General Description
Boswellia (also known as dhup) is a moderate-sized branching tree,
reaching roughly four meters in height and one meter in girth, found
in dry hilly areas throughout much of India, Northern Africa, and
the Middle East. The tree produces a gummy resin, similar to frankinsense,
which is used medicinally. The resin is normally harvested late
in October, when 15 to 20 centimeter wide portions of the bark are
peeled away and the gum exuded from the exposed surface is collected
for the following 10 to 12 days.
Health Applications
- Anti-inflammatory
- Arthritis
- Bronchial asthma
- Ulcerative colitis
History and Traditional Use
The resin produced by boswellia has been used medicinally in India's
ancient Ayurvedic system for several centuries. Medical texts more
than 1,500 years old note its use for antiinflammatory and antiarthritic
applications.1 Chemical
Composition
The resin from boswellia contains terpenoids, essential oils,
and gum.2 The triterpenoid compounds known as boswellic
acids are believed to be the primary active compounds. 3,4
Contemporary
Use
In keeping with its traditional applications, modern use of boswellia
has focused on the herb's antiiflammatory potential. Compounds
in boswellia resin have demonstrated antiinflammatory properties
in several in vitro and animal studies, 4-7 suggesting
potential for the treatment of arthritis and other inflammatory
conditions. Preliminary studies using human subjects indicate
that boswellia resin may be useful in the treatment of bronchial
asthma8 and ulcerative colitis;9 however,
one small study found boswellia extract to be no more effective
than placebo in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.10
Further studies are needed to determine boswellia's therapeutic
potential as an antiinflammatory agent.
Dosage/Toxicity
Studies conducted on human subjects have used doses ranging from
900 to 3,600 mg of boswellia resin per day.8-10 Boswellia
has no known side effects and appears to be safe at this dosage
range. For consistent potency, some herbalists recommend using
standardized extracts at doses providing 150 mg of boswellic acid
per day.3 |
