Guggal, Guggul or Mukul myrrh tree
Commiphora wightii (Guggal, Guggul or Mukul myrrh tree) is a flowering plant in the family Burseraceae . It is a shrub or small tree, reaching a maximum height of 4 m, with thin papery bark. Guggul produces a resinous sap known as gum guggul. The extract of this gum, called gugulipid, guggulipid or guglipid, has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional Hindu medicine, for nearly 3,000 years in India.
Guggul is also widely promoted as a weight loss agent.
Guggul corrects thyroid abnormality particularly in hypothyroidism .
Guggul is used to treat arthritis and also as an anti-inflammatory agent for the joints.
It helps prevent blood platelet aggregation and breaks up already formed blood clots. Thus, it helps prevent heart disease and stroke.
In Ayurveda Guggul is prescribed as a synergistic drug which enhances the efficacy of other drugs, when administrated together.