Boswellia (Boswellia serrata)
Photo: J.M.Garg · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Digestive
- 4 conditions
- Licensed photo
Overview
Boswellia is a deciduous tree growing to about 49 ft (15 m), characterized by its pale, papery bark, compound leaves, and small clusters of white flowers. The resin, which exudes from the bark and dries to a transparent gold color, has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for arthritis, pulmonary diseases, ringworm, and diarrhea. The key active components are boswellic acids, noted for their marked anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Modern research suggests boswellia can be helpful in osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Traditional uses & properties
Analgesic (Anodyne): Helps relieve pain, particularly joint and muscle discomfort. Anti-inflammatory: Useful for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Expectorant: Traditionally employed to support the respiratory system. Astringent & Antiseptic (when used as a gargle or mouthwash): Soothes inflamed mucous membranes in the mouth and throat.
Traditional preparations
Traditional texts describe the preparations below, and where those texts give specific amounts, the amounts are quoted here as part of that record. This is a record of historical practice, not a dosage recommendation - the figures are what the sources say, not what HerbMate tells you to take. Amounts, potency, and safe use vary enormously by preparation, plant part, and person.
Take capsules of 400-1,000 mg, 3 times daily.
Safety & precautions
No known specific warnings were provided in the text. As with any herb, it is best used under the advice of a qualified practitioner, especially for chronic inflammation or serious conditions.
Drug & food interactions
Some evidence suggests that food may beneficially increase the bioavailability of boswellic acids, but other interaction data are generally lacking. It seems possible that boswellia may interact with conventional drugs by inhibiting P-glycoprotein and/or cytochrome P450 isoenzymes (see Pharmacokinetics, above), but the data are too sparse to make any meaningful predictions.
- Medicine
- No interactions found.
- Food
- Food appears to beneficially increase the bioavailibility of boswellic acids. In a crossover study, 12 healthy subjects, after fasting for 10 hours, were given a single 786-mg dose of dry extract (gum resin) of Boswellia serrata (standardised to 55% boswellic acids) with a high-fat meal. The plasma AUCs of the boswellic acids were increased by between about 1.8- and 5-fold by the high-fat meal, and the maximum plasma levels were increased by up to 6-fold. No serious adverse events were noted
- Conventional drugs
- No interactions found.
These entries keep the wording of the reference they come from, and three phrases mean three different things. "No interactions found" means the source looked for reports of that pairing and found none. "No data found" means nothing has been published either way. "Based on experimental evidence only" means the effect has been seen in a laboratory or animal study but not in people - a reason for caution, not a report of harm.
Habitat
Native to dry, hilly areas of central and northern India, boswellia trees thrive in arid conditions. The gum resin is collected after it drips from cuts made in the bark.
Traditionally used for
- Colitis8 herbs · 2 free
- Arthritis11 herbs · 2 free
- Disk Degeneration3 herbs · 2 free
- Osteoporosis2 herbs
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Frequently asked questions
What is Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) traditionally used for?
Traditional sources describe Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) as follows: Analgesic (Anodyne): Helps relieve pain, particularly joint and muscle discomfort. Anti-inflammatory: Useful for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Expectorant: Traditionally employed to support the respiratory system. Astringent & Antiseptic (when used as a gargle or mouthwash): Soothes inflamed mucous membranes in the mouth and throat.
How is Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) prepared?
Traditional texts describe the preparations below, and where those texts give specific amounts, the amounts are quoted here as part of that record. This is a record of historical practice, not a dosage recommendation - the figures are what the sources say, not what HerbMate tells you to take. Amounts, potency, and safe use vary enormously by preparation, plant part, and person. Arthritis: Take capsules of 400-1,000 mg, 3 times daily.
What safety cautions apply to Boswellia (Boswellia serrata)?
No known specific warnings were provided in the text. As with any herb, it is best used under the advice of a qualified practitioner, especially for chronic inflammation or serious conditions.
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