Boswellia

Better Nutrition, July, 2005 by Amber D. Ackerson

AKA: Indian frankincense, Boswellin or Boswellia serrata

BIRTHPLACE: A tree--it's the gum resin from the bark of Salai guggal

WHAT IT DOES BEST: Works as an anti-inflammatory against osteoarthritis

THE BACKGROUND: Ancient Hindu physicians used boswellia for centuries to help treat their patients for a wide range of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma, bursitis, ulcerative colitis, pulmonary disease, ringworm, diarrhea and dysentery.

RECENT FINDINGS:

* Boswellia serrata extract (BSE) may significantly reduce pain and swelling, and enhance joint flexibility in people with osteoarthritis of the knee, accoMing to a 2003 study reported in Phytomedicine.

* BSE is best absorbed when taken with foods containing fat, according to a 2004 study in Planta Medica.

* BSE is considered safe and effective for osteoarthritis in dogs, according to German veterinary studies published in a 2004 issue of the journal Schweizer Archiv fur Tierheilkunde.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: They're rare but include rashes, diarrhea and nausea.

ARE THERE ANY DRUG INTERACTIONS? None are known.

IS IT SAFE TO TAKE WHILE PREGNANT? This has not been established yet.

WHAT'S THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT? Boswellic acids (BAs), which help inhibit the chemical agents that cause inflammation.

WHICH TYPE AND HOW MUCH? For rub-ons, follow directions. BSE supplements are available in a range of concentrations (37.5-65 percent BAs). For a standardized product with 37.5 percent BAs, it's reasonable to take 400 mg three times daily with food or beverages that contain some fat.