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Role Of Gum Guggulu In Management Of Obesity & Lipid Disorders

It may be seen that the ancient Ayurvedic physicians clearly understood the process of digestion and metabolism. Hypothesis advanced by them appears to be true, as it was not based on a bare conjecture but on the clinical findings.

In connection with obesity and lipid disorders, it has been rightly observed by Susruta that Madhura Dravya (sugar and carbohydrates) is converted into Sneha Dravyas (lipids). It has also been described as Sneha Vyapada in connection with the administration of large doses of oils and fats and how this influences the coagubility of the blood is also mentioned.

Complications such as Medoroga and Sneha Vyapada coronary heart disease, cerebro-vascular disease etc. may develop due to obstruction of channels (Avritta Marga and Srotorodha). All these descriptions have a great relevance with the present day concept of atherosclerosis, lipid disorder.

In Ayurveda, Guggulu, has been recommended for the treatment of lipid disorders and its complication. A series of experimental and clinical investigations to confirm its anti-obesity and anti-atherosclerotic property was conducted.

Clinical studies

i) At the outset, an epidemiological survey was undertaken in a thickly populated area of Varanasi, situated on the banks of the Ganga, to find out the incidence of obesity. Observations revealed that 36.3% people were suffering from obesity (21.2% male and 15.15% female). It was also observed that average serum cholesterol and blood sugar was high as compared to the non-obese population. It showes that the problem of obesity and lipid disorders may be equally acute for Indians as they are for Westerners.

ii) The effect of Commiphora wightii on serum cholesterol and serum lipids was studied on 75 patients; 25 were kept as the control group, 25 received crude drug and 25 P.E. extract of Guggulu for three months. Serum cholesterol was significantly reduced in the treated group as compared to the control group. The reduction was 24.2% in crude drug and 30.0 % in P.E.extract treated group.

iii) In a series of 12 patients the total lipid was estimated in terms of serum turbidity and coagulation time before and after one-month treatment. The fall in total lipids was about 15.8% and rise in coagulation time was 63.8 per cent.

iv) Considering the role of triglyceride in atherogenesis, in another series of twelve cases, triglyceride was estimated before and after treatment. The fall in serum triglyceride was about 24%.

v) 44 cases of hyperlipoproteinaemia were studied for a mean period of 12 weeks. 20 patients were treated with fraction ‘A’ P.E. extract (Guggulu), 12 with Clofibrate and 12 with Su-13437-Ciba. Fraction ‘A’ (Guggulu) reduced the serum total lipids by 34%, serum total cholesterol by 27% serum triglycerides by 29% and serum phospholipids by 18%, as compared to 24%, 24% 4% and 14% fall respectively in the various fractions lipids with Clofibrate, and 37%, 46, 21% and 30% fall in these fractions of lipids with Ciba-13437-Su. Thus, fraction ’A’ had its effect on all lipid fractions, which was found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). Further, no significant side effects with fraction ’A’(Guggulu) was observed during this study, except with fraction ‘A’ (Guggulu) mild diarrhoea (3 cases), hiccough (1 case) and restlessness (1 case).

vi) Of the 51 cases of hyperlipoproteinaemia, after initial work up, were followed on therapy for a period of 75 weeks. 41 cases were treated with fraction ’A’ and 10 cases with clofibrate; in order to evaluate the long-term clinical efficacy of fraction ‘A’ (Guggulu) and for its comparison with clofibrate.

The effect on serum lipid profile, i.e. total cholesterol and triglycerides was evaluated. Initially, the lipid profile was reviewed at intervals of 4-5 weeks. Subsequently, the serum lipid analysis was repeated every 8-10 weeks for the long term follow up analysis.

With fraction ‘A’ (Guggulu) the reduction in serum cholesterol and triglycerides was found to be statistically significant (p<0.001) for the entire period of treatment, i.e. from 5th week onwards upto the conclusion of the study. Percentage fall in serum cholesterol ranged from 8.2%-36.8%, mean 26.2%, in serum triglycerides, ranged from 8.4-50.2%, mean 36.5%.

While during the course of treatment with clofibrate the reduction in serum cholesterol and triglycerides was also fount to be statistically significant (p<0.001), i.e. the fall in serum cholesterol ranged from 8.9-43.5%, mean reduction 31.3% and in serum triglycerides it ranged from 8.0-50.8%, mean reduction 33.3%.

Experimental Study:

i) The experimental study has been conducted on chicks. Prevention on cholesterol and fat induced hypercholesterolemia and hyperlilidemia was observed with the crude drugs as well as with the petroleum ether extract. In the subsequent experiment its effect on aortic atherosclerosis and coronary thrombosis was also extended and it was observed that Guggulu retarded the process of atherosclerosis to a great extent and prevented the process of thrombosis. Both the lesions were fully developed in the control group.

ii) In order to find out the effect of Guggulu on endogenous hyperlipidemia, its effect on neomercazole and estrogen induced hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia was also studied. This revealed an important fact that it successfully neuturalized the action of neomercazole on thyroid. This gave a lead that hypocholesterolemic and hypolipidemic action of this drug is medicated through the thyroid gland.

iii) To study its anti-obesity property, its effect on adipose tissue was observed. For this purpose C14 labelled triglyceride (radioactive) was administered to the control as well as to the treated group of rats receiving high fat diet. It was observed that the concentration of ratio-active material in the adipose tissue of the treated group was much less than the control group. This shows that it prevented the deposition of fat in the adipose tissue, probably due to increased lipolysis.

iv) By means of successive extraction and column chromatography three crystalline substances were isolated with different melting points. All of these gave positive test for triturpenoid. Molecular formula of one of them was calculated to be C21 H30 O3. Its yield is about one mg. per gram of the crude drug. The effect of this principle was also tested on the serum lipids and thyroids.

The response was similar as in case of petroleum ether extracts. Another pure compound Z guggulsterone also increased the thyroid activity as evidenced by increased thyroid activity and as evidenced by increased iodine uptake and increase inproteolytic and peroxidase activity.

Conclusions

These studies conducted at Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi have exhaustively evaluated the role of Guggulu and its pertoleum ether extract in obesity and lipid disorder.

Further investigations have also demonstrated its role in management of coronary artery disease and hemiplegia due to cerebral thrombosis. The drug is further developed and patented by CDRI, Lucknow and commercilised as ‘Guggulipid’.

source   http://ccras.nic.in/Research_Actvities/20081015_obes_lipid.htm

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