Commiphora mukul (Hook. ex Stocks) Engl.Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari
Synonyms: Balsamea mukul Baill., Balsamodendrum mukul Hook, ex Stocks, Balsamodendrum roxburghii Stocks, Balsamodendrum wightii Arn.
Family: Burseraceae
Common name: Indian bdellium
Hindi / Sanskrit: गुग्गुल
Telugu: గుగ్గులు
Malayalam: ഗുൽഗുലു
Sanskrit: Pura, Mahisaksha, Kaushika, Palankasa
Assamese / Gujarati: Guggul
Urdu: Muqil (Shiahappu)
Tamil: Erumaikan, Kungiliyam
Selected vernacular names: Afl atan, baijahundana, bdellium, boe-jahudan, devadhüpa, gogil, gugaru, guggal, guggul, guggula, guggulu, gukkal, gukkulu, hill mango, Indian bdellium, Indian myrrh tree, itinnil, kiluvai, kondamamidi, koushikaka, kungiliyam, maisatchi, moghl, moghl-arabi, moghl-azragh, moghl-makki, moql, moqle-azraqi, mugul, mukul myrrh tree, pura, ranghan [WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants Volume 3]
Ayurvdic uses: Amavata, Kushta, {rameha, Vatavyadhi, Grandhi, Sopha, Gandamala, Medoroga [API, Part-1, Vol.1]
Ayurvdic uses: Amavata, Kushta, {rameha, Vatavyadhi, Grandhi, Sopha, Gandamala, Medoroga [API, Part-1, Vol.1]
Yield Plant: 700-900 g gum per plant Tree yield [Advances in Medicinal Plants]
Highly effective in the treatment of rheumatism, obesity, neurological and urinary disorders, tonsillitis, arthritis and a few other diseases. The fumes from burning guggul are recommended in hay- fever, chronic bronchitis and phytises. The gum resin is bitter, acrid, astringent, thermogenic, aromatic, expectorant, digestive, anthelmintic, antiinflammatory, anodyne, antiseptic, demulcent, carminative, emmenagogue, haematinic, diuretic, lithontriptic, rejuvenating and general tonic. Guggulipid is hypocholesteremic. [MEDICINAL PLANTS by P. P. Joy, J. Thomas, Samuel Mathew, Baby P. Skaria]
Chemistry: The gum resin contains guggul sterons Z and E, guggul sterols I-V, two diterpenoids- a terpene hydrocarbon named cembreneA and a diterpene alcohol- mukulol, a-camphrone and cembrene, long chain aliphatic tetrols- octadecan-1,2,3,4-tetrol, eicosan-1,2,3,4-tetrol and nonadecan-1,2,3,4-tetrol. Major components from essential oil of gum resin are myrcene and dimyrcene. Plant without leaves, flowers and fruits contains myricyl alcohol, b-sitosterol and fifteen aminoacids. Flowers contain quercetin and its glycosides as major flavonoid components, other constituents being ellagic acid and pelargonidin glucoside.
Activities — Alterative, Analgesic, Antiaging, Antiaggregant, Antiarthritic, Antiatherosclerotic, Antiedemic, Antiinflammatory, Antiobesity, Antioxidant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antisuppurative, Antithrombic, Aperitif, Aphrodisiac, Astringent, Bitter, Cardioprotective, Carminative, Demulcent, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Diuretic, Ecbolic, Emmenagogue, Expectorant, Fibrinolytic, Hypocholesterolemic, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic, Hypotriglyceridemic, Immunostimulant, Leucocytogenic, Lipolytic, Mucolytic, Phagocytotic, Thyrotropic, Uterotonic, Vermifuge.
Indications — Abscess, Acne, Adenopathy, Amenorrhea, Anemia, Angina, Anorexia, Arthrosis, Ascites, Asthma, Atherosclerosis, Atony, Bite, Bronchosis, Cancer, Cardiopathy, Catarrh, Cramp, Cyst, Dermatosis, Diabetes, Dysmenorrhea, Dyspepsia, Dyspnea, Dysuria, Edema, Endometriosis, Enterosis, Fever, Fracture, Fistula, Gas, Gastrosis, Gingivosis, Gleet, Hay Fever, Hemorrhoid, Hepatosis, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, High Triglyceride, Hyperlipemia, Hysteria, Immunodepression, Impotence, Inflammation, Ischemia, Laryngosis, Lassitude, Leprosy, Leukoderma, Menorrhagia, Myosis, Neurosis, Obesity, Odontosis, Otosis, Pain, Phthisis, Psoriasis, Pulmonosis, Pyorrhea, Rheumatism, Sciatica, Scrofula, Scurvy, Rhinosis, Snakebite, Sore, Sting, Stone, Swelling, Syphilis, Thrombosis, Water Retention, Worm. [Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, 2nd Ed. By James A. Duke]
Resin contains steroids (called guggulsterones) that lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides via stimulation of thyroid function. [Medical Herbalism The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann]
Indian Commiphora mukul Hook, ex Stocks the essential oil has been found to contain 4-6% of myrcene, 11% of dimyrcene and some polymyrcene. The petroleum ether extract of the gum-resin has yielded sesamin, cholesterol and a few other steroids (Indian Council, 1976, p. 271). A number of steroids have been isolated and identified and the diterpenoid constituents cembrene A and mubulol as well as some fatty tetrols have been reported.
The oleo-resin fraction from C. mukul has shown significant anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory activity (minimum effective dose 12.5 mg/100 g in albino rats). This activity has been localized in the acidic fraction of the oleo-resin and has been shown to occur even in adrenalectomized animals (Santhakumari et al., 1964). The aqueous extract of the oleo-gum-resin of C. mukul had suppressive action on carrageenan-induced acute rat paw oedema and in the granuloma pouch test as well. In adjuvant arthritis the secondary lesions were very effectively suppressed without any significant action on the primary phase. Side-effects were negligible as compared to those occurring in beta methasone-treated animals (Gujral et al., 1960; Satyavati et al. ,1969).
A steroidal compound isolated from the petroleum ether extract of C. mukul showed a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity on rat paw oedema which was much more potent than that of the resin fraction. The steroid fraction had a pronounced effect on primary and secondary inflammation induced by Freund's adjuvant; it was less effective than hydrocortisone acetate in the primary phase but more effective in reducing the severity of secondary lesions (Arora et al., 1972). Furthermore, C. mukul was also found to lower the serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolaemic rabbits and to protect the animals against cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis (Satyavati et al., 1969; Nityanand et al., 1973). Long-term experimental studies of its effectiveness as a hypolipaedemic agent gave satisfactory results and showed that the effect could be attributed to (a) an increase in the rate of removal/excretion of cholesterol, (b) a decrease in the input/synthesis of cholesterol and (c) mobilization of cholesterol from tissues (Indian Council, 1976, pp. 272-5).[Medicinal plants in tropical West Africa]
Siddha uses: Kilvayu, Kuttam, Uaal vali, viranam
Unani uses: Bawaseer Amya, Qabz, Nafkh-e-Shikam, Waj-ul-Mafasil, Waram-e-Mafasil.[UPC, Part-1, Vol-1]
