Boswellia

Botanical Name: Boswellia Carteri

Common Name: Frankincense

Boswellia, Good For Your Joints

Even people who are in good physical condition can suffer joint pain, and many adults wind up with rheumtoid arthritis. Often, these people wind up using over the counter or prescription anti-inflammatory drugs. But there is an alternative, and that is boswellia.

Boswellia refers to the resin of various species of Boswellia, which are shrubs and small trees native to the Red Sea region , northeastern Africa, and the mountains of central India. The gummy resin of the boswellia tree has a long history of internal use in Indian herbal medicine as a treatment for arthritis, bursitis, nervous diseases, urinary disorders, and diarrhea. Externally the gum and its oil preparations are used for ulcerations and sores.

The aromatic resin from boswellia, frankincense, was once highly prized from Rome to India, and considered essential for a host of uses ranging from religious to cosmetic to medicinal. Ancient caravan routes, including the Silk Road, evolved to transport the priceless resins from areas where the trees grew, to the markets where kings and emperors vied for the finest grades.

Large scale exploitation of frankincense began in Oman approximately 8000 years ago. Frankincense was used by the Egyptians for embalming, and for cosmetic purposes. In 1400 BC, Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt sent a plant-collecting expedition to the eastern coast of Africa. Among the botanical prizes garnered were 31 boswellia trees that were subsequently planted at the Temple Of Karnak along the Nile.

Medical investigations into boswellia show that the gum is beneficial in cases of rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and ulcerative colitis. According to a review of unpublished studies, preliminary double-blind trials have found boswellia effective in relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Two placebo-controlled studies, involving a total of 81 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, reported significant reductions in swelling and pain over the course of 3 months.

Boswellia gum is painstakingly collected by hand in India, Egypt and Somalia. At the beginning of April, collection begins by making incisions in the bark. The freshly exuded gum initially appears as a milky-white resin. This resin solidifies upon exposure to air, and turns into white to yellow crystals. Boswellia crystals are harvested about two weeks after the gum exudes from the cut bark, are cleaned by hand to remove debris, and are graded according to color and fragrance.

The means by which boswellia works is not fully understood. However, boswellia has been analyzed extensively, due to its traditional medicinal uses, and its use in perfumery and frangrances. Boswellia contains a broad range of phytochemicals in its gum, including a group called the boswellic acids, which are terpenes. These compounds possess anti-inflammatory propertries, which may possibly explain the contemporary and traditional anti-arthritic uses of boswellia. Interestingly, boswellia also contains a number of anti-cancer compounds, though it is not used for cancer inhibition.

Usage Tips

Look for boswellia products standardized to specififed levels on boswellic acids. A typical dose of boswellia is 400 mg 3 times a day of an extract standardized to contain 37.5% boswellic acids.

References

1. Nadkarni, A., Dr. K. M. Nadkarni’s Indian Materia Medicia 3rd ed. (Popular Prakash Pvt. Ltd. Bombay India 1994)211-212

2. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics, 2nd ed., (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1996).

3. Simpson, B., Ogorzaly, M., Economic Botany 3rd ed. (McGraw Hill New York 2001) 259

4. Frankincense, Govt Of Oman

5.Evans, W.C., Trease and Evans’ Pharmacognosy, 13th ed., (Philadelphia, Bailliere Tindall, 1989) 475

6. Bown, Deni. The Herb Society Of America Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses. (1st ed., (New York: Dorling Kindersley,1995) 250

7. Extracting Frankincense Gum In somalia, http://www.aromatrading.co.uk/frankin/

8. Bruneton J. Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. 2nd ed., (Paris: Lavoisier Publishing 1993).

9. Agricultural Research Service, Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/

10. Etzel R. Special extract of Boswellia serrata (H 15) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Phytomedicine.1996;3:91–94.

11. Gupta I, Gupta V, Parihar A, Gupta S, Ludtke R, Safayhi H, Ammon “Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with bronchial asthma: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week clinical study.” HP Eur J Med Res 1998 Nov 17 3:11 511-4

12. Gupta I, Parihar A, Malhotra P, Singh GB, Ludtke R, Safayhi H, Ammon HP “Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with ulcerative colitis.” Eur J Med Res 1997 Jan 2:1 37-43

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