title: Conceptual and methodologic challenges of assessing the short-term efficacy of Guggulu in obesity: data emergent from a naturalistic clinical trial.
abstract: An open comparative trial was conducted in 58 adult obese patients (Body Mass Index > or = 25 kg/square metre). Group I (n = 27), non-drug, was advised diet (1200-1600 cals) and a brisk walk for 30 minutes. Group II, in addition, received Guggulu (Medohar) 1.5-3 gms/day for 30 days. Mean difference in weight loss between Guggulu and non-drug group was 0.32 kg (ns) on day 15 and 0.58 kg on day 30 (ns). The mean weight reduction in patients (> 90 kgs) was 1.92 kg (ns) and 2.25 kg (ns) higher in Guggulu group. All patients weighing > 90 kg lost weight in Guggulu group whilst 3 in non-drug group did not lose weight. Guggulu was tolerated well. The data from this pilot study suggest a synergistic diet-Guggulu interaction over 30 days in patients weighing > 90 kgs which needs to be confirmed in a large placebo controlled study.
authors.affiliation: Swami Prakashananda Ayurveda Research Centre, Juhu, Bombay.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bhatt
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Dalal
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Gajjar
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vaidya
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Vaidya
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Antarkar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts