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Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari

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As stated earlier 3 types of flowers are met with in this taxon. Of these, the functionally female flowers are borne on a separate plant, and have staminodes that apparently look like well developed stamens but they contain only sterile pollen grains. This was determined by acetocarmine and cottonblue-lactophenol tests. The bagged flowers did not produce any fruits. This excludes the possibility of apomixis. As normal fruits are met with in these plants, it is inferred that pollen grains from bisexual or male flowers, present on separate plants are needed for the production of normal fruits.

It is the source of Guggul or Indian Bdellium, a gum-resin that exudes from the branches. It is largely used as an incense, in medicine and perfumery, and as a substitute for African Bdellium. It is also used to adulterate myrrh.

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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
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Flora of Pakistan Vol. 0 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of Pakistan @ eFloras.org
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S. I. Ali & M. Qaiser
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Description

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Shrubs up to 4 m tall; branches aromatic, thorny and knotty with papery bark. Leaves sessile, alternate or fascicled, 1-3-foliolate; leaflets glabrous, the terminal sessile or subsessile, obovate, serrate (sometimes serrate only towards the apex), 1-5 cm long, 0.5-2.5 cm broad, lateral when present sessile, serrate or entire, less than half the size of the terminal leaflet. Plants dimorphic, one having bisexual and male flowers, and the other having female flowers with staminodes. Bisexual and male flowers sessile, 3-5 mm long, usually red, sometimes pinkish white. Bracts 2, opposite, glandular hairy. Calyx fused basally with the disc; tubular or urceolate, 1-2 mm long; lobes usually triangular, valvate, glandular hairy outside. Petals reflexed, acute, 3-5 mm long, c. 1 mm broad. Stamens 8, very rarely 10, 3-5 mm long, free, alternately short and long, included, sometimes equalling the petals. Disc conspicuous, toothed; shorter stamens inserted alternately in deeper sinuses. Ovary 2-loculed with sessile 2-lobed stigma. Fruit up to 1 cm long, red when ripe, marked with 2 white longitudinal lines (or grooves), mucronate; mesocarp yellow, rarely orange, 4 lined and fused at the base; epicarp dehiscing from the base upwards on maturation. In female flowers, sepals 2 mm long, petals 3-4 mm long, 1 mm broad; staminodes 8, alternately short and long, l-1.5 mm long; ovary and fruit the same as in bisexual flowers.
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cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of Pakistan Vol. 0 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of Pakistan @ eFloras.org
editor
S. I. Ali & M. Qaiser
project
eFloras.org
original
visit source
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eFloras

Distribution

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Distribution: W. Pakistan, India.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of Pakistan Vol. 0 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of Pakistan @ eFloras.org
editor
S. I. Ali & M. Qaiser
project
eFloras.org
original
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eFloras

Flower/Fruit

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Fl. Per. December July.
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of Pakistan Vol. 0 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of Pakistan @ eFloras.org
editor
S. I. Ali & M. Qaiser
project
eFloras.org
original
visit source
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eFloras

Commiphora wightii

provided by wikipedia EN

Guggul fruit
Guggul resin

Commiphora wightii, with common names Indian bdellium-tree,[3] gugal,[4] guggul,[3] gugul,[3] or mukul myrrh tree, is a flowering plant in the family Burseraceae, which produces a fragrant resin called gugal, guggul or gugul, that is used in incense and vedic medicine (or ayurveda). The species is native to southern Pakistan and western India. It prefers arid and semi-arid climates and is tolerant of poor soil.[1]

Description

Commiphora wightii grows as a shrub or small tree, reaching a maximum height of 4 m (13 ft), with thin papery bark.[4] The branches are thorny. The leaves are simple or trifoliate, the leaflets ovate, 1–5 cm (0.39–1.97 in) long, 0.5–2.5 cm (0.20–0.98 in) broad, and irregularly toothed. It is gynodioecious, with some plants bearing bisexual and male flowers, and others with female flowers. The individual flowers are red to pink, with four small petals. The small round fruit are red when ripe.

Cultivation and uses

Commiphora wightii is sought for its gummy resin, which is harvested from the plant's bark through the process of tapping. In India and Pakistan, guggul is cultivated commercially. The resin of C. wightii, known as gum guggulu, has a fragrance similar to that of myrrh and is commonly used in incense and perfumes. It is the same product that was known in Hebrew, ancient Greek and Latin sources as bdellium.

Guggul is used in Ayurveda remedies and it is mentioned in Ayurvedic texts dating back to 600 BC.[5] It is often sold as a herbal supplement.

The gum can be purchased in a loosely packed form called dhoop, an incense from India, which is burned over hot coals. This produces a fragrant, dense smoke.[6] It is also sold in the form of incense sticks and dhoop cones which can be burned directly.

Chemical composition

Over a hundred metabolites of various chemical compositions were reported from the leaves, stem, latex, root and fruit samples. High concentrations of quinic acid and myo-inositol were found in fruits and leaves.[7]

Traditional medicinal use

Commiphora wightii has been a key component in ancient Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine.

Chemical structure of guggulsterone, a constituent of gum guggul

The extract of gum guggul, called gugulipid, guggulipid, or guglipid, has been used in Unani and Ayurvedic medicine, for nearly 3,000 years in India.[8][9] One chemical ingredient in the extract is the steroid guggulsterone,[10] which acts as an antagonist of the farnesoid X receptor, once believed to result in decreased cholesterol synthesis in the liver. However, several studies have been published that indicate no overall reduction in total cholesterol occurs using various dosages of guggulsterone and levels of low-density lipoprotein ("bad cholesterol") increased in many people.[11][12]

Endangerment and rescue

'Save Guggul Movement' in Rajasthan, India

Because of its use in traditional medicine, C. wightii has been overharvested, and has become so scarce in its two habitats in India—Gujarat and Rajasthan—that the World Conservation Union (IUCN) has enlisted it in its IUCN Red List of threatened species.[1] Several efforts are in place to address this situation. India's National Medicinal Plants Board launched a project in Kutch District to cultivate 500 to 800 hectares (1,200 to 2,000 acres) of guggal,[13] while a grass-roots conservation movement, led by IUCN associate Vineet Soni, has been started to educate guggal growers and harvesters in safe, sustainable harvesting methods.[14][15]

References

  1. ^ a b c Ved, D.; Saha, D.; Ravikumar, K.; Haridasan, K. (2015). "Commiphora wightii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T31231A50131117. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T31231A50131117.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Tropicos.org". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Commiphora wightii". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  4. ^ a b Sultanul Abedin & S.I. Ali. "Commiphora wightii". Flora of Pakistan. Vol. 26.
  5. ^ "Guggul: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning". Web MD.
  6. ^ "Guggul (Indian Bedellium)".
  7. ^ Bhatia, Anil; Bharti, Santosh K.; Tripathi, Tusha; Mishra, Anuradha; Sidhu, Om P.; Roy, Raja; Nautiyal, Chandra Shekhar (1 February 2015). "Metabolic profiling of Commiphora wightii (guggul) reveals a potential source for pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals". Phytochemistry. 110: 29–36. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.12.016. PMID 25561401.
  8. ^ Indian herb can reduce cholesterol Archived 2008-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, BBC NEWS, 2 May 2002
  9. ^ Mohan, Mohind C.; Abhimannue, Anu P.; Kumar, B.Prakash (January 2019). "Modulation of proinflammatory cytokines and enzymes by polyherbal formulation Guggulutiktaka ghritam". Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 12 (1): 13–19. doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2018.05.007. PMC 8039337. PMID 30638916.
  10. ^ Murray (2012). Joseph E. Pizzorno Jr.; Michael T. (eds.). Textbook of natural medicine (4th ed.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. p. 691. ISBN 9781437723335.
  11. ^ Szapary, PO; Wolfe, ML; Bloedon, LT; Cucchiara, AJ; Dermarderosian, AH; Cirigliano, MD; Rader, DJ (2003). "Guggulipid Ineffective for Lowering Cholesterol". JAMA. 290 (6): 765–772. doi:10.1001/jama.290.6.765. PMID 12915429.
  12. ^ Sahni, S; Hepfinger, CA; Sauer, KA (2005). "Guggulipid Use in Hyperlipidemia". Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 62 (16): 1690–1692. doi:10.2146/ajhp040580. PMID 16085931.
  13. ^ Maheshwari, D V (8 January 2008). "Kutch to house Centre's Rs 8-cr Guggal conservation project". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
  14. ^ Paliwal, Ankur (31 July 2010). "Guggal faces sticky end". Down to Earth: Science and Environment Online. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  15. ^ "Education and Awareness in the 'Save Guggul Movement'". IUCN News. 31 July 2010. Archived from the original on 21 December 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2012.

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Commiphora wightii: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN
Guggul fruit Guggul resin

Commiphora wightii, with common names Indian bdellium-tree, gugal, guggul, gugul, or mukul myrrh tree, is a flowering plant in the family Burseraceae, which produces a fragrant resin called gugal, guggul or gugul, that is used in incense and vedic medicine (or ayurveda). The species is native to southern Pakistan and western India. It prefers arid and semi-arid climates and is tolerant of poor soil.

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Wikipedia authors and editors
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