A guggul-based lipid molecule having a general structure selected from the group consisting of structures III-X and XII: wherein: i) in structure III, R 1 is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl or unsaturated acyl groups having between 1 and 34 carbon atoms; in structure IV, R 1 is a saturated or unsaturated acyl or alkyl groups having between 1 and 34 carbon atoms; ii) in structures III and IV, R 1 is a saturated alkyl or alkyloxy group optionally substituted with amino or substituted amino group; iii) in structure IV, R 1 is a sugar; iv) in structure V, R 1 and R 2 are same or different and at least one of the R 1 or R 2 is a saturated or unsaturated acyl group or alkyl group having between 1 and 34 carbon atoms; v) in structures IV-X, X is hydrogen, methyl, ammonium, sodium, potassium, calcium, barium ion; vi) in structure VI, X and Y are same or different and are hydrogen, methyl, hydrogen, ammonium, sodium, potassium, calcium, barium ion; vii) in structure VIII, R 3, R 4 and R 5 are same or different and are hydrogen or methyl group; X is hydrogen or methyl group; viii) in structure X, PEG (polyethylene glycol) is a long chain, linear or branched synthetic polymer composed of ethylene oxide units, HO(CH 2 CH 2 O) n CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3, where n is between about 1 and about 1000; ix) in structure XII, R 6, R 7, and R 8 are same or different and are selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkyoxy, substituted alkyloxy groups, and are optionally hydroxylated, aminated, or polyaminated such that the composition has an having overall positive charge, and wherein: xi) structures III-X and XII are in the form selected from the group consisting of E -isomer, Z -isomer, or a mixture of E - and Z - isomers. xii) structures III-X and XII are optically pure, or one or more of structures III-X and XII are mixtures of optical isomers; xiii) structure VIII is cationic when X is a methyl group; and xiv) structure XII is cationic. i) in structure III, R 1 is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl or unsaturated acyl groups having between 1 and 34 carbon atoms; in structure IV, R 1 is a saturated or unsaturated acyl or alkyl groups having between 1 and 34 carbon atoms; ii) in structures III and IV, R 1 is a saturated alkyl or alkyloxy group optionally substituted with amino or substituted amino group; iii) in structure IV, R 1 is a sugar; iv) in structure V, R 1 and R 2 are same or different and at least one of the R 1 or R 2 is a saturated or unsaturated acyl group or alkyl group having between 1 and 34 carbon atoms; v) in structures IV-X, X is hydrogen, methyl, ammonium, sodium, potassium, calcium, barium ion; vi) in structure VI, X and Y are same or different and are hydrogen, methyl, hydrogen, ammonium, sodium, potassium, calcium, barium ion; vii) in structure VIII, R 3, R 4 and R 5 are same or different and are hydrogen or methyl group; X is hydrogen or methyl group; viii) in structure X, PEG (polyethylene glycol) is a long chain, linear or branched synthetic polymer composed of ethylene oxide units, HO(CH 2 CH 2 O) n CH 2 CH 2 OCH 3, where n is between about 1 and about 1000; ix) in structure XII, R 6, R 7, and R 8 are same or different and are selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkyoxy, substituted alkyloxy groups, and are optionally hydroxylated, aminated, or polyaminated such that the composition has an having overall positive charge, xi) structures III-X and XII are in the form selected from the group consisting of E -isomer, Z -isomer, or a mixture of E - and Z - isomers. xii) structures III-X and XII are optically pure, or one or more of structures III-X and XII are mixtures of optical isomers; xiii) structure VIII is cationic when X is a methyl group; and xiv) structure XII is cationic.