Boswellin: An Alternative to NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

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Boswellin: An Alternative to NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

JoAnn Guest

Jan 09, 2007 08:16 PST

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Boswellin: An Alternative to NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

 

http://www.willner.com/article.aspx?artid=163

 

 

Nowhere is the role of prolonged anti-inflammatory treatment more

important than in chronic inflammatory conditions best exemplified

by the various forms of arthritis. And nowhere is the safety factor

of such prolonged treatment more paramount than in the treatment of

arthritis.

 

In fact, aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, was developed in the 19th

century by a chemist whose father suffered from gastric ulcerations

due to a chronic intake of crude salicylates for arthritis.

Although aspirin and other new generation nonsteroidal

antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are better tolerated than the

historic salicylates, their effectiveness and safety from longterm

use still is elusive.The search for new anti-inflammatory compounds

has resulted in a

growing interest in Boswellia serrata, a timetested botanical

compound well recognized in Ayurveda Materia Medica.

 

Boswellia serrata (N.O. Burseraceae) is a large, branching,

deciduous tree that grows abundantly in the dry, hilly parts of

India.

 

The gum resin exudate of Boswellia serrata, known in the vernacular

as " Salai guggal, " has been used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine

for the management of arthritis, respiratory diseases and liver

disorders.

 

The active principles of the gum resin, boswellic acids, emerge as

leading non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds (drugs) with broad

biological activities and without NSAIDs' characteristic side

effects-namely, gastrointestinal irritation.

 

In one experiment, boswellic acids were compared with anti-

inflammatory

drug phenylbutazone, and unlike phenylbutazone, boswellic acids did

not

produce the usual gastric ulceration. This safety factor is very

important since, as mentioned previously, NSAIDs are notorious for

their

damaging effect on stomach and intestinal mucosa.

 

Studies designed to determine the anti-inflammatory mechanism of

boswellic acids indicate that the primary mode of action involves

the

inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase, the key enzyme responsible in the

formation of inflammatory compounds called leukotrienes.

 

Furthermore, treatment with boswellic acids may reduce the activity

of

various tissue destructive enzymes [beta-glucuronidase,

beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, cathepsin B1, cathepsin B2, cathepsin

D

and human leukocyte elastase (HLE)]. One of the reasons that

boswellic

acids may be both safe and effective is that they operate through a

very

specific mechanism that inhibits one enzyme predominantly,

5-lipoxygenase.

 

Analysis of boswellic acids shows that there are four beta-boswellic

acids involved in the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase and related

antiinflammatory events. These are:

 

* Beta-boswellic acid (I)

 

* Acetyl-beta-boswellic acid (II)

 

* 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (III)

 

* Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (IV)

 

Seeking Better Understanding

 

Despite the recognized potential of boswellic acids as NSAIDs, there

have been two major obstacles that stand in the way of utilizing

boswellic acids more frequently in health care: 1) a poorly

understood

relationship between structure/composition of boswellic acids and

their

biological utility, and 2) the lack of a standardized boswellic

acids

product on the basis of a clearly defined structure-function claim.

 

Recently, Sabinsa Corporation, along with investigators from Rutgers

University, in New Brunswick, NJ, published a study in Planta Medica

(1998) that addressed the above mentioned shortcomings. This study

evaluated the anti-inflammatory properties of purified boswellic

acids

(Boswellin) in an in vitro experimental model.

 

Comparisons of the biological potential of the four boswellic acids

indicate that the order of 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity for

compounds I-IV was IV>III>II>I.

 

This study also determined that the 11-keto group in compounds IV

and

III is the principal structure responsible for the anti-inflammatory

activity, with the acetyl group present in compound IV and II being

the

second most important structure.

 

These observations have become the foundation for a new and better

understanding of boswellic acids as NSAIDs. However, with this

better

understanding of boswellic acids there is now a need to better

communicate this understanding to the end user.

 

In view of the above research identifying the biological potential

of

the individual boswellic acids, the need for a more defined

standardization of the boswellia gum resin extract for boswellic

acids

becomes obvious. The method most widely used in the nutraceutical

industry to assay the level of standardization is acid titration.

This method does not reflect the quantity and quality of the four

principal beta-boswellic acids, but rather provides a crude estimate

of

the total organic acids content in an extract. Sabinsa Corporation

has

developed a new method of analysis that utilizes high pressure

liquid

chromatography (HPLC) that can quantify the percentage of the four

individual beta-boswellic acids.

 

This new approach to the standardization process has enabled Sabinsa

to

define the composition of Boswellin more clearly, supporting the

marketing of Sabsinsa's popular and well-documented Boswellia

serrata

extract.

 

Just as green tea extracts underwent an evolution from " total

polyphenols " to specific levels of " catechins " to determine the

quality

and efficacy of the material, this new information calls for

significant

changes to the current nomenclature of boswellic acid preparations.

To

be accurate, the presently used phrase " boswellic acids " (the value

established by titration method) should now be changed to " total

organic

acids " from Boswellia serrata-referring to the 65%-70% organic acids

content that has been incorrectly termed " boswellic acids. "

 

The use of the term " pure boswellic acids " should be designated to

indicate the milligrams, or percentage, in a standardized

preparation of

the four individual beta-boswellic acids.

 

This new nomenclature is necessary because commercial samples of

Boswellia serrata extracts vary greatly in their content of

boswellic

acids, which limits their reliable use in medical and veterinary

applications.

While the total organic acids content of various Boswellia extracts

may

be similar, research has shown that it is the content of individual

beta-boswellic acids, most notably acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic

acid

(fraction IV), that is responsible for anti-inflammatory activity.

According to Sabinsa Corporation, they have implemented an improved

method of manufacture for Boswellin to obtain higher values of the

pure

boswellic acids, including higher values of fraction IV and III.

 

This illustrated evolution of " boswellic acids, " from a crude

preparation to a specialized structure-function nutraceutical, shows

how

important it is that continuous effort be put into improving our

understanding of natural products. Implementing that understanding

into

practical solutions, such as more efficient manufacturing processes

and

standardization methods, may provide us with safer and more

effective

regimens for conditions like arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases,

asthma and the prevention and treatment of some forms of cancer.

 

References:This report adapted from an article by Vladimir Badmaev,

M.D., Ph.D. and Muhammed Majeed, Ph.D... courtesy Sabsinsa

Corporation.

 

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets

[Guest guest]

Good post! No, GREAT post! I have fibromyalgia and boswellin is an

incredible pain reliever for me. I buy it at my local health food

store as they always have it in stock. It does take about 45 minutes

to kick in, just as some homeopath alternatives do, but it is so worth

the wait! I've been trying to turn people onto this. Thanks! ~Rocky

[Guest guest]

I have mod/severe osteoarthritis. I also have mild fibromyalgia. I have been

on Mobic for almost a year now.

After reading this about Boswellia, I went out this morning and purchased

some. It is so scary to read about the side effects of Cox-2 inhibitors such as

Mobic. It is just not worth it to me.

Thank you everybody for all the wonderful information and articles you post.

I truly appreciate each and every post!

Julie

[Guest guest]

, " Rachelle Ward "

<rachelleward2 wrote:

> I've been trying to turn people onto this. ~Rocky

 

 

 

I can see why. Which one of the four do you use?

 

* Beta-boswellic acid (I) or

 

* Acetyl-beta-boswellic acid (II)

 

* 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (III)

 

* Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (IV)

 

I don't have any use for it at the moment, but would like to know,just

in case! :-)

Thanks!

JoAnn