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Botanical illustration of Boswellia
MedicinalSourced entry

Boswellia

Boswellia serrata

Indian frankincense, a gum resin from a tree used for centuries in Ayurveda for inflammation. It is marketed for arthritis and colitis, and has been studied with curcumin for IBS bloating.

Safety at a glance

Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.

What is Boswellia?

Plant family
Burseraceae, the frankincense and myrrh family
Parts used
The gum resin from beneath the bark
Where it grows
Native to India, the Middle East and northern Africa
Genus
Boswellia
Species
serrata

Also called

Indian Frankincense, Frankincense

Traditionally used for

  • Inflammation
  • Arthritis
  • Colitis
  • IBS

Traditionally described as

  • May help reduce inflammation

Health topics

Where Boswellia appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

  • Bloating

    In a trial of people with IBS, a curcumin and boswellia supplement reduced bloating.

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

    Combined with curcumin and a low-FODMAP diet, it reduced bloating and pain in a 30-day trial.

Traditions that use it

  • Ayurveda

    Used for centuries for inflammatory conditions, arthritis and pain, and for some breathing and heart problems.

How it's prepared

Common ways Boswellia is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.

Safety

Pregnancy

  • Little is known about whether boswellia in medicinal amounts is safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding.[2]Health agency

Toxicity testing

  • Boswellia extracts haven't been linked to raised liver enzymes or liver injury.[3]Health agency

How much to use

  • Boswellia is likely safe by mouth. Up to 1,000 mg a day was used safely in trials lasting up to 6 months, and 2,400 mg a day for up to a month.[2]Health agency

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • Boswellia has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine for arthritis, inflammation and pain, and for some breathing and heart problems. Today extracts are marketed for arthritis, colitis and asthma.[3]Health agency

Research in people

  • Boswellia taken by mouth may help reduce inflammation and pain from osteoarthritis, but larger, better studies are needed. A few small studies suggest it may reduce asthma symptoms, but the evidence isn't strong enough to know.[2]Health agency

  • In a 30-day trial, 67 people with IBS and bacterial imbalance in the small intestine followed a low-FODMAP diet, with or without a supplement combining curcumin and boswellia. The supplement group had much less bloating and belly pain. Because the supplement combined two herbs, the effect of boswellia alone isn't known.[4]Study

    Technical detail: randomized; Curcumin Boswellia Phytosome 500 mg twice daily; p < 0.0001 for bloating, pain and urinary indican.

In short

Likely safe by mouth in studied doses; little is known about use in pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Sources

  1. [1] WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants, Volume 4 — "Gummi Boswellii" monograph — World Health OrganizationGovernment health agency
  2. [2] Boswellia: Usefulness and Safety — National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH)Government health agency
  3. [3] Boswellia Serrata. In: LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury — LiverTox, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH)Government health agency
  4. [4] Beneficial Effects on Abdominal Bloating with an Innovative Food-Grade Formulation of Curcuma longa and Boswellia serrata Extracts in Subjects with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Small Bowel Dysbiosis — Nutrients · DOI: 10.3390/nu14030416Peer-reviewed study

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.