Commiphora wightii commonly known as Indian bdellium-tree, guggul, gugal, gugul or Mukul myrrh tree, is a flowering plant that belongs to the family Burseraceae producing a fragrant resin known as guggul, gugal or guggul used in incense and Vedic medicine. It is found in Northern Africa, Central Asia and is most common in Northern India. It favors arid and semi-arid climates and tolerates poor soil as well. It is well distributed in India, Asia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The general name is derived from the Greek word “Dominis” and “phora” which means gum bearer.

Being a slow-growing plant, it requires from 8 to 10 years reaching to the height of 3 to 3.5 meters with thin paperbark and branches that are thorny. Leaves simply measure 1 to 5 cm long and 0.5 to 2.5 cm broad. The plant is dimorphic, one with bisexual and male flowers and the other with female flowers with staminodes. Fruits are green berry such drupe size of the fruit about 6 to 8 mm in diameter.

Habit and Distribution

The plant is distributed in arid areas of northern Africa to Central Asia but is common in the Rocky tract of western India and the Eastern Himalayas. Guggul is distributed in central Asia in arid areas of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The plant is found in arid, Gujarat, Rocky tracts of Rajasthan, and Karnataka. Guggul is of five types according to Ayurveda such as Krishnan (black), Neel (blue), Peet Varn (Yellow), Rakt (blood red), and Kapish (light brown).

Plant description

Commiphora wightii is a slow-growing, much-branched, and shrubby plant that grows to the height of 2 to 3 meters with silvery and paper-like grayish or grayish-brown bark peeling off in small pieces. Branches are spirally ascending spinescent having young parts glandular and pubescent. Leaves have sessile to subsessile leaflets and the terminal one is the largest rhomboid to ovate. Flowers are small and maroonpinkish. Petals are 4 to 5, brownish-red recurved at the tip, and four to five times as long as sepals. Calyx has glandular hairs that form a cylindrical cup. Fruit is a reddish ovate drupe with two-celled stone rarely 3 or 4 valved and red when ripe. Seeds are brown and lustrous.

Health Benefits of Guggul

1. Cholesterol reduction

Guggul lowers bad cholesterol, LDL,VLDL and triglycerides. It promotes the level of good cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein. It lowers the absorption of fats and cholesterol in the intestines. It promotes the elimination of bile acids as well as cholesterol; increases the uptake of HDL by liver cells and inhibits the production of cholesterol in the liver.

It obstructs the bile acid receptor farnesoid x receptor which is a key component for the maintenance of cholesterol and bile acid. It promotes bile excretion that assists the elimination of cholesterol and bile acids from the liver. It suppresses the formation of enzymes causing a change in low-density lipoproteins and also the formation of free oxygen radicals. It promotes cholesterol breakdown in the liver and excretion from the body. It prevents the hardening of blood vessels and platelet stickiness.

2. Fat reduction

A study conducted in various animals such as rats, chickens, pigs, rabbits, rats, monkeys, and dogs shows a significant reduction in fat levels in mice with a high-fat diet. Besides blood cholesterol reduction, it promotes the activity of enzymes that break down fats in rats. It reduces body weight and also prevents the thickening of blood vessels in rabbits.

3. Lowers inflammation

Guggul suppresses activation of inflammatory cytokine NF-κB and target molecules and lowers inflammation associated with various inflammatory diseases. It suppresses the activation of interleukins and prostaglandins.

4. Acne treatment

An extract of Guggul is effective for treating acne. The study shows that the treatment was observed to be effective in patients with oily skin. It reduced inflammatory damage of the skin. It is effective when used as a traditional antibiotic for treating acne.

5. Skin health

Guggul promotes type I collagen production providing strength to human skin cells and also inhibiting the production of enzymes that cause skin damage.

6. Thyroid health

In rats, it stimulates thyroid glands by increasing both iodine uptake and activity of thyroid enzymes. It increased thyroid hormones as well as other thyroid functions including tissue oxygen uptake. An increase in tissue oxygen uptake results in increases in thyroid activity.

7. Acts as antioxidant

It inhibits the production of oxygen free radicals and prevents several tissues from damage. It inhibits the formation of free radicals in the stomach. It is helpful for oxidative stress-associated diseases such as heart and nerve damage. The antioxidants protect the mice’s brain from dementia. Guggul protects heart health by lowering free radicals and inadequate blood supply.

8. Heart health

Study shows that guggul lowered chest pain in patients with heart disease. It protects the heart during low blood supply.

9. Brain health

In mice, Guggul extract restores brain activity. Its extracts lowered drug-associated nerve damage and memory loss. Antioxidant levels were increased and oxidative stress was reduced in brain.

10. Lowers blood sugar

Guggul lowered levels of blood glucose in diabetic rats. It prevents inflammatory signals and prevents pancreatic cell damage in rats. It promotes glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and prevents a reduction in the size of pancreatic cells. Bile acids arouse insulin secretion by activation of the bile acid receptor. It is beneficial for patients with type 2 diabetes.

11. Kidney health

Guggul inhibits the inflammatory signals created by drugs and infections. It prevents damage in the kidneys of mice by restraining interleukins and prostaglandins. It curbs inflammatory molecules such as NF-kB, nitric oxide, IL-6, and TNF-alpha by preventing kidney damage in mice.

12. Respiratory problems

Bile acids show direct effects on respiratory function but when used in excess is toxic for lung cells. Farnesoid-X receptor (FXR), a bile acid receptor is a purpose for treating respiratory ailments. Guggul is a suppressor of receptor activity and lowers the effects in rats.

13. Prevention of cancer

Guggul eliminates cancer cells, decreases the formation of new blood vessels, and reduces cell growth. It has a positive effect on different cancer cells including neck, head, leukemia, lung, breast, and prostate cancer. It reduces reactive oxygen species as well as inflammation. It impedes target receptors, proteins, and factors. It interferes with molecular pathways by preventing cancer cell death.

Traditional uses

• Guggul is used for treating osteoarthritis, obesity, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, facial paralysis, liver disorders, hemorrhoids, cyst, inflammation, coronary thrombosis, cervical lymphadenitis, diabetes, anemia, urinary calculus, and increase in the frequency of urine and skin diseases.
• Resin is used in form of lotion for indolent ulcers and as a gargle in spongy gums, caries, chronic tonsillitis, pyorrhea, and ulcerated throat.
• Inhale the fumes from burnt Guggul is useful for hay fever, chronic and acute nasal catarrh, chronic bronchitis, chronic laryngitis, and phthisis.
• It is used for treating osteoarthritis, obesity, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, constipation, sciatica, liver disorders, cyst, inflammation, coronary thrombosis, cervical lymphadenitis, diabetes, anemia, and urinary calculus.
• It is used for treating muscular rheumatism.
• For centuries, Ayurvedic physicians are using gum resin for treating various disorders.

Precautions

• When used in high doses, it causes liver toxicity.
• Not to be used during pregnancy or lactation as it is a uterine stimulant.
• Heart patients should use it with caution.
• It may cause headaches and mild nausea.
• People with health conditions such as endometriosis, breast cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer should avoid it.
• Consult the doctor for use by people with a thyroid condition.
• Not to be used in children, nursing mothers, and pregnant women.

References