Buy Boswellia Serrata
Boswellia serrata, commonly called Indian frankincense, is a tree native tothe mountainous regions of the Middle East. As its common name suggests, itis related to the tree that yields frankincense. As with its botanicalcousin, its trunk is slashed to permit the flow of a resinous gum, which isalso known as guggulu and locally called shallaki (Sanskrit). Aftercollection, the resin is cured in specialized bamboo baskets before beingbroken in to pieces and graded according to color and shape. Boswelliaserrata has a very pleasant, exotic scent when burned as incense alone or incombination with other resins.
buy boswellia serrata
descriptionBoswellia serrata is a moderate to large sized branching tree of familyBurseraceae. It is a moderate-sized to large, deciduous tree with a light,spreading crown and somewhat drooping branches. It usually has a short bole,3-5 m in height, sometimes can be more taller, if grown in a fully stockedforest. Ordinarily, it attains a girth of 1.2-1.8 m and a height of 9-15 m.Bark is very thin, grayish-green, ashy or reddish in color with achlorophyll layer beneath the thin outer layer, which peels off in thin,papery flakes.
common names & nomenclatureThe generic name Boswellia is given after Dr. James Boswell of EdinberghBotanical Garden and friend of William Roxburgh, Director of IndianBotanical Garden, Calcutta. The specific name, serrata, comes from serra (asaw) referring to the toothed leaf margins.
growingThe seeds should be soaked in water before they are sown, to separate outthe sterile pyrenes, which float on the surface. Seed germination takesbetween 7 and 15 days. Boswellia serrata can survive and sprout from largebranch or stem cuttings.
Boswellia serrata is a moderate-sized deciduous tree that is found in thedry, mountainous areas of central India. Because there are many differentspecies of frankincense (Boswellia spp.), B. serrata is more preciselyreferred to as Indian frankincense. Used alone and without precision, the word frankincense usuallyrefers to B. carterii, which is found in southern arabia.
Boswellia also called Indian Frankincense is an extract of the gummy oleoresin derived from beneath the bark of the Boswellia serrata tree, which is native to India, the Middle East and Northern Africa. The resin is rich in triterpenic acids and has been used for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammatory conditions. More recently, Boswellia serrata extracts have been marketed as helpful in arthritis, colitis and asthma. Extracts of Boswellia serrata have not been linked to serum aminotransferase elevations during treatment or to instances of clinically apparent acute liver injury.
Boswellia serrata is a moderate sized deciduous tree that is native to India, the Middle East and Northern Africa. Stripping off the paper-thin bark of Boswellia trees reveals a gummy oleoresin, extracts of which have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for their antiinflammatory, antiseptic, astringent and stimulant activity to treat inflammatory conditions and gastrointestinal complaints. Boswellia extract is also used as a perfume and aroma (frankincense). Boswellia extract contains essential oils, terpenoids, sugars and volatile oils and prominently several pentacyclic triterpene acids such as beta boswellic acid. In vitro boswellic acid inhibits the synthesis of 5-lipooxygenase and decreases production of downstream pro-inflammatory mediators. Boswellia serrata extracts have been reported to be effective in alleviating symptoms of asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and osteoarthritis, although the magnitude of these effects is not clear and Boswellia has not been approved for these uses in the United States. Boswellia serrata extracts are available over-the-counter in varying concentrations, the usual recommended dose being 250 to 500 mg two or three times daily. Boswellia serrata is also found in many multiingredient products advertised for joint health and gastrointestinal complaints. Side effects are few and largely mild and transient gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea, diarrhea or constipation. In most controlled studies, adverse events were no more frequent with Boswellia extracts than with placebo.
Boswellia serrata extract has not been linked to serum enzyme elevations during therapy, although there have been few prospective studies in humans that have reported on its effects on laboratory test results in any detail. In small trials, Boswellia extracts have appeared to be well tolerated with only minor and few adverse effects which have been similar in frequency among persons receiving placebo. Despite wide scale use as an herbal supplement, Boswellia extract has not been convincingly linked to published instances of clinically apparent liver injury. Boswellia is often included in multi-ingredient dietary supplements some of which have been implicated in liver injury, but a specific contribution from Boswellia to the injury could not be established. The frequency of hypersensitivity reactions to Boswellia is also not known.
Singh et al.[49] studied the antiinflammatory activity of mixture of boswellic acids and observed 25-46% inhibition of paw oedema in rats and mice. They have also reported that in chronic test of formaldehyde arthritis it exhibited 45-67% anti-arthritic activity in a similar dose range. The fraction was effective in both adjuvant arthritis (35-59%) as well as established arthritis (54-84%). It also showed antipyretic effect, with no ulcerogenic effect. Kulkarni et al. and Chopra et al. have reported clinical trials of Boswellia's antiinflammatory properties in combination with Withania somnifera, Zingiber officinate and Curcuma longa and the isolated effects of Boswellia on rheumatoid arthritis could not be revealed[50,51]. However, the clinical trials of gum-resin of Boswellia alone have shown to improve symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis[52,53]. The boswellic acid from Boswellia serrata, when tested on new model i.e. Papaya Latex Model, showed significant activity of mean 35% inhibition of inflammation. Since the new model is reported to be sensitive to slowly acting remission-inducing drugs, its effectiveness on boswellic acid throws some light on its mechanism of action, which seems to be unlike aspirin and steroidal drugs[54]. Poeckel and Werz in 2006 have summarized the biological actions of boswellic acids on the cellular and molecular level and attempted to put the data into the perspectives of the beneficial effects manifested in animal studies and trials with human subjects related to inflammation and cancer[55]. Sharma et al.[56] have reported the effect of boswellic acids on bovine serum albumin (BSA)-induced arthritis in rabbits.
Gayathri et al.[57] in 2007 have reported that pure compound from Boswellia serrata extract exhibits antiinflammatory property in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and mouse macrophages through inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), NO and mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinases. Incensole acetate, a novel antiinflammatory compound isolated from Boswellia resin inhibits nuclear factor-kappa B activation[58]. Boswellic acids are direct 5-LO inhibitors that efficiently suppress 5-LO product synthesis in common in vitro test models. However, the pharmacological relevance of such interference in vivo seems questionable[59]. Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid inhibits prostate tumor growth by suppressing vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2- mediated angiogenesis[60].
Boswellin, a registered trademark by Sabinsa Corporation, introduced to the US and European markets in 1991. This is available in capsules or tablets, and also in a soothing pain relieving cream containing capsaicin. Products containing boswellic acids range from 150-250 mgs/capsules or tablets, and are taken orally two to three times a day. Shallaki, contains 125 mg Boswellia serrata in each capsule manufactured by Himalayan Drug Company, Makali, Bangalore, as Licensed User of the Trade Mark owned by MMI Corporation, has excellent antiinflammatory and analgesic properties, useful in relieving joint-pains. 60 capsule costs Rs. 75/- and the dose is 1 capsule twice daily (Batch No. F297001G). The website of the company is www.himalayahealthcare.com.
Holtmeier W, Zeuzem S, Preiss J, et al. Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of Boswellia serrata in maintaining remission of Crohn's disease: good safety profile but lack of efficacy. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2011;17(2):573-582. doi:10.1002/ibd.21345
Eshaghian R, Mazaheri M, Ghanadian M, Rouholamin S, Feizi A, Babaeian M. The effect of frankincense (Boswellia serrata, oleoresin) and ginger (Zingiber officinale, rhizoma) on heavy menstrual bleeding: A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Complement Ther Med. 2019;42:42-47. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2018.09.022.
Roe AL, Wilcox R, Price JM, et al. An evaluation of potential inhibition of CYP3A4/5 and CYP2C9 enzymatic activity by Boswellia serrata extract. Applied In Vitro Toxicology. 2019; 5(1) doi.org/10.1089/aivt.2018.0023
Scientific research is beginning to support the benefits of boswellia, but most studies to date have used cell or animal models. Scientists do not know the effects of this substance in humans, so many more clinical trials with humans are necessary before doctors can recommend this treatment.
Natural health practices have used boswellia for centuries to treat various chronic inflammatory disorders. The scientific research on boswellia is less developed, but it is beginning to unveil potential uses for the resin and its extracts.
In this animal model, the anti-inflammatory effect of boswellia was less significant than that of a standard prescription medication called indomethacin. However, the researchers noted that the extract might be useful as a complementary therapy to support traditional RA treatment.
A recent study in the journal Oncotarget also found that the essential oil from boswellia impaired aggressive skin cancer cells without harming healthy skin cells. However, the researchers used cells and animal models. 041b061a72