved as antagonists of androgen, glucocorticoid,
and MR, but as agonists of progesterone receptors. Agonist activity
was also demonstrated with estrogen receptor (ER) alpha; however, the
potency was very low (EC50 > 5000 nM). In addition, GS displayed
activity in functional assays in cell lines expressing endogenous
androgen, glucocorticoid, estrogen receptor, and progesterone
receptors. These data suggest that the variety of pharmacological
effects exhibited by GS may be mediated by targeting several steroid
receptors.

SIDE EFFECTS OF GUGGUL
Side effects of guggul include allergies, skin rash, stomach discomfort,
including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, hiccup or burping. [1] It should be
avoided in pregnant or breat-feeding women and in children.

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References Szapary PO et al. Guggulipid for the treatment of
hypercholesterolemia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA
2003;290(6):765-772. Singh RP et al. Use of Pushkar-Guggul, an indigenous
antiischemic combination, in the management of ischemic heart disease. Int J
Pharm 1993;31(2):147-160. Antonio J, Colker CM, Torina GC, et al. Effects of a
standardized guggulsterone phosphate supplement on body composition in
overweight adults: a pilot study. Curr Ther Res 1999;60:220-227. Bhatt AD et al.
Conceptual and methodologic challenges of assessing the short-term efficacy of
guggulu in obesity: data emergent from a naturalistic clinical trial. J Postgrad
Med 1995;41(1):5-7. Bianchi A et al. Rhabdomyolysis caused by Commiphora
mukul, a natural lipid-lowering agent. Ann Pharmacother 2004;Jul-Aug,
38(7-8):1222-1225. Gaur SP et al. Gugulipid, a new hypolipidaemic agent, in
patients of acute ischaemic stroke: effect on clinical outcome, platelet function
and serum lipids. Asia Pacif J Pharm 1997;12:65-69. Singh BB et al. Usefulness
of guggul (Commiphora mukul) for osteoarthritis of the knee: an experimental
case study. Altern Ther Health Med 2001;7(2):120, 112-114. Singh RB et al
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.

This article is for your reference only. You should consult with your
doctor, if you have any questions. ALL RIGHT RESERVED @2006
zhion.

[1] Ulbricht C et al, Guggul for hyperlipidemia: a review by the Natural Standard
Research Collaboration. Complement Ther Med. 2005 Dec;13(4):270-90. Epub
2005 Sep 23.