|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Ayurvedic science updates 3 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Ayurvedic science updates Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Feb-March, 2005 by Virender Sodhi Continued from page 2. Toxicity: Ginger is quite safe in therapeutic doses. In experimental animals, the doses of 2.5 gram/kg were tolerated without any mortality. However, when the dose was increased to 3-3.5 gram/kg then there was 10-30% mortality. Some individuals taking 6 grams on empty stomach may get gastrointestinal upsets. Also ginger has blood-thinning activities. If you are on blood thinners like coumadin or taking aspirin, you may need to watch the ginger intake and limit it to 2 grams per day. Guggul as powerful anti-inflammatory Guggul is a highly valued botanical in Ayurvedic medicine and is used for a variety of diseases. While the West has made Guggul famous for lowering cholesterol; Ayurvedic medicine has always used this herb for inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, nervous disorders, skin infections, urinary conditions (ex. Cystitis), and gonorrhea. It has also shown tremendous use in amenorrhea, menorrhagia, vaginal infections and endometritis. Guggul has been used in hayfever, laryngitis, bronchitis, and otitis media. An extremely famous Ayurvedic preparation called the "yograj guggul" is used for rheumatic conditions. There is also a special pharmacopoeia of guggul preparations: "triphala guggul," "kachnar guggul" and "chandraprabha vati" just to name few. The guggul extract has shown significant anti-inflammatory actions in experimental models of inflammation. In rat paw edema and induced-adjuvant arthritis, guggul extract showed anti-inflammatory activity equal to phenylbutazone and ibuprofen and one-fifth as compared to hydrocortisone. In chronic inflammation model, it proved to be more effective than hydrocortisone, phenylbutazone and ibuprofen in reducing the severity of secondary lesions. This action is thought to be due to immune modulation and inhibition of delayed hypersensitivity reactions. In autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks its own tissue and makes lots of immune complexes which accumulate around the joint, causing inflammation and choking the blood supply to the joint and eventually leading to degeneration of joint. Guggul extract stops the formation of these immune complexes and stops the hypersensitivity reactions, thereby reducing the inflammation. In a recent study done in Southern California, 30 male and female participants with osteoarthritis were treated with 500mg of guggul extract three times per day with food. Patients showed significant improvement in the 1-2 month follow ups and overall improvement in mood and pain were noticed as well. No side effects were observed during the trial. I have personally treated several hundred patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and fibromyalgia with great success by using nutritional modification, exercise, yoga, meditation, the Panch karma program, along with herbs such as Guggullip[TM], Boswelya plus[TM] and Trifal[TM]. I have been able to take people off Methotrexate, Enbrel and Prednisone between three to 16 months. Even though the patients show tremendous improvement, they are still advised to stick to their nutritional programs and routines for a lifetime of great health. Doses: Guggul extract 300-500 mg three times per day with food. I usually combine Guggul with other anti-inflammatory herbs like Ashwgandha, Turmeric, Boswellia serrata and Ginger. Side Effects: Some literature has mentioned skin rash with guggul preparations. I have used Guggul-lip[TM] for the last 24 years without a single patient reporting skin rash. I believe it is due to a special carbohydrate in raw guggul and when it is not separated carefully it can cause skin rash. Special patented extraction method helps remove this harmful chemical from raw guggul. Other side effects reported were nausea, headache, eructation and hiccups. I have not seen these reactions in my patients either. Guggul may reduce the bioavailability of the drugs propranolol (Inderal) and diltiazem (Cardizem). This herb has a thyroid stimulating effect and may increase the effects of your thyroid medication. Guggul also inhibits platelet aggregation, which means that people on blood thinners may have to adjust the doses. For more information about Dr. Virender Sodhi and the Ayurvedic Clinic, please visit www.ayurvedicscience.com. For the herbs listed above, please visit www.ayush.com Disclaimer: This article is purely informative and should not replace the guidance of your physician. If you suffer from an illness, you should consult a physician before taking any herbs, vitamins, minerals or enzymes. Even at the peak of health, it is best to consult a qualified practitioner before taking any dietary supplement. References
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
