Commiphora mukul
(Guggulu)

Therapeutic Actions:

• Activates the thyroid gland
• Antifungal
• Anti-inflammatory - in acute models, comparable to 1/5 hydrocortisone and equal to phenylbutazone and ibuprofen; in chronic models, it is more effective than all three
• Antioxidant
• Antiseptic
• Increases catecholamine biosynthesis and activity (in cholesterol fed rabbits)
• Inhibits platelet aggregation
• Lowers VLDLs and LDLs while elevating HDLs
• Stimulates liver metabolism of LDL cholesterol

Clinical Indications:

• Atherosclerosis
• Hypothyroidism
• Hypercholesterolemia
• Hyperlipidemia

Contraindications:

• Hyperthyroidism
• Pregnancy due to the emmenagogue effects

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Limited data

Chemical Constituents:

• Diterpenes
• Esters
• Fatty alcohols
• Ketone fraction composed of steroids:
  
  E- and Z-guggulsterone (cholesterol lowering components)
• Sterols
• Volatile oil containing cembrene A

Toxicity:

• No known toxicity

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).