Boswellia
In short
Summary of findings for quick reference
Boswellia serrata produces Indian frankincense, known in Ayurveda as Shallaki or Salai guggal. Frankincense, however, refers to resins from several species. The incense and trade history of Arabian and African frankincense cannot therefore be transferred directly to B. serrata. Historical plant names, plant parts and specific uses also require individual verification.
Small clinical trials, including Sengupta and colleagues in 2008 on 5-Loxin and Vishal and colleagues in 2011 on Aflapin, report improvements in knee osteoarthritis. Yu and colleagues’ 2020 review also suggests possible benefits. Different preparations, short follow-up and methodological weaknesses limit the evidence. AKBA is a marker in some extracts, not a universal guarantee of efficacy.
The ESCOP monograph is a scientific assessment of Indian frankincense, not a medicinal-product authorization. Clinical results are promising but remain insufficient for an established treatment recommendation. Crude resin, hydroalcoholic extracts and AKBA-enriched preparations differ in composition and dose and are not freely interchangeable.
Clinical evidence ↔ Historical significanceWe display two separate evidence categories: clinical evidence from modern trials and historical significance from documented healing tradition. Both are valuable, but they answer different questions.Read more
In every encyclopedia entry we evaluate two distinct categories of evidence. Clinical evidence as used in trials meets a narrower but scientifically essential bar. At the same time, the hundreds of thousands of plant species worldwide have only partially been captured and tested in modern studies.
Alongside the trial picture our researchers compile a comprehensive overview of where and since when a plant has been used across different traditions of natural medicine. When a plant has been used as a medicinal plant in many cultures across many generations, that historical significance deserves to be visible too.
Our position: a truly informative overview emerges only when both categories sit side by side. We communicate transparently what counts as what.
Overview
Indian frankincense is the gum resin of Boswellia serrata, a deciduous tree of the dry forests of the Indian subcontinent. In Ayurveda it is known as Shallaki or Salai guggal. The resin exudes from wounds in the bark, dries into yellowish pieces and is ground or processed into extracts. It is commonly sold as a dietary supplement in capsules.
Research examines boswellic acids including AKBA (acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid). Some extracts are selectively enriched in it; their AKBA content is not a general value for frankincense resin. Several small trials and Yu and colleagues’ 2020 meta-analysis report improvements in knee osteoarthritis. Different preparations and methodological limitations complicate interpretation. The ESCOP monograph on Indian frankincense is a scientific assessment, not regulatory authorization.
History
Boswellia serrata is used in Ayurveda as Shallaki or Salai guggal, including for joint and musculoskeletal complaints. The gum resin is central to this use. Some modern formulations combine boswellia extracts with curcumin. The modern combination and its clinical study must be distinguished from a specifically documented historical formula.
In German-speaking countries, frankincense also recalls the incense resin of Christian liturgy. Such resins come from various Boswellia species, including B. sacra from Arabia and the Horn of Africa. The joint studies discussed here concern specific B. serrata preparations. ESCOP has a scientific monograph on Indian frankincense; it is not a regulatory authorization.
Mechanism
The constituents studied in boswellia resin include boswellic acids, a group of pentacyclic triterpenes. Some extracts use AKBA as a standardization marker. Laboratory work describes effects on 5-lipoxygenase, an enzyme in leukotriene metabolism. This approach differs from the COX inhibition of many nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but does not establish a comparable effect of a boswellia product in humans.
The absorption of boswellic acids depends in part on the preparation and food intake. Results from enzyme experiments therefore cannot be directly translated into an effective human dose. Clinical studies using extracts with different compositions are also only partly comparable.
Yu and colleagues pooled seven randomized trials involving 545 people in 2020. Tested preparations included different boswellia extracts and combinations, compared with placebo or other treatments. Improvements in pain, stiffness and function were reported, with substantial variation in some outcomes and methodological weaknesses. Individual trials include Sengupta 2008 on 5-Loxin and Vishal 2011 on Aflapin. The earlier trial by Kimmatkar and colleagues in 2003 was not included in this pooled analysis. It tested a Boswellia serrata extract without ginger.
Differences between extracts make a general dose recommendation difficult. A higher AKBA content alone establishes neither greater efficacy nor better tolerability. Early small studies of ulcerative colitis (Gupta 1997) and asthma (Gupta 1998) provide additional signals but are insufficient for established treatment recommendations. The specific preparation and research question remain essential.
Evidence
| Outcome | Class | Grade | Effect | Studies | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knee osteoarthritis: joint comfortYu and colleagues pooled seven randomized trials of different boswellia preparations in 2020. They found improvements in pain, stiffness and function versus the respective control groups. Preparations and results varied substantially, and several trials had methodological weaknesses. The analysis does not establish a reliable advantage of AKBA-enriched extracts over crude resin.Adults with knee OA | EmergingEmerging research. Early small trials suggest an effect but await replication. | BEvidence quality grade B. Good evidence but fewer or mid-sized trials. Effect plausible, not conclusively confirmed. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Modest Improvement | [1][2][3][4] | |
| General joint mobility (traditional)Salai guggal is used in Ayurveda for joint and musculoskeletal complaints. ESCOP has a scientific monograph on Indian frankincense. This is distinct from regulatory authorization; traditional use alone does not establish clinical efficacy.Traditional Ayurvedic use | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | ||
| Ulcerative colitis (early clinical research)A small controlled study by Gupta and colleagues in 1997 compared a gum-resin preparation with sulfasalazine over six weeks in ulcerative colitis. The reported improvements are not sufficient to establish equivalence to an established treatment. Boswellia does not replace clinician-directed ulcerative-colitis treatment.People with ulcerative colitis | EmergingEmerging research. Early small trials suggest an effect but await replication. | CEvidence quality grade C. Mixed or limited evidence. Small trials, signals, or traditional use under an EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Mixed Findings | [6] | |
| Asthma (early controlled trial)In 1998 Gupta and colleagues published a six-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 80 people. The gum-resin preparation was associated with improvements in symptoms and some lung-function measures. This early finding is insufficient for a reliable treatment recommendation. It must not replace prescribed asthma treatment.People with bronchial asthma | EmergingEmerging research. Early small trials suggest an effect but await replication. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Weak Signal | [5] |
Usage
Forms and preparation
The joint trials described here mainly used precisely defined extracts in capsules. Check the species, daily amount and standardization details of a product. Total boswellic acid content and AKBA percentage are different measures. Crude resin powder or tinctures cannot be compared with an enriched extract solely by milligram dose. Food can affect boswellic acid absorption. In a study of healthy men, a high-fat meal increased absorption from one specific dry extract. The size of this effect depends on the preparation, so follow its administration instructions. Combinations with curcumin have been studied, but this does not establish a universal requirement to take both simultaneously.
Dosage
Study doses depend on the extract and are not freely interchangeable. In 2008 Sengupta and colleagues tested a total of 100 or 250 mg of 5-Loxin daily, divided into two doses. In 2011 Vishal and colleagues used a total of 100 mg of Aflapin daily, also in two doses. These are preparation-specific study regimens, not general recommendations for frankincense resin or other extracts. Do not increase the dose on your own based on general study ranges. Follow the instructions for the specific preparation and discuss supplementary use for joint complaints with a clinician. Trial durations vary; a fixed six-to-eight-week course cannot be inferred for every product.
Safety
Look-alikes
Similar plants and look-alikes
Boswellia sacra (Arabian frankincense, olibanum)
Boswellia sacra is a different frankincense species from Arabia and the Horn of Africa. Its resin is used as incense and in perfumery. This does not mean that it has no medicinal tradition. Results for specific B. serrata extracts cannot be transferred to B. sacra; the species and preparation must match.
Commiphora resins (myrrh, Commiphora myrrha)
A different genus in the same Burseraceae family. Myrrh has its own long traditional use, including alongside frankincense in incense, but it is not interchangeable with boswellia for joint applications.
FAQs
What is AKBA?
AKBA stands for acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid. It is one of the boswellic acids in frankincense resin and serves as a standardization marker in some extracts. Its proportion is product-specific: 5-Loxin was enriched to 30 percent AKBA and Aflapin to at least 20 percent. These figures apply to those extracts, not to unprocessed resin or all boswellia products.
Is Boswellia serrata the same as the frankincense from church incense?
Frankincense is a collective term for resins from several Boswellia species. Boswellia serrata provides Indian frankincense; Boswellia sacra and other Arabian and African species also supply incense resins. Church incense therefore cannot universally be assigned to one species. The studies described here used specific B. serrata preparations. Incense resin is not a substitute for a product intended for ingestion.
Why is Boswellia often combined with Curcumin?
Curcumin and boswellia extracts are combined in modern joint products. Such combinations have also been studied clinically, for example by Haroyan and colleagues in 2018. This does not establish an added benefit or superiority over individual ingredients for every product. Nor does it establish a universal rule requiring both to be taken at the same time.
How long should I take Boswellia before judging whether it helps?
Study duration depends on the preparation. 5-Loxin was tested for 90 days, and one Aflapin trial lasted 30 days. Some changes were observed after five to seven days, but not in every outcome. This establishes neither a guaranteed onset nor a universal period for a self-trial. Discuss persistent joint complaints, treatment and any supplementary use with a clinician.
What should pregnant readers know before using Boswellia?
There are insufficient safety data on medicinal amounts of boswellia during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Do not use concentrated extracts during these periods without medical advice.
8 sources.
- Yu G, Xiang W, Zhang T, Zeng L, Yang K, Li J. Effectiveness of Boswellia and Boswellia extract for osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2020. doi:10.1186/s12906-020-02985-6
- Sengupta K, Alluri KV, Satish AR, et al.. A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. 2008. doi:10.1186/ar2461
- Vishal AA, Mishra A, Raychaudhuri SP. A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled clinical study evaluates the early efficacy of aflapin in subjects with osteoarthritis of knee. 2011. doi:10.7150/ijms.8.615
- Kimmatkar N, Thawani V, Hingorani L, Khiyani R. Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee--a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial. 2003. doi:10.1078/094471103321648593
- Gupta I, Gupta V, Parihar A, Gupta S, Lüdtke R, Safayhi H, Ammon HP. Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with bronchial asthma: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week clinical study. 1998. PMID:9810030
- Gupta I, Parihar A, Malhotra P, Singh GB, Lüdtke R, Safayhi H, Ammon HP. Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with ulcerative colitis. 1997. PMID:9049593
- Sterk V, Büchele B, Simmet T. Effect of food intake on the bioavailability of boswellic acids from a herbal preparation in healthy volunteers. 2004. doi:10.1055/s-2004-835844
- Haroyan A, Mukuchyan V, Mkrtchyan N, et al.. Efficacy and safety of curcumin and its combination with boswellic acid in osteoarthritis: a comparative, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. 2018. doi:10.1186/s12906-017-2062-z
Legal notice: The depiction of historical significance and traditional use is context within our encyclopedia and not a health claim for any product, not a treatment promise, and not a substitute for medical advice. What may be stated on product labels, product pages, or in advertising is governed by the applicable legal requirements.