Oleoresin exudate of the guggul tree, Commiphora mukul (Hook, ex Stocks), also known as C. wightii (Arnott), Burseraceae. Used in Aruyvedic medicine for treatment of lipid disorders, obesity and arthritis. Constit. Ethyl acetate-soluble fraction containing guggulsterone, q.v., guggulsterols, diterpenoids, ferulic acid esters of guggultetrols, lignins; essential oil consisting primarily of myrcene, camphorene; insoluble carbohydrate gum. Identification of steroidal constituents: V. D. Patil et al., Tetrahedron 28, 2341 (1972). Review of chemical constituents and bioactivity: S. Dev in Studies in Natural Products Chemistry Vol. 5, A. Rahman, Ed. (Elsevier, New York, 1989) pp 695-719. Clinical evaluation in hyperlipidemia: S. K. Verma, A. Bordia, Indian J. Med. Res. 87, 356 (1988). Review of medicinal uses: G. V. Satyavati, ibid. 327-335 (1988); of pharmacognosy: A. K. Tajuddin et al., Curr. Res. Med. Aromat. Plants 16, 75-86 (1994); of clinical studies in hyperlipidemia: C. Ulbricht et al., Complement. Ther. Med. 13, 279-290 (2005).
Standardized to contain 4.0% guggulsterones. Clinical evaluation in hypercholesterolemia: R. B. Singh et al., Cardiovasc. Drugs Ther. 8, 659 (1994); P. O. Szapary et al., J. Am. Med. Assoc. 290, 765 (2003).
Antilipemic.