Guggul Extract May Impact Prescription Drug Efficacy

Guggul Extract May Impact Prescription Drug Efficacy

LAWRENCE, Kan.Guggul, acholesterol-lowering herbal compound, breaks down about 60 percent ofprescription drugs including some used to fight AIDS and canceraccordingto a University of Kansas study. Researchers found guggulsterone, the activeingredient in guggul, switches on the cell receptor PXR, which triggers a liverenzyme that breaks down many prescription drugs. In the study, published in TheJournal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (10.1124/jpet.103.064329,2004) (http://jpet.aspetjournals.org), scientists screened a panel of theseproteins for their ability to transactivate reporter genes to determine whetherguggulsterone has the ability to function as an agonist of other nuclearreceptor family members.

Pregnane X receptor activation is known to cause herb-druginteractions, and data suggest guggul therapy should be used cautiously inpatients taking prescription medications that are metabolized by CYP3A familymembers. Moreover, the researchers concluded the data suggest the need foradditional studies of guggulsterones agonist activity against estrogen receptoralpha-isoform and the progesterone receptor.

The extract of the guggul tree (Commiphoramukul), guggul is commonly used to treathyperlipidemia in humans, stimulate the thyroid, and work as a blood thinner. Ithas been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.

Vladimir Badmaev, M.D., Ph.D., vice president of medical andscientific affairs at Sabinsa (the supplier of the patented guggul extractGugulipid®), responded to INSIDERsrequests for comment on the study. It is necessary to be aware of thepotential interactions between [statins] and foods in order to avoid alterationsin the therapeutic benefits and even the onset of adverse side effects, hesaid. However, he suggested the finding that guggul could have the potential toalter drug metabolism should be taken with awareness that many differentbotanicals and foods have been found to have the potential to alter the P450(CYP) enzymes, including grapefruit juice, flavonoids and peppermint oil, ashave different types of natural and synthetic drugs.