Common Name: Boswellia
Scientific name: Boswellia serrata
Synonyms: Salai Guggal

Overview:

Boswellia is a family of trees that are found throughout India, the Arabian Peninsula and the east coast of Africa, particularly Somalia. These are medium to large trees from which a gummy oleoresin, called frankincense, is extracted. In all regions where frankeincense is produced, it is used not only as incense in religious ceremonies but in the treatment of diseases.
Boswellia serrata is the tree native to India and has been used for over 2,000 years in traditional Indian medicine, Ayurvedic. In traditional medicine, Boswellia is a valuable aid in treatments:

1. To relieve inflammatory conditions.
2. To ease joint pain.
3. For dysentery
4. For lung ailments especially asthma.
5. For snake bites, ringworm and skin infections.

Benefits

The research that has been done on Boswellia confirms that the resin it produces does have the ability to relieve inflammation and ease the symptoms of asthma.

1. In a review of unpublished studies, preliminary studies found Boswellia effedtive in the relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. A total of 81 people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis were given either Boswellia or a placebo. Both of these studies found that the subjects, who received Boswellia, experienced a significant reduction of the pain and inflammation as compared to the placebo group. These tests were conducted over a 3 month period. Another study of 60 people over a.six month period showed that Boswellia produced benefits similar to oral gold treatment
2. Boswellia was also shown to be effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis. In a double blind study of 30 people with arthritis of the knee, Boswellia was compared to a placebo. This was conducted over an 8 week period. The two groups switched, the placebo group got Boswellia while those who had received the Boswellia got the placebo. The researchers found that when taking the Boswellia, the subjects experienced a significant improvement in knee pain and mobility as well as walking distance when compared to the placebo. In fact Boswellia worked as well as NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) in relieving the pain and stiffness that accompanies arthritis with out the gastro-intestinal upset so often caused by these anti-inflammatory medications.
3. A six week, double-blind, placebo controlled study of 80 people with mild asthma showed that a 300mg dose of Boswellia, three times a day reduced the frequency of asthma attacks and improved breathing capacity. This was because the active ingredients in Boswellia prevented the blood vessels from contracting.
4. Boswellia is also showing promise in the treatment of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). In an 8 week, double blind, placebo study of 102 people suffering from Crohn’s disease, Boswellia was compared to the drug mesalazine. Those taking the Boswellia fared as well as those taken the medication with little or no side effects.
5. Extracts of boswellia are being as an aid to standard care for malignant glioma (a type of incurable brain tumor). Use of boswellia appears to decrease symptoms, probably by decreasing inflammation in the brain (as well as through other mechanisms.) However, these studies are not conclusive and should not be substituted for standard medical care.

Recommended Dosage:

1. A typical dose of Boswellia is 300-400mg 3 times a day. Doses as high as 1200mg have been well tolerated.
2. The only side effects from taking Boswellia are gastro-intestinal upsets and rarely a skin rash.
3. Boswellia has not been evaluated in women who are pregnant or nursing, children and those who suffer from liver or kidney disease and should not be taken by these individuals except under the care of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

Contra-indications

None reported.

Drug interactions

None reported

Web References

1. http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/herbaldrugs/100400.shtml
2. http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetContent.aspx?token=e0498803-7f62-4563-8d47-5fe33da65dd4&chunkiid=21617

1. Gupta I, Parihar A, Malhotra P, et al. Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with ulcerative colitis. Eur J Med Res. 1997;2:37–43.
2. Etzel R. Special extract of Boswellia serrata (H 15) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Phytomedicine. 1996;3:91–94.
   
3. Sander O, Herborn G, Rau R. Is H15 (resin extract of Boswellia serrata, "incense") a useful supplement to established drug therapy of chronic polyarthritis? Results of a double-blind pilot study [in German, English abstract]. Z Rheumatol. 1998;57:11–16.
4. Gupta I, Gupta V, Parihar A, et al. Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with bronchial asthma: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week clinical study. Eur J Med Res. 1998;3:511–514.
5. Safayhi H, Sailer ER, Ammon HPT. 5-lipoxygenase inhibition by acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) by a novel mechanism. Phytomedicine. 1996;3:71-72.
6. Singh GB, Atal CK. Pharmacology of an extract of salai guggal ex-Boswellia serrata, a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. Agents Actions. 1986;18:407-412.
7. Wildfeuer A, Neu IS, Safayhi H, et al. Effects of boswellic acids extracted from a herbal medicine on the biosynthesis of leukotrienes and the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Arzneimittelforschung. 1998;48:668-674.
8. Safayhi H, Boden SE, Schweizer S, et al. Concentration-dependent potentiating and inhibitory effects of Boswellia extracts on 5-lipoxygenase product formation in stimulated PMNL. Planta Med. 2000;66:110-113.
9. Janssen G, Bode U, Breu H, et al. Boswellic acids in the palliative therapy of children with progressive or relapsed brain tumors. Klin Padiatr. 2000;212:189-195.
10. Winking M, Sarikaya S, Rahmanian A, et al. Boswellic acids inhibit glioma growth: a new treatment option? J Neurooncol. 2000;46:97-103.
11. Glaser T, Winter S, Groscurth P, et al. Boswellic acids and malignant glioma: induction of apoptosis but no modulation of drug sensitivity. Br J Cancer. 1999;80:756-765.
12. Gerhardt H, Seifert F, Buvari P, Vogelsang H, et al. Therapy of active Crohn disease with Boswellia serrata extract H 15. Z Gastroenterol. 2001;39:11-17.
13. Kimmatkar N, Thawani V, Hingorani L, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee—a randomized double blind, placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2003;10:3–7.