Boswellia

Boswellia serrata · Indian Frankincense · Boswellic Acid · Salai Guggul

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Knee osteoarthritis^{1, 2} Chronic low back pain^{3, 4} Radiation-induced cerebral edema⁵ Cerebral radiation necrosis⁶ Radiotherapy skin reactions⁷ Exercise-induced muscle soreness⁸ Asthma⁹	Hypersensitivity to Boswellia¹⁰ Pregnancy or lactation¹¹

Boswellia (Boswellia serrata, Indian frankincense) is a gum resin extract used in Ayurveda for arthritis and inflammation⁹. Its boswellic acids act as anti-inflammatory 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors¹². That effect drives use in adults with knee osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, usually in a curcumin combination, and radiation-related brain edema and necrosis^{5, 6}. Asthma is also a named use, supported by a few small studies⁹.

For knee osteoarthritis, systematic reviews report less pain and better function than placebo^{1, 2}, though the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes most studies as small and low quality⁹. A 2024 meta-analysis found no significant pooled effect because of heterogeneity, with benefit appearing only in subgroup analysis¹³. A 2024 study in human intestinal epithelial cells and colon fibroblasts found Boswellia serrata extract reduced inflammatory and fibrotic markers¹⁴. Many products list Boswellia, mostly capsules and powders, including standardized extracts; see Form comparison.

Per Memorial Sloan Kettering patient information, people taking blood thinners such as warfarin are asked to talk with their doctor, because boswellia may raise bleeding risk¹². Health Canada labels ask for a practitioner's advice before use in pregnancy or breastfeeding¹⁰.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

71 sources, 56 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources