Cholesterol - 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.
Cholesterol/ Atherosclerosis - A double-blind placebo-controlled study of guggul for reducing cholesterol studied 61 individuals for 24 weeks. After following a healthy diet for 12 weeks the participants were divided into two groups with half of the participants receiving placebo and the other half receiving guggul (100 mg of guggulsterones daily). At 24 weeks the results showed that the treated group had a 11.7% decrease in total cholesterol. Those on guggul also had a 12.7% decrease in LDL ("bad" cholesterol), a 12% decrease in triglycerides, and an 11.1% decrease in the total cholesterol ratio.
Cholesterol/ Atherosclerosis - 40 heart disease patients participated in a 16-week study were given twice daily divided doses of 4.5 grams of guggul lipid. They experienced a 21.75 percent decrease in blood fats (including LDL, VLDL, and triglycerides) and a 35 percent increase in "good cholesterol". Guggul lipid also reduced platelet stickiness.
Cholesterol - Another study conducted at Kerala University in India established that "guggul given to laboratory animals reduced their blood lipid levels quickly and effectively without side effects". They found that improved liver enzyme activity was one of the ways Guggul reduced the blood cholesterol. Kerala Univ., Indian J. Exp. Biol. 33, 1995
Cholesterol/ Atherosclerosis - This study of 228 patients showed similar results from guggul as were obtained from the standard drug clofibrate.
Impotence - South Carolina scientists conducted a study of more than 3,200 healthy men between the ages of 25 and 83. The men with total cholesterol over 240 mg/dl had close to double the risk of penile dysfunction as men with readings of 180 mg/dl. Also those with HDL readings of 60 mg/dl or greater were less likely to develop penile dysfunction than the men with less than 30 mg/dl HDL.
Obesity - In one double-blind study - a combination of guggul, phosphate salts, hydroxycitrate, and tyrosine (along with healthy exercise) improved the mood of overweight patients with a slight tendency to improve weight loss. However, there appeared to be no effect on thyroid gland function in the people studied.
Diabetes - Some treatment value for diabetes was noted in one rodent study. However, more research is needed in this area.
Acne - In a 1994 study at the Department of Dermatology, in Bajaj Nagar, Jaipur, India, 20 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.
Future Studies - The Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCUHS) in Whittier, Calif., USA, started a study on the Usefulness of guggul (Commiphora mukul) for osteoarthritis of the knee in March of 2001.
