Physio-chemical Characterization of Guggul Oleo-gum-resin

ABSTRACT

Commiphora wightii (Arnott.) Bhandari is found in the semi-arid and arid regions of India. ‘Guggul,’ a common name for all Commiphora species, is the bioactive oleo-gum-resin responsible for therapeutic effects. This includes gum, essential oils, flavonoids, ellagic acid, camphorene, cembrene, diterpene hydrocarbon, diterpene alcohol, Z-guggulsterone, E-guggulsterone, guggulsterol-I, II, & III, cholesterol, etc. Guggul was introduced as a medicine in 1966 and was approved as a hypolipidemic drug for marketing in India in 1986. Commercially, Ayurvedic formulations of guggul, such as Triphala guggulu, Yogaraj guggulu, Kaishor guggulu, Punavadi guggulu, etc.

, are used for detoxification, treating obesity, arthritic conditions, muscle aches, rheumatism, gout, eliminating fluid, helping heart conditions, and inflammations. The present study reports the physicochemical characterization of guggul oleo gum resin.

INTRODUCTION

Guggul is the gum-resin exudate from the tree Commiphora Wightii (Hook, ex stocks) Engl. (Syn. Balsamodendron mukul Hook). It belongs to the genus Commiphora of the family Burseraceae. This tree grows wild in the semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka. Its bark is ash-colored and comes off in rough flakes, exposing the under bark which also peels off. On injury, the plant exudes a yellowish gum-resin, which quickly solidifies to an agglomerate of tears or stalactitic pieces.

The dried resin has a balsamic odour. The trees are tapped commercially during winter. The average yield of gum-resin per tree is around 700-900 g/year. Its usefulness in modern life processes has attracted global attention due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-rheumatic, and hypo-lipidemic activity.

These qualities make it beneficial for obese and cardiac patients. The oleo-gum resin of C. wighti has been proved to be a potent hypocholesterolemic, hypo-lipidemic, and anti-atherosclerotic agent in both clinical and experimental studies. It is also known to increase the white blood cell count due to its strong disinfectant properties. The use of guggulu, available in the local market, is common practice by pharmacies.

Guggul was introduced to the medical world in 1966 by G. V. Satyavati. Her studies of guggul on rabbits were directly inspired by Ayurvedic text, in which guggul was recommended for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

In 1986, guggul was approved as a hypo-lipidemic drug in India. During the mid-1990s, guggul was introduced as a remedy for hypercholesterolemia and other cardiovascular diseases into the Western medical world. In the 1990s, novel drugs from guggul were developed to treat and manage various cardiovascular disorders, such as being hypo-lipidemic. To understand the mechanism at a molecular level responsible for the hypo-lipidemic activity of guggul, substantial research has been conducted.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Collection of Drug:

Raw Guggul oleo-gum-resin [Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari] was collected from different parts of India, such as Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Physico-chemical evaluation

Physico-chemical parameters, like loss on drying, ash value, acid insoluble ash, water soluble extractives, and alcohol soluble extractives, were carried out by following standard procedures.

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