AYURVEDIC BOTANICALS
Supporting Metabolism of Fat

Overview
Gum-gugal is a standardized extract of Commiphora mukul, which has shown remarkable results in promoting healthy lipids. Studies have shown that gum-gugul promotes healthy cholesterol, triglycerides, increases HDL, and clears LDL from the liver both by binding to extra fats in the gut and normalizing thyroid gland function. According to Ayurvedic texts, gum-gugul is said to prevent sluggish metabolisms, especially with respect to fats.

Cholesterol disorders assail millions of Americans and can lead to two of the nation's most primary life-threatening illnesses; heart disease and stroke. Unfortunately, the drugs most commonly used to treat cholesterol disorders produce unpleasant side effects; these include liver damage, cancer and gallstones. However, an extract of gum-gugul has been proven very effective in regulating cholesterol without producing harmful side effects.

Traditional Uses
Gum-gugal also known as salai tree or Indian bedellium, is a plant native to India that has been successfully used for centuries to treat a wide variety of ailments. Not only has it effectively remedied lipid disorders and thyroid problems such as hypo- and hyperthyroidism, but it has also been used to remit fatty tumors, skin lesions and wounds.

Gum-gugul is thought to tone and stimulate the digestive system. It has been indicated as an internal remedy for rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, skin diseases and urinary, gallbladder, and nervous disorders. In addition it is a beneficial gargle for gum disease & chronic tonsilitis.

Medical Research
Repeated studies and clinical trials have shown that the oleoresin derived from gum-gugul has numerous health benefits, including the regulation of serum cholesterol and triglycerides. In fact, it works to balance conditions of both high and low cholesterol, whether brought on by diet, lack of exercise, chronic stress, or genetic predilection.

Though most people are concerned with high cholesterol, low cholesterol also can be dangerous. Low cholesterol is a possible sign of malabsorption which can lead to a host of health problems, including the inability to assimilate fat soluble vitamins. The beauty of gum-gugul is that it balances both conditions and creates none of the dangerous side effects associated with commonly used hypolipidemic drugs such as clofibrate (Atromid-S), nicotinic acid, cholestyramine (Questran), colestipol (Colestid), and Lovastatin. Moreover, it helps clear the liver of LDL cholesterol accumulations.

The hypolipidemic performance of gum-gugul has been under scientific investigation for over twenty years. It began with animal trials in the late 1960s and, because of its success, quickly progressed to human clinical studies. It proved extremely effective in regulating cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids in both types of research.

Studies which dramatically illustrate the benefits of gum-gugul include one performed in India in the mid-1970s. This study researched the long-term effects of lipid regulating substances on humans. The two substances compared were clofibrate (Atromid-S), an effective and frequently used hypolipidemic drug, and an ether extract of gum-gugul resin.

The gum-gugul extract (1.5 grams per day) was taken orally by 41 of 51 subjects suffering from elevated cholesterol and triglycerides. The remaining ten took clofibrate (2.0 grams per day). Cholesterol and triglyceride levels fell significantly and equally in both groups, yet the gum-gugul extract was gentler on the body as a whole, producing only mild diarrhea in five of the subjects. No additional side effects or biochemical abnormalities were noted in those individuals given gum-gugul.

The clinical profiles of the subjects in this study were varied. Some subjects were asymptomatic while others were experiencing acute discomfort as a result of illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, vascular disease, and gout. In fact, six were suffering from acute cases of skin xanthomatosis; three of these were placed in the gum-gugul group and three in the clofibrate group. The three treated with gum-gugul exhibited a complete regression of the skin lesions after 40 weeks, while only one taking clofibrate experienced such reversion. The other two taking clofibrate remained symptomatic during the course of the study.

In a 1986 study, an ethyl acetate gum-gugul extract displayed similar benefits to those highlighted in the study above. In this trial, the gum-gugul extract compared favorably with other hypolipidemic drugs, significantly lowering serum choleseterol and triglyceride levels in 78.9% of test subjects. Furthermore, it produced no noticeable side effects, including mild diarrhea.

Mode of Action
It is believed that the lipid regulating effect of gum-gugul results from its thyroid stimulating action. Serum lipid levels are known to be reduced by increased levels of circulating thyroid hormones, and (z)-guggulsterone, ketoteroid, a component of gum-gugul, is such an agent. This thyroid stimulating property also explains the traditional use of gum-gugul for thyroid related conditions.

REFERENCES:
Agarwal, R.C.; S.P. Sing; R.K. Saran; S.K. Das; O.P. Sinha; N.S. Asthana; P.P. Gupla; S. Nityanand; B.N. Dhawan; S.S. agarwal. Clinical trial of Gugulipid A New Hypolipidemic Agent of Plant Origin in Primary Hyperlipidemia. Indian J. Med. Res. 84. Dec 1986.

Malhotra, S.C.; M.M.S. Ahuja; K.R. Sundaram. Long Term Clinical Studies on the Hypolipidemic Effect of Commiphora mukul (Guggulu) and Clofibrate. Indian J. Med. Res. 65, 3. March 1977.

Nadkarni Tripathi, Y.B.; P. Tripathi; S.N. Tripathi; O.P. Mathotra. Thyroid Stimulating Action of (Z)-Gugulsterone: Mechanism of Action. Planta Medica 1988, 271-277.

Well Being Journal Vol. 1, No. 2., Summer 1992.

Though most people are concerned with high cholesterol, low cholesterol also can be dangerous. Low cholesterol is a possible sign of malabsorption which can lead to a host of health problems, including the inability to assimilate fat soluble vitamins. The beauty of gum-gugul is that it balances both conditions.