WHAT SLOAN - KETTERING , one of the nation's premier cancer hospitals, says about Guggul

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http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69249.cfm

See the above site itself to get all of the charts, pictures, etc.

This is great info- remember- DO NOT TAKE guggul with nsaids or aspirin

WHAT SLOAN - KETTERING , one of the nation's premier cancer hospitals,

says about Guggul--

THIS IS good!

studies suggest that guggulsterone, a sterol from guggul, may have

anti-tumor properties, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a

variety of tumor cells (5) including chemotherapy-resistant cells (6).

It also has anti-angiogenic effect (7). Guggul appears to be relatively

safe, although minor side effects, mainly gastrointestinal, are

reported. Guggul may interfere with the action of drugs that are

metabolized by the CYP3A enzymes (8).

SLOAN KETTERING HAS A DATABASE TO SEARCH FOR HERBS AND VITS!

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COMPLETE ARTICLE

Common Name

Gum guggal, gum guggulu, Guggal

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Clinical Summary

Guggul is derived from resin of a medicinal plant that has been used

for thousands of years in Ayurveda. Extracts of the plant are

traditionally used alone and in combination with other botanicals to

treat various clinical disorders including rheumatism, arthritis,

neurological diseases, hemorrhoids, urinary disorders, and skin

diseases. Recent interest has arisen regarding the ability of guggul to

treat obesity and related disorders of lipid metabolism. Results from

clinical trials suggest comparable effectiveness to clofibrate in

reducing cholesterol and total lipid count (1) (2); however, one trial

suggests that guggul may actually raise cholesterol levels (3). In

vitro and in vivo (4) studies suggest that guggulsterone, a sterol from

guggul, may have anti-tumor properties, inducing cell cycle arrest and

apoptosis in a variety of tumor cells (5) including

chemotherapy-resistant cells (6). It also has anti-angiogenic effect

(7). Guggul appears to be relatively safe, although minor side effects,

mainly gastrointestinal, are reported. Guggul may interfere with the

action of drugs that are metabolized by the CYP3A enzymes (8).

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Purported uses

Acne

Arthritis

Hemorrhoids

High cholesterol

Rheumatoid arthritis

Urinary tract disorders

Weight loss

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Constituents

Some pharmacologically active components have been identified,

including guggulsterone and gugulipid.

(9)

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Mechanism of Action

The exact mechanism of action is not fully known. In vitro studies

point to the effect of guggulsterone on the biosynthesis of cholesterol

in the liver (2). Another recent study proposes that the

cholesterol-lowering activity of guggulsterone in mice comes from its

inhibition of FXR, a nuclear hormone receptor that is activated by bile

acids. FXR mediates a negative feedback loop that decreases the rate of

bile acid production by the liver. This loop is an important component

in the regulation of cholesterol metabolism (10). Guggulsterone

activates nuclear receptors such as estrogen receptor alpha, pregnane X

receptor, and progesterone receptor and may induce CYP3A genes (8). In

tumor cells, guggulsterone induces apoptosis by activating JNK (5) and

repressing Akt signaling (6).

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Adverse Reactions

Reported: Headache, mild nausea, eructation, hiccough, and loose stools

(2). Hypersensitivity rash (3).

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Herb-Drug Interactions

Anticoagulants/Antiplatelets: Due to potential anticoagulant and

antiplatelet effects, guggul theoretically may potentiate the effects

of aspirin, NSAIDs and warfarin.

Thyroid supplements: Guggul may have thyroid stimulating activities.

(2)

Guggul can induce CYP3A4 activity and may interact with substances

metabolized by the same enzyme. (8)