Guggulutiktakam Ghritam
Guggulutiktakam Ghritam is a classical Ayurvedic ghrita, a medicated ghee. Indexed in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) as drug used in treatment of Sandhigata Vata (osteoarthritis), Vatarakta (gout), and Asthigata Vata (osteoporosis); listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI). The Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Part I, entry 6:27) lists 33 ingredients, beginning with Nimba tvak, Amrta, Vrsa and Patola.
| Also known as | Guggulutiktakam Ghritam, GuggulutiktakamGhritam |
|---|---|
| Pharmacopoeia status | Indexed in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) as drug used in treatment of Sandhigata Vata (osteoarthritis), Vatarakta (gout), and Asthigata Vata (osteoporosis); listed in Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI) |
Composition
As given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 6:27 (PANCATIKTAGUGGULU GHRTA (Synonym : Nimbadi ghrta)), which cites Astangahrdaya, Cikitsasthana, Adhyaya 21; 57-58 14.. Names, parts and quantities are transcribed as printed and checked row by row against the book. Manufacturers' versions of a classical formulation can differ from the formulary.
| # | Ingredient | Part | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nimba tvak (nimba) | stem bark | 480 g |
| 2 | Amrta (guduci) * | stem | 480 g |
| 3 | Vrsa (vasa) | root | 480 g |
| 4 | Patola | Lf./Pl. | 480 g |
| 5 | Nidigdhika (kantkari) * | whole plant | 480 g |
| 6 | Water for decoction * | 12.288 l, reduced to 1.536 l | |
| 7 | Ghrta (goghrta) | 768 g | |
| 8 | Patha * | root | 12 g |
| 9 | Vidanga * | fruit | 12 g |
| 10 | Suradaru (deva daru) * | heart wood | 12 g |
| 11 | Gajopakulya (gajapippali) * | fruit | 12 g |
| 12 | Yava ksara (yava) * | 12 g | |
| 13 | Sarji ksara (svarjiksara) | 12 g | |
| 14 | Nagara (sunthi) | rhizome | 12 g |
| 15 | Nisa (haridra) | rhizome | 12 g |
| 16 | Misi (misreya) | fruit | 12 g |
| 17 | Cavya | stem | 12 g |
| 18 | Kustha * | root | 12 g |
| 19 | Tejovati | fruit | 12 g |
| 20 | Marica | fruit | 12 g |
| 21 | Vatsaka (kutaja) | stem bark | 12 g |
| 22 | Dipyaka (yavani) * | fruit | 12 g |
| 23 | Agni (citraka) * | root | 12 g |
| 24 | Rohini (katuka) | Rz./Rt. | 12 g |
| 25 | Aruskara-Suddha (bhallataka) * | fruit | 12 g |
| 26 | Vaca | rhizome | 12 g |
| 27 | Kanamula (pippali) | root | 12 g |
| 28 | Yukta (rasna) | Rt./Lf. | 12 g |
| 29 | Manjistha * | root | 12 g |
| 30 | Ativisa * | root tuber | 12 g |
| 31 | Visani (ativisa bheda) | root | 12 g |
| 32 | Yavani * | fruit | 12 g |
| 33 | Guggulu-suddha | exudate | 240 g |
* The scanned text was damaged at this row and the name was read from the entry's own Sanskrit verse.
The Formulary gives the dose as 12 g, with anupana, the vehicle it is taken with, of milk, warm water. This is what the Formulary records for the classical preparation. It is not a dose for any product, and not advice to take anything.
The evidence at a glance
1paper on this site for this drug, every one with a DOI.
- 1Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people.true See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Guggulutiktakam Ghritam |
Where is it described in the classical texts?
Ashtanga Hridayam (written circa 750 CE by Vagbhata); also known as Pancatikta Guggulu Ghrita or Nimbadi Ghrita in various classical texts
How does it work?
- Guggulsterones from Guggulu provide potent anti-inflammatory action by modulating NF-kB and COX-2 pathways in bone and joint tissues
- Panchatikta (five bitter herbs) synergistically reduce Pitta-mediated inflammation in skin and connective tissue
- Guduchi (berberine alkaloids) is reported to have immunomodulatory activity
- Lipid-based ghee medium enhances bioavailability of guggulsterones and other lipophilic active compounds
Which traditional uses are supported by research?
These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.
- Asthigata Vata (bone diseases/osteoporosis): traditionally used for this condition. Clinical studies in osteoarthritis (Sandhigata Vata), a different condition, have reported reduced pain and improved mobility.
- Bhagandara (fistula-in-ano): traditionally used for this condition.
- Kushta (chronic skin diseases): traditionally used for this condition. Pharmacological studies have reported anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial actions of its ingredients.
- Vatarakta (gout): traditionally used for this condition. Experimental studies have reported anti-hyperuricemic and anti-inflammatory effects of Guggulu.
What do recent studies show?
- Sheik SM, Bakthavatchalam P, Shenoy RP and others 2022. Anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-inflammatory effect of the drug Guggulutiktaka ghrita on high-fat diet-induced obese rats. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 35759880 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100583
Guggulutiktaka Ghrita demonstrated significant anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-inflammatory effects in high-fat diet-induced obese rats, modulating proinflammatory cytokines
Only studies that could be traced to a published paper are listed here. Classical formulations are researched largely in journals that PubMed does not index, so an absence here reflects the reach of the index rather than the state of the evidence.
Recent safety updates
- Caution in patients with thyroid disorders as Guggulu may affect thyroid function; monitor thyroid levels during prolonged use
- Ghee base requires monitoring in patients with hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular conditions
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Ghrita (medicated ghee), Soft gelatin capsules (modern)
Standard Dosage: 12 g (1-2 teaspoons) twice daily on empty stomach, as given in the Ayurvedic Formulary of India, Part I, entry 6:27. The formulary’s anupana: milk, warm water. The formulary attributes this formula to Astangahrdaya, Cikitsasthana, Adhyaya 21; 57-58 14.
Optimal Timing: On empty stomach, morning and evening. Traditionally used for Vatarakta (gouty arthritis), Kushtha (skin diseases), and Asthi-Sandhi Vikara (bone/joint disorders).
Storage: Store in airtight glass or tin containers in a cool, dry place. Temperature not exceeding 25°C. Protect from light and moisture.
Marker Compounds: Z-Guggulsterone, E-Guggulsterone, Azadirachtin, Nimbin (from Nimba), Berberine (from Guduchi), Gallic acid, Piperine
Vehicle (Anupana): Warm water or warm milk
Synergistic Combinations
- Kaishore Guggulu
- Triphala Guggulu
- Panchatikta Ghrita Guggulu
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Laboratory and animal studies1
- 2022. Anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-inflammatory effect of the drug Guggulutiktaka ghrita on high-fat diet-induced obese ratsJournal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine. PMID 35759880 · doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100583
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.