Boswellia (Guggul) Research Presented at Special Symposium

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Boswellia (Guggul) Research Presented at Special Symposium

Enclosed is a series of papers, plus an introduction, which were presented

at the Symposium on Salai guggal Boswellia serrata (Halle [saale], Germany,

September 1995).

Salai Guggal, also known as guggul, a traditional Ayurvedic remedy, is the

gum resin of Boswellia serrata Roxb. (Burseraceae). It is used traditionally

for a variety of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis,

osteoarthritis, and cervical spondylitis [inflammation of the vertebrae].

The main constituents of the resin are boswellic acids, which are also found

in the Ayurvedic remedy Olibanum, the gum resin of B. carterii Birdw. Salai

Guggal and boswellic acids have been shown to exert anti-inflammatory

effects, to inhibit the " Complement System, " and to be hepatoprotective.

Salai Guggal and boswellic acids have been found to inhibit the synthesis of

leukotrienes, inflammatory compounds produced when oxygen interacts with

polyunsaturated fatty acids. A number of chronic inflammatory conditions are

associated with leukotriene formation. Corticosteroids, a type of

pharmaceutical currently being used in Western medicine for the treatment of

inflammation, also works by inhibiting leukotrienes and prostaglandins.

Unfortunately, corticosteroids as well as pharmaceutical nonsteroidal

antirheumatics (NSAIDs, another Western treatment for inflammation) are

associated with serious adverse side effects. Boswellic acids, on the other

hand, have been shown in animal studies (Singh, et al), as well as

traditional use of the resin, to exhibit no significant side effects or

toxicity, and represent a new class of NSAIDs " with a high margin of safety

and tolerance. " Boswellic acids have been found specifically to inhibit

5-lipoxygenase, the key enzyme of leukotriene biosynthesis. Safayhi et al.

write: " 5-Lipoxygenase inhibitors have been designated to be novel drugs

that should help us cope with a variety of inflammation and

hypersensitivity-based human diseases including asthma, arthritis, bowel

diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and circulatory

disorders such as shock and myocardial ischaemia (Wasserman et al., 1991). "

The Complement System is the system in which a set of enzymes in the

bloodstream work with antibodies to attack foreign cells and bacteria.

" Pathologically prolonged and sustained activation of the complement

system, " write Knaus and Wagner, " is implicated in a variety of inflammatory

disorders from rheumatoid arthritis and glomerulo-nephritis to systemic

lupus erythematodes. " These researchers report success with boswellic acids

in inhibiting the Complement System in vitro.

Finally, Etzel reports on a clinical investigation of the use of H 15, a

standardized extract of Salai Guggal (each tablet contains 400 mg of the

dried extract), in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Patients

(numbering over 260) were administered 3x2 or 3x3 tablets of H 15. Definite

effects were found in the reduction of swelling and pain as compared to

placebo; morning stiffness was reduced; patients reported cutting back on

their intake of NSAIDs during the treatment period; and patients' general

health and well-being showed improvement. H 15 was found to be effective in

reducing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in 50-60 percent of the

patients involved in the investigation.

Etzel concludes: " Until 1992, H 15 was considered by the health authorities

as a known medicine from a traditional origin. One main reason why H 15 is

not yet approved is that the same health authorities are just now

reevaluating H 15 as an unknown or new chemical entity (NCE) requiring

special data for approval. This situation makes little sense when one

compares the risk-benefit ratio of standard medication against that of H 15

and considers the information collected over thousands of years worldwide

for the gum resin of Boswellia serrata.... " Ginger Webb

The American Botanical Council (ABC) provides this summary as an educational

service. ABC cannot guarantee that the data in the original article is

accurate and correct, nor does distribution of the summary constitute any

endorsement of the information contained in the original article or of the

views of the article's authors.

Ammon, HPT. Boswellia Serrata: From a Herbal Medicine to a Specific

Inhibitor of Leukotran Biosynthesis. Phytomedicine. Vol. 3, No. 1,

1996:87-90.

Safayhi H, Sailer ER, RF Howenlein, HPT Ammon, H Fafayhi. 5-Lipoxygenase

Inhibition by Acetyl-11-B-Boswellic Acid (AKBA) By a Novel Mechanism.

Phytomedicine. Vol 3, No 1, 1996:71-72.

Safayhi, H., E.R. Sailer, and H.P.T. Ammon. 5-Lipoxygenase inhibition by

acetyl-11-keto-ß-boswellic acid (AKBA) by a novel mechanism. Phytomedicine,

Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 71-72, 1996.

Sailer, E.R., R.F. Hoernlein, H.P.T. Ammon, and H. Safayhi.

Structure-activity relationships of the nonredox-type non-competitive

leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitor acetyl-11-keto- ß-boswellic acid.

Phytomedicine, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 73-74, 1996.

Rall., B., H.P.T. Ammon, and H. Safayhi. Boswellic acids and protease

activities. Phytomedicine, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 67-70, 1996.

Knaus, U., and H. Wagner. Effects of Boswellic acid of Boswellia serrata and

other triterpenic acids on the Complement System. Phytomedicine, Vol. 3, No.

1, pp. 77-81, 1996.

Singh, G.B., Surjeet Singh, and Sarang Bani. Anti-inflammatory actions of

boswellic acids. Phytomedicine, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 81-85, 1996.

Singh, G.B., S. Bani, and S. Singh. Toxicity and safety evaluation of

boswellic acids. Phytomedicine, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 87-90, 1996.

Etzel, R. Special extract of BOSWELLIA serrata (H 15) in the treatment of

rheumatoid arthritis. Phytomedicine, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 91-94, 1996.

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