CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PHARMACOLOGICAL USES OF BOSWELLIA SERRATA- A SHORT REVIEW

An enriched extract of "Indian Frankincense" (usually Boswellia serrata) was used in a randomized, doubleblinded, placebo-controlled study of patients with osteoarthritis. Patients receiving the extract showed significant improvement in their arthritis. "behavioral effect [of insensole actetate] a main chemical constituent of frankincense was concomitant to reduced serum corticosterone levels, dose-dependent down-regulation of corticotropin releasing factor and up-regulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor transcripts IV and VI expression in the hippocampus. These data suggest that IA modulates the hypothalamic?pituitary?adrenal (HPA) axis and influences hippocampal gene expression, leading to beneficial behavioral effects supporting its potential as a novel treatment of depressivelike disorders." Keywords: osteoarthritis, corticosterone, insensole actetate, neurotropic factor