Herbs & Supplements:
Boswellia
Boswellia serrata
Alternate Names
•
Frankincense
Principal Proposed Uses
•
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Asthma
Other Proposed Uses
•
Osteoarthritis, Tendinitis, Bursitis, Ulcerative Colitis
The gummy resin of the boswellia tree has a long history of use in Indian herbal medicine as a treatment for arthritis, bursitis, respiratory diseases, and diarrhea.
What Is Boswellia Used for Today?
Boswellia is most often recommended as a treatment for bursitis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and tendinitis, based on the recent work of Indian scientists. Of these possible uses, only rheumatoid arthritis has any scientific evidence behind it, and it is contradictory.
More recently, a small double-blind study suggested that boswellia might be helpful for asthma.
Finally, a highly preliminary study suggests that boswellia may also be helpful for ulcerative colitis.1
What Is the Scientific Evidence for Boswellia?
Rheumatoid Arthritis
According to a recent review of unpublished studies, preliminary double-blind trials have found boswellia effective in relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.2 Two placebo-controlled studies, involving a total of 81 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, reportedly found significant reductions in swelling and pain over the course of 3 months. In addition, a comparative study of 60 people over 6 months found that boswellia extract produced symptomatic benefits comparable to oral gold therapy. However, this review was rather sketchy on details.
A more recent double-blind placebo-controlled study that enrolled 78 patients found no benefit.3 However, about half of the patients dropped out, which seriously diminishes the significance of the results.
Asthma
A 6-week double-blind placebo-controlled study of 80 individuals with relatively mild asthma found that treatment with boswellia at a dose of 300 mg 3 times daily reduced the frequency of asthma attacks and improved objective measurements of breathing capacity.4
Dosage
A typical dose of boswellia is 400 mg 3 times a day of an extract standardized to contain 37.5% boswellic acids. The full effect may take 4 to 8 weeks to develop.
Safety Issues
Although comprehensive safety testing has not been completed, boswellia appears to be reasonably safe when used as directed. Reported side effects are rare and consist primarily of occasional allergic reactions or mild gastrointestinal distress. Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.
View References
Last reviewed March 2002 by Medical Review Board
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