THERE was no problem with the drawing of blood from my finger after a pin prick, to test for cholesterol. Not so the woman next to me whose blood had to be expressed out with great difficulty after several pricks. I found out later that her blood was "too thick", which sounded ominous.

We were at the talk on "Guggulipid - Discover the natural remedy for cholesterol health" organised by Bio-Life Marketing at a hotel in Petaling Jaya recently. The speaker was Dr Amit Agarwal, director of research and development at Natural Remedies Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, India.

I had scrambled up early that morning to get my cholesterol tested, then have breakfast before attending Agarwal's talk. So did 50 other people comprising doctors, pharmacists and other professionals.

The blood test results were a wake-up call. I put it down to the roast duck rice (in three lunches) I had been having in London a couple of weeks earlier. Just as well that there was this chance to learn about the benefits of guggulipid, a traditional herb which is a recognised medication for cholesterol in hospitals in India. "Even western-trained doctors in India prescribe it," said Agarwal.

First of all it is vital to know that high cholesterol or hyperlipidaemia is linked to coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, obesity, stroke, Xanthomas (yellowish swollen nodule or plaque in the skin due to fat deposition), Xanthelasma (yellowish fat deposit around the eyes), corneal arcus and pancreatis.

Factors causing atherosclerosis include stress, high blood pressure, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, diabetes and physical inactivity. Can you identify with any of these?

Guggul resin or guggulu is a yellowish gum resin extract from a small thorny tree called Commiphora mukul. "Guggul has been used traditionally since 5000 BC in the traditional Indian system of medicine - ayurveda - for the management of arthritis and obesity," said Agarwal. "It is linked to cholesterol lowering. We have found that it actually reduces inflammation and joint pains."

In 1984, said Agarwal, a group of scientists in India studying guggul and its cholesterol-lowering properties found that it helped stimulate the thyroid, and hence it would be effective in treating hypothyroid problems.

Guggul is part of the Indian pharmacopoeia; it has even earned a listing in the British pharmacopoeia 2001.

Guggulipid (product made by processing the gum resin) has been discovered to effectively lower serum LDL cholesterol and tryglyceride levels and increase HDL cholesterol levels. This is done through the active ingredients in guggulipid known as guggulsterones Z and E.

Guggul resin is mainly found in dry areas in Rajasthan and Gujerat in India, and Pakistan.

"With guggul there is increase in bile acid excretion, which leads to a decrease in serum cholesterol," said Argawal. Pre- clinical studies in India have yielded these results:

* Reduction in elevated serum cholesterol with significant reductions in LDL and VLDL

* Increase in HDL cholesterol

* Protection against cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis

* Decrease in platelet adhesiveness (thins the blood, ensuring better blood circulation to the heart and thus reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke) and increase in fibrinolytic activitiy

* Reduction in body weight in obese patients with elevated cholesterol levels

* Removal of excess uric acid in the system.

Its antioxidant activity helps counteract any free radicals that attempt to oxidise LDL cholesterol.

Prof David M. Colquhoun, a cardiologist with the Wesley Medical Centre in Brisbane, who was in Kuala Lumpur a few months ago to give a talk on heart health, also ranked guggulipid as more effective, cheaper and of better value than statins and other similar cholesterol lowering drugs. Citing studies, he said that 300mg to 400mg of it a day lowers cholesterol by 30 per cent, tryglycerides by 30 per cent and increase in HDL (the good cholesterol) by 10 to 20 per cent. "Side-effects are almost non-existent," he said.

The best part of it all in my book is that guggulipid helps you to lose weight naturally, as it acts on the thyroid. The thyroid produces thyroxin which converts cholesterol to bile salts which would then be excreted by the body.

As for the dosage, Agarwal who has a Ph.D in pharmacology and runs a multi-disciplinary research laboratory which is accredited to the Indian government, said that after 12 weeks of taking standardised extracts of guggulipid - 400mg three times a day - most of the benefits will be seen. In fact "75mg of it three times a day would regulate bowel movements as it promotes the secretion of bile acids".

Agarwal, 32, has more than 12 years of experience researching natural products. He and his team have developed several herbal products and filed more than a dozen patents in India and three internationally.

He is editor of the "Journal of Natural Remedies" in India, a bi- annual one dedicated to medicinal plant research.

Interestingly, his father started the business 50 years ago, producing herbal medicines for cattle and poultry! "Flies would sit on the wounds of cattle and lay eggs which become maggots and prevent healing. Strong chemicals on an open wound would get straight into the system," said Argawal. The company produced a spray of turmeric in alcohol, or in turpentine and eucalyptus oil to combat this. There is a herbal product to prevent diarrhoea in poultry, and even one to increase weight in the birds.

From healthy.net