Guggul: An Effective Remedy For Lowering Harmful Cholesterol Levels

For more than 2,500 years, practitioners of traditional Indian medicine have used a plant resin to treat a range of ills, from arthritis to obesity. Now 21st century scientists have unlocked its enormous potential in the prevention of heart disease.

Guggul, as the resin is known, can dramatically lower blood cholesterol levels in people for whom diet, exercise and even cholesterol-lowering drugs have failed.
The resin originates from the stem of the Mukul myrrh tree, a thorny plant that grows throughout India where it has been used in the management of arthritis, rheumatism, boils, cardiovascular problems, dermatitis, eczema, high cholesterol, obesity and psoriasis.

It wasn't until the 1960s that attention was first focused on guggul's amazing cholesterol-lowering abilities. It was then that Indian researchers discovered an ancient Sanskrit medical text that described the symptoms and treatment of high cholesterol - guggul was one of the main treatment recommendations.

Since then, both animal and human studies have confirmed guggul's effectiveness in this area. In fact, the Indian Government has now approved guggul as a treatment for high cholesterol.

Duel benefit of raising 'good' cholesterol while keeping 'bad' cholesterol levels down
It's not difficult to understand why Guggul's therapeutic properties are revered so much throughout India. One double-blind study involving 228 participants has shown that guggul extract is just as effective as the standard drug clofibrate in lowering cholesterol 1.

In another double-blind study that included 61 participants with hypercholesterolaemia (high blood cholesterol), half received guggul (100mg guggulsterones daily) while the other half received a placebo.

After 24 weeks the results showed that the treatment group experienced an 11.7 per cent decrease in total cholesterol, together with a 12.7 per cent decrease in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or 'bad' cholesterol, and a 12 per cent decrease in triglycerides (blood fat) levels. Guggul was shown to possess the added benefit of being able to raise levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (the 'good' cholesterol) simultaneously 2.

Since it is known that the risk of heart attack is reduced by two per cent for every one per cent drop in total cholesterol, these studies suggest that guggul is an important remedy in the prevention and treatment of congestive heart failure and associated conditions.

A clinical trial in India - using 1,500mg of guggul extract per day - has shown that guggul improves lipid (fat) levels in humans 3.

Guggul has also been found to reduce the stickiness of platelets in the blood, another factor that helps to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease4.

Guggul helps rid your body of harmful cholesterol by converting it into bile
Until recently the mechanism by which guggul lowers cholesterol was unclear. Now research published in Science Express (the on-line version of the renowned American journal, Science) shows that chemicals known as guggulsterones block the activity of the Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR), a protein which regulates cholesterol metabolism5.

This receptor interferes in the process that converts cholesterol to bile acids. It prevents the body from eliminating excess cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease.

Bile acids are produced from cholesterol in your liver. From your liver these acids travel down your gall bladder to the small intestine, where they emulsify fats to promote their absorption.

When the bile acids reach a certain level in the body, the Farnesoid X Receptor is activated to interrupt the cholesterol-to-bile process. Guggul prevents the Farnesoid X Receptor from interrupting this process, and this is beneficial in those whose bodies aren't excreting enough cholesterol.

'Guggelsterone... beneficial because it lowers triglycerides and cholesterol'
Dr David Mangelsdorf, Professor of Pharmacology at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, US, tested guggul in two types of mice - one with a normal Farnesoid X Receptor and one bred to lack the Farnesoid X Receptor.

The study found that cholesterol levels dropped in the mice that had the Farnesoid X Receptor, but not in the others - thereby confirming that guggul works by affecting this receptor.

Dr Mangelsdorf said: 'Guggulsterone is basically an antagonist - it interrupts what a normal protein in the body is doing by blocking its normal action. Normally, that action would be good, but blocking the Farnesoid X Receptor in this way with people who are hypercholesterolaemic (high blood cholesterol) or hyperlipidaemic (high blood fat levels) may be beneficial because it lowers triglycerides and cholesterol.'
These are exciting new findings but the other healthful benefits of guggul should not be ignored.

In one small trial guggul produced encouraging results when compared to the antibiotic tetracycline in the treatment of acne 6.

In relation to weight loss, guggul, in combination with hydroxycitrate, phosphate salts and the amino acid tyrosine, together with an exercise regime has been shown to improve mood and aid weight loss in overweight adults 7.

What to take for best results
The recommended dosage for guggul is 1,500mg twice a day for 12 to 24 weeks.
Contraindications: Guggul should be used with care in those with liver disease, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhoea. It should also be avoided by those taking beta-blockers. Long-term use may cause mild abdominal discomfort in some individuals.

1. Malhotra SC, Ahuja MMS, Sundarum KR. Long term clinical studies on the hypolipidemic effect of Commophora mukuk (guggul) and clofibrate. Ind J Med Res 1977;65:390-5
2. Singh RB, Niaz MA, and Ghosh S. Hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of commiphora mukul as an adjunct to dietary therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Cardiovascular Drugs & Therapy. 1994;8(4):659-64
3. Nityanand S, Srivastava JS, Asthana OP. Clinical trials with gugulipid - a new hypolipidemic agent. J. Assoc Phys India 1989;37:323-8
4. Mester L, Mester M, Nityanand S. Inhibition of platelet aggregation by guggulu steroids. Planta Med 1979;37:367-9
5. Liverman A, Mangelsdorf D J, Moore D, Urizar N et al. A natural product that lowers cholesterol as an antagonist ligand for FXR. Science 2002;296:1703-1706. Published online May 2, 2002; 10.1126/science.1072891
6. Thappa DM, Dogra J. Nodulocystic acne: oral gugulipid versus tetracycline. J Dermatol 1994;21:729-31
7. Antonio J, Colker CM, Torina GC, et al. Effects of a standardised guggulsterones phosphate supplement on body composition in overweight adults: A pilot study. Curr Ther Res 1999:60:220-7