Effects of Boswellia serrata in asthma patients: results of a 6-week study Boswellia serrata, also known as Indian frankincense, is an herb used in the traditional Ayurvedic system of medicine to treat bronchial asthma as well as other inflammatory conditions. In previous test tube and animal studies, boswellia was shown to inhibit the production of leukotrienes—compounds in the body that promote inflammation. High levels of leukotrienes are associated with increased constriction of the lung passageways in asthma patients. In order to confirm the efficacy of boswellia in treating patients with asthma, researchers conducted a six-week study of 80 patients suffering from asthma-related symptoms such as breathlessness and wheezing. Patients were divided into two groups to receive 300 mg three times a day of boswellia or a placebo (a substance that causes no pharmacological effect). After the six-week period, researchers conducted physical examinations to evaluate all patients. Patients given boswellia demonstrated an estimated 50% reduction in asthma attacks compared to those given the placebo. Moreover, 70% of asthma patients given boswellia experienced a complete remission of symptoms after the six-week treatment. These results led I. Gupta and colleagues to conclude in the European Journal of Medical Research that "The data show a definite role of gum resin of Boswellia serrata in the treatment of bronchial asthma." SOURCE: Eur J Med Res 1998;3:511-14. Advanced Nutrition Publications ©2002
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