Boswellia has been used extensively in Ayurveda for joint support and to provide an overall sense of well-being.
Also known as "Salai Guggul," it is like its cousin Guggul in offering broad health and immunomodulating benefits.
The gum resin is used as an ointment for sores and has anti-inflammatory, antiatherosclerotic and antiarthritic activities.
The nonphenolic fraction of the gum resin had marked sedative and analgesic action.
The gum is a well known household fumigant and is used as an anti-inflammatory agent when applied externally.
Internally, besides being antiarthritic, it has expectorant effects.
It also reduces body weight.
In clinical trials, promising results were observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, bronchial asthma und peritumoral brains edemas.
Boswellic acids inhibit the leukotriene biosynthesis in neutrophilic granulocytes by a non-redox, noncompetitive inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase.
The effect is triggered by boswellic acids binding to the enzyme.
Moreover certain boswellic acids have been described to inhibit elastase in leukocytes, to inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis and to inhibit topoisomerases of leukoma- and glioma cell lines.
A series of chronic inflammatory diseases are thought to be perpetuated by leukotrienes
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