Boswellia (Boswellia serrata)
Boswellia serrata is a tree prevalent in India, the Middle East and North Africa. The gummy resin obtained by peeling away the bark is commonly known as frankincense or olibanum. Also known as Indian frankincense, Boswellia is used widely in Ayurveda to treat arthritis, ulcerative colitis, coughs, sores, snakebites, and asthma. The major component is boswellic acid, which was shown in animal studies to be a potent 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor with anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic effects and cytotoxic (cancer cell killing) properties. It has also been shown to prevent the development of intestinal tumors in mouse models. Essential oil of boswellia also has antimicrobial activities. Data from clinical trials indicate effectiveness of boswellia for bronchial asthma, ulcerative colitis and osteoarthritis and muscular pain. Boswellia has also been investigated for its role in maintenance of Crohn’s disease remission.
Preliminary findings suggest boswellia’s effectiveness in reducing cerebral edema in patients with brain tumors following radiotherapy. Also, a boswellia-based cream was found to be effective in preventing skin damage due to radiotherapy in breast cancer patients.
Mechanisms of action: (This section is a bit technical, but provides an insight to the degree of understanding of this botanical)
Boswellic acid, the major constituent of boswellia, is thought to contribute to most of the herb’s pharmacological activities. In vitro and animal studies show that boswellic acid is anti-inflammatory by inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase-1 (COX). It also inhibits the signaling pathways of the transcription factor, nuclear factor (NF-KappaB), in macrophages in mouse model of psoriasis, markedly decreasing the production of the pro-inflammatory key cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha).
Research on the cytotoxic effects of boswellic acid indicates that it induces p21 expression through a p53-independent pathway and causes apoptosis (programmed cell death) in glioma and leukemia cell lines. In addition, a Boswellia extract induced apoptosis in a cervical cancer cell line by inducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress; other apoptotic mechanisms exhibited by Boswellia are via early generation of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species that up-regulate time-dependent expression of p53/p21/PUMA, and by inhibiting microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) and decreasing the prostaglandin (PGE2) level and its downstream targets.
A semisynthetic analog of boswellic acid, 3-alpha-Butyryloxy-beta-boswellic acid, demonstrated significant growth inhibition in Ehrlich Ascitic Tumour (EAT), Ehrlich Ascitic Carcinoma (EAC) and Sarcoma- 180 tumour models, via down-regulation of NF-KappaB and by induction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. In other studies, acetyl-boswellic acids were shown to inhibit topoisomerases by competing with DNA for binding sites. Whereas acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) was found to inhibit human prostate tumor growth via inhibition of angiogenesis induced by VEGFR2 signaling pathways.
In vitro studies show gum resin extracts of Boswellia have antiplatelet effect by inhibiting clotting factors Xa and XIa.
Dosage
A typical dose of boswellia is 300 to 400 mg 3 times a day of an extract standardized to contain 37.5% boswellic acids. Some studies have used dosages as high as 1,200 mg 3 times daily.
Safety
In clinical trials of pharmaceutical grade standardized boswellia extract, no serious side effects have been reported. Crude herb preparations, however, may not be as safe as the specially manufactured extract. Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or individuals with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established. Do not use boswellia if you are using using anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet drugs, as boswellia may increase risk of bleeding when used with these drugs.