Clinical Trial On Guggul

Introduction
The action of the Gum guggul has been testified by the ancient physicians of India in the classical text of Ayurveda for numerous human ailments. The current clinical trials are reestablishing its potential as such.

1. The effectiveness of Commiphora mukul for osteoarthritis of the knee: Southern California University of Health Sciences, USA.
   Study was conducted on both preclinical and clinical investigations of guggul for reduction of pain, stiffness, and improved function, and to determine tolerability in older patients with a diagnosis of OA of the knee.Significant improvement for clients on trial. There were no side effects reported. Guggul is a relatively safe and effective supplement to reduce symptoms of OA.
   
   

2. Gugulu induces triiodothyronine production: Possible involvement of lipid peroxidation. School of Life Sciences, Devi Ahilya University, Vigyan Bhawan, Indore, India.
   An investigation was made to find out the importance of gugulu in thyroid function of mice and to reveal the possible involvement of lipid peroxidation (LPO), triiodoth yronine (T3) concentration and T3/T4 ratio were enhanced following the administration of gugulu extract (0.2 g/kg b. wt./d for 15 days). A concomitant decrease in LPO was also noticed in liver, the principal site of T3 generation, suggesting that gugulu induced increase in T3 concentration is LPO mediated.
   
   

3. Article Extracted from the Los Angeles Times May 6, 2002 ANCIENT FOLK REMEDY CONTROLS CHOLESTEROL:
   Twenty patients of Hyperlipidemia were administered 4.5 g. of purified gum Guggul in two divided doses daily for 16 weeks. Serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels decreased at the end of the 4th to 8th weeks. HDL cholesterol showed a gradual increase while VLDL and LDL cholesterol showed significant decrease at all time points.
   
   

4. Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found that the guggulsterone, the active ingredient in the Guggul extract, blocks the activity of a receptor in the liver's cells called Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR). Later, Dr. David Mangelsdorf at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas confirmed that the guggul blocked the receptor and affected how cholesterol is metabolized.
   
   

5. Scientists have been studying the Hypolipidemic activity of Guggul for over 20 years. Guggul proved extremely effective in regulating cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids in both types of research. Extracts of Guggul have been shown to lower the serum cholesterol level in chicks, and have shown similar effects in rabbits, rats and domestic pigs.
   
   

6. Acne:
   In a 1994 study at the Department of Dermatology, in Bajaj Nagar, Jaipur, India, patients with nodulocystic acne were randomly given either 500mg of Tetracycline or doses of gugulipid with 25mg guggulsterone. Both groups produced a progressive reduction in lesions. Those on tetracycline showed a 65.2% reduction compaired with a 68% reduction with the gugulipid. The three-month follow-up showed relapses in 4 cases of tetracycline and 2 cases of the gugulipid patients.
   
   

7. Heart Research Laboratory, Medical Hospital and Research Centre, Moradabad, India. The combined effect of diet and guggulipid at 36 weeks was as great as the reported lipid-lowering effect of modern drugs. After a washout period of another 12 weeks, changes in blood lipoproteins were reversed in the guggulipid group without such changes in the placebo group.