Boswellia Benefits

Boswellia (boswellia serrata) is a tree gum resin that has multiple health benefits. Also known as frankincense, it has been burned as incense in religious and cultural ceremonies for centuries.  In today’s alternative health world boswellia is widely regarded as a potent anti-inflammatory nutrient, wherein its primary active ingredient, acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA), inhibits the inflammatory enzyme 5-lipoxygenase.  Excess 5-lipoxygenase is common in joint pain, allergies, respiratory conditions, and cardiovascular problems.  A number of new studies give insights into boswellia, a unique nutrient, even expanding its potential usefulness.

A recent review of boswellia highlighted its many uses in traditional ayurvedic medicine: arthritis, diarrhea, dysentery, ringworm, boils, fevers (antipyretic), skin and blood diseases, cardiovascular diseases, mouth sores, bad throat, bronchitis, asthma, cough, vaginal discharges, hair loss, jaundice, hemorrhoids, syphilitic diseases, irregular menses and liver stimulation.  In modern times boswellia has accumulated scientific data supporting its anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory uses, along with the ability to lower cholesterol, prevent plaque buildup, and defend your liver. 
Articles on Boswellia:
Boswella – Helping Joints, Killing Germs & Even Boosting Your Brain,
Boswella Update:  Helping Joints, Killing Germs, & Reducing Inflammation, and
Boswella Effective Against Oral Pathogens.

In an animal experiment of intentionally induced free radical damage, boswellia reduced the amount of damage in the liver by 80 percent and in the heart by 50 percent.  The researchers demonstrated potent anticoagulant properties, significantly reducing platelet aggregation.  Preventing your blood from getting too sticky is vital to healthy circulation and stroke prevention.  Boswella not only lowers factors in your blood that promote stickiness, but it also has a direct impact on the rate of clotting.  In this study it extended the prothrombin time on par with heparin.

The association of joint pain and obesity is a common finding.  Researchers now know that it isn’t just the extra weight causing mechanical wear and tear.  There appear to be common inflammation mechanisms causing both joint destruction and obesity.  One emerging culprit is excessive amounts of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).  LPS is generated as bacteria sheath off their outer wall.  Overweight individuals typically have imbalanced digestive bacteria making larger-than-normal amounts of LPS, which enter the general circulation and trigger inflammation, including joint inflammation.  Another new study shows that boswellia can directly attach itself to toxic LPS, preventing the LPS from doing anything inflammatory.  This is a novel way that boswellia reduces inflammation and is of particular value for individuals who are overweight and experiencing joint pain.

We are now in an epidemic of type 2 diabetes.  Interestingly, many people who persist in this condition also develop type 1 diabetes, because their pancreas gets too inflamed and tired out from having to try to make insulin all the time.  Another recent study shows that boswellia was able to prevent the rise in blood sugar due to toxin-induced type 1 diabetes.  Boswellia protected the insulin producing cells in the pancreas from damage.  It reduced a number of inflammatory messages, including two of the most common that are elevated when a person is overweight (IL-6 and TNFa).  This study supports the idea that boswellia can help protect the pancreas.

One of the hot topics in cancer research is the subject of epigenetics.  Epigenetics deals with the topic of how genes are expressed, rather than a true genetic malfunction based on a change to the DNA sequence.  Researchers studying epigenetics now realize the power of environment and nutrition to influence gene function and thus cancer risk. New research shows that boswellia is another nutrient that can influence epigenetic function.  Working with colon cancer cells researchers found that boswellia changed epigenetic function so that tumor suppressor genes started functioning again.

Boswellia continues to be an exciting nutrient with multiple health benefits.  There are many pathways of inflammation; boswellia is one of the most powerful natural inhibitors of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway.  Since virtually every poor condition of health that sets in during aging is associated with increased amounts of inflammation, you need all the help you can get to tilt the balance of anti-inflammation in your favor.  Boswellia is one nutrient worth having on your team.

Source:

http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/boswellia_an_anti-inflammatory_with_multiple_talents/