Boswellia, known also as boswellia serrata, is a branching tree that is native to India. It grows in dry, hilly regions of the country and produces a resin that can be extracted and purified for medicinal preparations.
In Ayurvedic (traditional Indian) medicine, boswellia extract is grouped with other resins that are classified as guggals. Ayurvedic physicians have used this group of gummy resins for centuries to treat a wide range of ailments, including arthritis, diarrhea, dysentery, lung disease and worms.
Boswellia extract is best known among herbalists as a treatment for arthritis. One of its primary active ingredients, boswellic acid, is an anti-inflammatory that can be used in ointments to ease joint pain.
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Boswellia extract can also be taken internally as an anti-inflammatory agent, much like NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, which are commonly used to treat pain. However, unlike NSAIDs, boswellia extract can be used for significant periods of time without causing stomach upset.
In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, boswellia extract is said to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.
Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine also use boswellia extract to promote a general sense of wellness and as a mild sedative. Numerous
clinical trials have found that the herb is also effective in treating asthma, Chrohn’s disease, and colitis.Boswellia extract is available in capsules. An effective product is standardized for boswellic acids. The recommended dosage to treat arthritis is the amount that contains 150 mg of boswellic acids, taken three times per day. Therefore, if a person were using a product standardized to contain 37.5% boswellic acids, he or she would take 400 mg of the product three times per day to treat arthritis. The dosage to treat colitis is somewhat higher. In one study, 550 mg of boswellia extract three times per day was shown effective in treating that condition.
Side effects from using boswellia extract are rare, but diarrhea, skin rash and nausea have been occasionally reported. There are no known drug interactions or contraindications with the use of the herb. Though boswellia extract is an effective treatment for pain and inflammation, people who use it for arthritis, colitis or other conditions should continue to be monitored by a physician.