Boswellia Serrata

Boswellia serrata is the plant that provides Boswellic acids which are the actual anti-inflammatory substances. These acids have many forms, Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) being the most potent.

In a study published in Antioxidants & Redox Signaling,

To evaluate the significance of AKBA in the antiinflammatory properties of BE, effects of BE containing either 3% (BE3%) or 30% (BE30%, 5- Loxin) were compared. Pretreatment of HMECs for 2 days with BE potently prevented TNFalpha-induced expression and activity of MMP-3, MMP-10, and MMP-12. In vivo, BE protected against experimental arthritis. In all experiments, both in vitro and in vivo, BE30% was more effective than BE3%. In sum, this work lends support to our previous report that BE has potent antiinflammatory properties both in vitro as well as in vivo.

In the International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology it was reported that with an oral administration of Boswellic acids,

All patients receiving drug treatment reported decrease in knee pain, increased knee flexion and increased walking distance. The frequency of swelling in the knee joint was decreased.

One study on a 30% AKBA standardized extract of Boswellic acids called 5-Loxin® found that:

Interestingly, significant improvements in pain score and functional ability were recorded in the treatment group supplemented with 250 mg 5-Loxin as early as 7 days after the start of treatment. Corroborating the improvements in pain scores in treatment groups, we also noted significant reduction in synovial fluid matrix metalloproteinase-3… 5-Loxin® significantly improved joint function and exhibited better therapeutic efficacy at 250 mg/day than at 100 mg/day; it reduces pain rapidly, as early as after 1 week of treatment; it reduces levels of the cartilage degrading enzyme MMP-3 in synovial fluid; and, most importantly, 5-Loxin® is safe for human consumption, even long term.

In the supplement industry, there are large variations in quality based on how a particular ingredient is processed. There is a huge difference between Boswellia serrata powder which is just the ground up plant, Boswellia serrata extract which is usually standardized to a certain percentage of Boswellic acid, and a proprietary extract like 5-Loxin® which is standardized to 30% AKBA.