Lipid Lowering Activity of Guggulsterone from Commiphora mukul in Hyperlipaemic Rats

The lipid lowering action of guggulsterone, the active constituent of guggulipid, has been studied in triton and cholesterol fed hyperlipaemic rats. Serum lipids were found to be lowered by gug%sterone (50 mgkg, b.w.) in triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipaemia. Chronic feeding of this drug (5 mg/kg, b.w.) in animals simultaneously fed with cholesterol (25 m%kg, b.w.) for 30 days, caused lowering in the lipid and apoprotein levels of very low density and low density lipoproteins in experimental animals. Guggulsterone activates lipolytic enzymes in plasma and liver as well as stimulated receptor mediated catabolism of low density lipoprotein. The hypolipidaemic activity of this drug is mediated through inhibition of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis, increased faecal bile acid excretion and enhanced plasma 1ecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase activity.