HERBS AND HEALTH
Guggal -- nature's weapon against arthritis
By R. Vatsyayan
The Tribune
Guggal (Comifora mukul), is a shrubby one to two meter
high plant found in Rajasthan, parts of Gujarat and a few
other arid places of southern India. It also grows in
Sindh, Baluchistan and some of the Arabian and African
countries.
The resinous gum exudate of the plant, which is tapped by
specific traditional methods is medicinal. This resinous
mass, which is also called guggul, undergoes a process of
purification to make it fit for human use.
For many centuries, guggul has been part of the ayurvedic
pharmacopoeia. Ancient acharyas have described it to be
bitter in taste, but hot in effect. Guggal has qualities
to pacify all three doshas in the body, such as vata,
pitta and kapha.
It is also described as light, dry, sharp, sticky and
unctuous. The chemical composition of Guggal reveals it
to be a mixture of a variety of organic compounds and
inorganic ions. It also contains mineral matter, mostly
consisting of silicon dioxide, calcium, magnesium, iron
and a volatile oil.
Ayurvedic texts have classified Guggal into many types,
mainly depending upon its place of origin, whereas
scholars of Unani medicine have described its varieties
according to its colours. However, the best Guggal is
that which is free from dust and dissolves gradually, if
put into hot water by turning into a white emulsion.
Guggal is a very potent drug for various types of joint
problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteo-arthritis
and gout . Its therapeutic use helps in reducing pain,
swelling and tenderness of the inflamed joints. It is
also alterative, antiseptic, carminative, expectorant and
has fat-reducing properties. The use of Guggal is also
indicated in various gynaecological disorders. In the
recent past, Guggal has been extensively investigated to
revalidate the claims mentioned about its versatility in
the ayurvedic literature.
It has been observed that besides being a good anti-
arthritic agent, Guggal also has promising anti-
cholesterol and cardio-protective effects. Classical
ayurvedic literature has a separate group of formulations
where Guggal is used as a chief ingredient. To name a
few, Sinhnad Guggal and Yograj Guggal (for arthritis,
paralysis and other disorders, due the imbalance of vata
dosha), Kaishore Guggal and Triphla Guggal (for
regulation of fat metabolism) and Kanchnar Guggal (for
soft tissue inflammation) fall in this group.
The average dose of Guggal is two to four gms a day.
Overdose of Guggal can be harmful for liver and lungs and
its use is also contra-indicated in the first trimester
of pregnancy.
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