Commiphora wightii
| Commiphora wightii | |
|---|---|
| |
| Guggul tree in its natural habitat | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Burseraceae |
| Genus: | Commiphora |
| Species: | C. wightii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Commiphora wightii (
Arn.) Bhandari | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Commiphora wightii, with common names Indian bdellium-tree,[3] gugal,[4] guggal, guggul,[3] gugul,[3] or mukul myrrh tree, is a flowering plant in the family Burseraceae, which produces a fragrant resin called gugal, guggul or gugul, that is used in
semi-arid climates and is tolerant of poor soil.[1]
Description
Commiphora wightii grows as a
gynodioecious, with some plants bearing bisexual and male flowers
, and others with female flowers. The individual flowers are red to pink, with four small petals. The small round fruit are red when ripe.
Cultivation and uses
Commiphora wightii is sought for its gummy
Latin sources as bdellium
.
Guggul is used in Ayurveda remedies and it is mentioned in Ayurvedic texts dating back to 600 BC.[5] It is often sold as a herbal supplement.
The gum can be purchased in a loosely packed form called dhoop, an
incense from India, which is burned over hot coals. This produces a fragrant, dense smoke.[6]
It is also sold in the form of incense sticks and dhoop cones which can be burned directly.
Chemical composition
Over a hundred
myo-inositol were found in fruits and leaves.[7]
Traditional medicinal use
Commiphora wightii has been a key component in ancient Indian
Ayurvedic
system of medicine.
The extract of gum guggul, called gugulipid, guggulipid, or guglipid, has been used in
Ayurvedic medicine, for nearly 3,000 years in India.[8][9] One chemical ingredient in the extract is the steroid guggulsterone,[10] which acts as an antagonist of the farnesoid X receptor, once believed to result in decreased cholesterol synthesis in the liver. However, several studies have been published that indicate no overall reduction in total cholesterol occurs using various dosages of guggulsterone and levels of low-density lipoprotein ("bad cholesterol") increased in many people.[11][12]
Endangerment and rescue
Because of its use in traditional medicine, C. wightii has been overharvested, and has become so scarce in its two habitats in India—
grass-roots conservation movement, led by IUCN associate Vineet Soni, has been started to educate guggal growers and harvesters in safe, sustainable harvesting methods.[14][15]
References
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Tropicos.org". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^ a b c "Commiphora wightii". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ a b Sultanul Abedin & S.I. Ali. "Commiphora wightii". Flora of Pakistan. Vol. 26.
- ^ "Guggul: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning". Web MD.
- ^ "Guggul (Indian Bedellium)".
- PMID 25561401.
- ^ Indian herb can reduce cholesterol Archived 2008-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, BBC NEWS, 2 May 2002
- PMID 30638916.
- ISBN 9781437723335.
- PMID 12915429.
- PMID 16085931.
- ^ Maheshwari, D V (8 January 2008). "Kutch to house Centre's Rs 8-cr Guggal conservation project". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
- ^ Paliwal, Ankur (31 July 2010). "Guggal faces sticky end". Down to Earth: Science and Environment Online. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
- ^ "Education and Awareness in the 'Save Guggul Movement'". IUCN News. 31 July 2010. Archived from the original on 21 December 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Commiphora wightii.
- Bjerklie, David (August 25, 2003). "What's Gugul Good For?". Time.
- Flora of Pakistan: Commiphora wightii
- Medicinal Plants of Conservation Concern: Commiphora wightii
- Caldecott, Todd (2006). Ayurveda: The Divine Science of Life. Elsevier/Mosby. ISBN 978-0-7234-3410-8. Archived from the originalon 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2011-01-15. Contains a detailed monograph on Commiphora mukul (Guggulu) as well as a discussion of purported health benefits and usage in clinical practice.
- Dalby, Andrew (2003). Food in the ancient world from A to Z. London, New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-23259-3., pp. 226–227
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