Boswellia serrata

In Ayurvedic medicine, potent Boswellia serrata is used as an anti-arthritic, astringent, stimulant, expectorant and antiseptic.

- Dr Karen Bridgman

Boswellia serrata is a reasonably large tree (3-4m) that is native to India, North Africa and the Middle East. The gum of the tree (and the part used medicinally) is the Frankincense of Biblical fame. There are more than 20 different species of Boswellia - all with slightly different medicinal components, but frankincense can be extracted from any of the species.

Parts used

The oleoresin, a gum found when the bark is peeled away.

Active ingredients

Essential oils (16 per cent) containing alpha-thujene and p-cymene, along with sugars, flavonoids such as quercetin and terpenoids, including four pentacyclic triterpene acids, with boswellic acid being a main constituent.

Therapeutic uses

Anti-inflammatory: Boswellic acids are powerful antiinflammatory compounds, blocking the synthesis of the 5-Lipoxygenase products (leukotrienes), which are responsible for bronchoconstriction, chemotaxis and increased vascular permeability. Known as one of the most powerful plant antiinflammatories, Boswellia inhibits multiple inflammatory pathways including both the COX-1 and the COX-2 pathways, the complement pathways of inflammation, NFKB (a pivotal mediator of the inflammatory response regulating multiple aspects of the innate and adaptive immune response) and downregulates TNF and other inflammatory cytokines.