Guggul
Commiphora wightii (Arn.) BhandariBurseraceae // oleo-gum-resin
Overview
Plant parts
oleo-gum-resin
Known constituents
guggulsterones, diterpenes
Research corpus coverage
Chemistry notes
- CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include guggulsterones; diterpenes; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.
Uses & Evidence
Traditional / historical use
Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.
TRADITIONAL: Guggul has been used for lipid disorders; arthritis; thyroid support; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Modern evidence
EVIDENCE: For the major use set (lipid disorders; arthritis; thyroid support), the evidence assessment is contradicted: Contradicted/limited for cholesterol: a notable controlled trial found no benefit and LDL increase in some participants.
HIGH · randomized controlled trial · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Preparation
Forms used traditionally
A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.
PREPARATION: The medicinal material is oleo-gum-resin; traditional and modern forms include tincture, powder/capsule, topical preparation. No dose or potency is specified.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
Preparation-specific evidence should not be generalized across extracts, teas, oils, or whole herb.
Safety
Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)
Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.
SAFETY: Major issues include Rash, GI upset, headache; possible thyroid stimulation. Contraindications/cautions include Pregnancy; thyroid disease; hormone-sensitive conditions.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include May affect thyroid drugs, anticoagulants, antiplatelets, CYP3A4 substrates and propranolol/diltiazem exposure.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph · EMA European Union herbal monographs and list entries
Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.
SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Avoid in pregnancy; insufficient lactation data.
MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants
Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.
Preparation × species risk matrix
Unknown means insufficient evidence was located — not that a form is safe.
Cats
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Dogs
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Identity
Botanical synonym
Commiphora mukul (Hook. ex Stocks) Engl.
Taxonomic identity note
- Guggul is treated here as Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari in the family Burseraceae; recorded older names include Commiphora mukul (Hook. ex Stocks) Engl..
Sources
Research records are source-linked but may not yet be editorially reviewed.
WHO monograph
EMA monograph
- Plants of the World Online1 claim
botanical taxonomy database