Boswellia serrata, a potential antiinflammatory agent: an overview
- PMID: 22457547
- PMCID: PMC3309643
- DOI: 10.4103/0250-474X.93507
Boswellia serrata, a potential antiinflammatory agent: an overview
Abstract
The resin of Boswellia species has been used as incense in religious and cultural ceremonies and in medicines since time immemorial. Boswellia serrata (Salai/Salai guggul), is a moderate to large sized branching tree of family Burseraceae (Genus Boswellia), grows in dry mountainous regions of India, Northern Africa and Middle East. Oleo gum-resin is tapped from the incision made on the trunk of the tree and is then stored in specially made bamboo basket for removal of oil content and getting the resin solidified. After processing, the gum-resin is then graded according to its flavour, colour, shape and size. In India, the States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are the main source of Boswellia serrata. Regionally, it is also known by different names. The oleo gum-resins contain 30-60% resin, 5-10% essential oils, which are soluble in the organic solvents, and the rest is made up of polysaccharides. Gum-resin extracts of Boswellia serrata have been traditionally used in folk medicine for centuries to treat various chronic inflammatory diseases. The resinous part of Boswellia serrata possesses monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, tetracyclic triterpenic acids and four major pentacyclic triterpenic acids i.e. β-boswellic acid, acetyl-β-boswellic acid, 11-keto-β-boswellic acid and acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid, responsible for inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes. Out of these four boswellic acids, acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid is the most potent inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase, an enzyme responsible for inflammation.
Keywords: Agent; Boswellia serrata; Salai/Salai guggul; antiinflammatory; frankincense; olibanum; potential.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Component Composition and Biological Activity of Oleo-Gum Resin from Boswellia serrata (Burseraceae).Dokl Biol Sci. 2023 Oct;512(1):336-342. doi: 10.1134/S0012496623700643. Epub 2023 Dec 12. Dokl Biol Sci. 2023. PMID: 38087024
-
Sustainable supply, a foundation for natural product development: The case of Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Colebr.).J Ethnopharmacol. 2018 Oct 28;225:279-286. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.07.017. Epub 2018 Jul 18. J Ethnopharmacol. 2018. PMID: 30031142 Review.
-
Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-cancer Investigation of Boswellia serrata Bioactive Constituents In Vitro.Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2015;16(16):7179-88. doi: 10.7314/apjcp.2015.16.16.7179. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2015. PMID: 26514509
-
Pharmacological evidences for cytotoxic and antitumor properties of Boswellic acids from Boswellia serrata.J Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Sep 15;191:315-323. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2016.06.053. Epub 2016 Jun 21. J Ethnopharmacol. 2016. PMID: 27346540 Review.
-
Simultaneous quantification of triterpenoic acids by high performance liquid chromatography method in the extracts of gum resin of Boswellia serrata obtained by different extraction techniques.Chem Cent J. 2016 Aug 4;10:49. doi: 10.1186/s13065-016-0194-8. eCollection 2016. Chem Cent J. 2016. PMID: 27493682 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
Appraisal terpenoids rich Boswellia carterri ethyl acetate extract in binary cyclodextrin oligomer nano complex for improving respiratory distress.Sci Rep. 2024 Jul 22;14(1):16779. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-66297-2. Sci Rep. 2024. PMID: 39039094
-
Boswellia serrata Enhances Passive Range-of-Motion Exercises in Radiation-Induced Trismus: A Case Report.Cureus. 2024 Apr 14;16(4):e58234. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58234. eCollection 2024 Apr. Cureus. 2024. PMID: 38745799 Free PMC article.
-
Frankincense (Boswellia serrata) Extract Effects on Growth and Biofilm Formation of Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Its Intracellular Infection in Human Gingival Epithelial Cells.Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2024 Mar 30;46(4):2991-3004. doi: 10.3390/cimb46040187. Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2024. PMID: 38666917 Free PMC article.
-
Herbal Medicines for the Treatment of Active Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients. 2024 Mar 23;16(7):934. doi: 10.3390/nu16070934. Nutrients. 2024. PMID: 38612967 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Investigation of outcome measures and anomalous lower extremity in osteoarthritis patients with Jumpstart nutrition® supplementation.Caspian J Intern Med. 2024 Winter;15(1):1-27. doi: 10.22088/cjim.15.1.1. Caspian J Intern Med. 2024. PMID: 38463924 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- Vol. 1. New Delhi: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research; 1948. Anon (CSIR). The Wealth of India, Raw Materials.
-
- Felter H, Lloyd J. I and II. Cincinnati: Ohio Valley Company, US; 1898. Kings American Dispensatory.
-
- Howes FN. Age-old resins of the Mediterranean region and their uses. Econ Bot. 1950;4:307–16.
-
- Krishnamurthy T, Shiva MP. Salai guggul (from Boswellia serrata Roxb.): Its exploitation and utilization. Indian Forest. 1977;103:466–74.
-
- Verghese J. Olibanum in focus. Perfumer Flavorist. 1988;13:2–11.
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources