Herb 'does not lower cholesterol'

Guggul has been used for thousands of years in India

Scientists say there is no evidence to support claims that a popular herbal supplement reduces cholesterol.

They have suggested that guggul may actually increase cholesterol rather than lower it.

Guggul extract has been used in traditional Indian medicine for thousands of years.

Besides its supposed impact on cholesterol, there have been claims that it protects against heart disease, stroke, tonsillitis and bronchitis.

Dr Philippe Szapary and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine tested the extract on a group of volunteers.

They divided 103 volunteers into three groups. One group received a standard 1,000mg dose of guggul three times a day for eight weeks.

The second group was given a high dose of 2,000mg of the extract and the third group received a dummy pill.

High cholesterol

The researchers found that levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) increased in both groups taking the extract.

"We found LDL-C increased by 4% in the standard-dose group and 5% in the high dose group," said Dr Szapary.

Our findings do not support the use of guggulipid to control LDL-C in the general population Dr Philippe Szapary

This compares with people taking the dummy pill, who saw their cholesterol levels drop on average by 5% at the end of eight weeks.

The researchers also found that some people who took the supplement developed a rash. This disappeared when they stopped taken it.

They said their findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that guggulipid extract does not lower cholesterol.

"Our findings do not support the use of guggulipid to control LDL-C in the general population," said Dr Szapary.

He said the results highlighted the need for more vigorous testing of health supplements.

"The results do strengthen our belief that dietary supplements need to be studied in a rigorous way to test both their safety and their efficacy."

Other studies have suggested that guggul is effective in reducing cholesterol.

In 1994, researchers in India reported that 50mg of guggulipid twice daily for 24 weeks cut cholesterol levels by almost 12%.

Earlier this year, a study by researchers in the United States found that the herb can help people with osteoporosis.

They suggested it can reduce pain, stiffness, and help people with the condition to walk more easily.