Commiphora mukul (Guggul)
Commiphora mukul (Guggul) Commonly known as Guggul or mukul myrrh tree, the gum produced by this tree has been considered an important medicine since biblical times. Gum resin, stem and leaves are all used in medicine. Guggul has been widely used for its antilipemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and many other activities. Major Chemical Constituents: Lignans, Lipids, Terpenes & phenylpropanoids, sterol are the major chemical constituents of Commiphora Mukul. Pharmacological Actions: Cardioprotective/ Antilipemic: 1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Commiphora mukul has been used as ayurvedic medicine for heart support for centuries. Now, there are many scientific documents that also prove its activity as cardioprotective, antilipimemic, and anti-atherosclerotic. Joint movement: 9 Administration of guggul prevented the negative effects of iodo-acetate, dose dependently. Chondrocyte damages were significantly prevented and proteoglycane were less affected, especially in high guggul dose and no cell proliferation and inflammatory cell were detected in synovial. Analgesic: 10 Clinical investigation has shown that guggul reduced pain and stiffness and improved function in older patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Anti-inflammatory: 11,12 The petroleum ether extract of the gum resin at a dose of 200 and 500 mg/kg PO significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema. Commiphora mukul exert a potent anti-inflammatory effect on exudative pouch fluid, angiogenesis, and granuloma weights in adjuvant-induced air-pouch granuloma of mice. Its effects were more marked than those of hydrocortisone. Herb Drug interactions: Guggul may stimulate thyroid hormone production; dosage adjustment of thyroid medication may be required. Gugulipid has been shown to reduce bioavailability of propranolol and diltiazem. Concomitant use should be avoided. Increased fibrinolytic activity of guggul can potentially add to the risk of bleeding in patients taking anticoagulants/antiplatelet medications. Safety: No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction with the proper administration of designated therapeutic dosages. References: • Satyavati GV. Guggulipid:A promisinghypolipidemic agent from gum guggul (Commiphora wightii). In economic and medicinal plant reseach, vol. v Plants and Traditional Medicine, pp 47-82, Academic Press, New York.Ind. J. Med. Res. 1991; 90: 62-68. • Kuppuranjan K, Rajagopalan SS, Koteswara R T, and Sitaraman R. Effect of guggulu on serum lipids in obese, hypercholesterolemic and hyperlipemic cases. J. Assoc. Physicians India 1978; 26: 367. • Tripathi SN, Shastri VVS and Satyavati GV. Experimental and clinical studies on the effect of guggulu (Commiphora mukul) in hyperlipemia and thrombosis. Ind.  J. Med. Res. 1968; 2: 10. • Baldav VS, Sharma RC, Ranka PC, and Chittera MD. Effect of Commiphora mukul (guggul) on fibrinolytic activity and platelet aggregationin coronary artery disease. Rajasthan Med. J.  1980; 19: 84. • Bordia A and Chuttani SK. Effect of gum guggulu on fibrinolysis and platelet adhesiveness in coronary heart disease. Ind. J. Med. Res. 1979; 70: 992. • Satyavati GV, Dwarkanath C, and Tripathi SN. Experimental studies on the hypocholesterrolemic effect of Commiphora mukul Engl (Guggul) Ind. J. Med. Res 1969; 57 • Singh AK, Prasad GC and Tripathi SN. In vitro studies on thyrogenic effect of Commiphora mukul (guggulu) Ancient Sci. Life. 1982; 2: 23 • Chander R, Khanna AK, and Kapoor NK. Lipid lowering activity of guggulsterone from Commiphora mukul in hyperlipemic rat. Phytotherapy Res. 1996; 10:  508-511. • 9. Jahromy MH, Kermani RM, Nobak F. Influence of Commiphora mukul resin on the knee articular cartilage of rats in experimental osteoarthritis induced by iodoacetate., Pakistan Journal of Medical Science. 2009; 25(part-I): Numb. 2 • Nalini K, Aroor AR, Karanth KS. Effect of Centella asiatica fresh leaf aqueous extract on Learning and memory and biogenic amine turnover in albino rats. Fitoterapia. 1992; 63(3): 232-237. • Singh BB, Mishra LC, Vinjamury SP, Aquilina N, Sign VJ, Shepard N. The effectiveness of Commiphora mukul for osteoarthritis of the knee: an outcomes study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2003; 9(3): 74-9 • Sharma JN, Rajpal MN, Rao TS, Gupta SK. Some pharmacological investigations on the alcoholic extract of Triphala alone and in combination with petroleum ether extrct of oleogum resin of commifora mukul. Indian Drugs. 1988; 25(6): 220 • Kimura I, Yoshikawa M, Kobayashi S, Sugihara Y, Suzuki M, Oominami H, Murakami T, Matsuda H, Doiphode VV. New triterpenes, myrrhanol A and Myrrhanone A, from guggul-gum resin and their potent anti-inflamatory effects on adjuvant-induced air-pouch granuloma of mice. Bioorganic Med. Chem. Lett. 2001; 11: 985-989. • Tripathi YB, Malhotra OP, Tripathi SN. Thyroid stimulating action of Z-guggulsterone obtained from Commiphora mukul . Planta Med. 1984; 1: 78-80. • Bordia A, Chuttani SK. Effect of gum guggulu on fibrinolysis and platelet adhesiveness in coronary heart disease. Indian J Med Res. 1979; 70: 992-996. • Dalvi SS, Nayak VK, Pohujani SM, Desai NK, Kshirsagar NA, Gupta KC. Effect of gugulipid on bioavailability of diltiazem and propranolol. J Assoc Physicians India. 1994; 42: 454-455.