Boswellia
Herb ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Resin extract with potent anti-inflammatory properties, especially for joints.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Boswellia is a herb most often used for joint health, anti-inflammatory, gut health. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong. A typical adult dose is 300-500 mg 3x daily, commonly taken as standardized to 30-65% boswellic acids (akba-enriched preferred). This profile indexes 19 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: joint health, anti-inflammatory, gut health. 19 sources indexed (2003–2025), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Boswellic acids (especially AKBA) inhibit 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), blocking leukotriene synthesis. Also inhibits NF-κB and reduces TNF-alpha. Joint-specific anti-inflammatory action.15,17
Dosing & protocol.
Take with fat-containing meal for absorption
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes AKBA-Enriched Boswellia Extract.
Assumes 300-500 mg 3 times daily. Vendor basis: NOW/iHerb, Vitacost, Thorne, and Life Extension; AKBA-enriched extracts drive premium pricing. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Boswellia is a resin extract standardized for boswellic acids, not a common edible food.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- GI discomfort
- Acid reflux
- Skin rash (rare)
Contraindications
- Blood thinners
- NSAIDs
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
6- 1Efficacy and safety of Boswellia serrata extract for osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PMIDPrabhavathi K, Chandra JS et al. · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · 2024
Meta-analysis of RCTs showed Boswellia serrata extract significantly reduced pain (WOMAC pain scores) and improved physical function in osteoarthritis patients compared to placebo.
- 2Boswellia serrata for inflammatory conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PMIDEzzeldin N, Aborehab NM et al. · Phytomedicine · 2024
Meta-analysis confirmed Boswellia serrata extracts have significant anti-inflammatory effects, reducing inflammatory biomarkers and improving clinical outcomes in inflammatory conditions.
- 3Efficacy of Extracts of Oleogum Resin of Boswellia in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisPMIDDalmonte T, Andreani G, Rudelli C et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2024
Dalmonte T, Andreani G, Rudelli C et al.. Efficacy of Extracts of Oleogum Resin of Boswellia in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2024
- 4Efficacy of Boswellia serrata in inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PMIDGupta I, Parihar A et al. · Phytotherapy Research · 2023
Meta-analysis found Boswellia serrata extract improved clinical outcomes and reduced inflammatory markers in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- 5Effectiveness of Boswellia and Boswellia extract for osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysisPMIDYu G et al. · BMC Complement Med Ther · 2020
Meta-analysis of 11 RCTs (N=1009) found boswellia significantly more effective than placebo for pain relief and functional improvement with a recommended treatment duration of at least 4 weeks
- 6Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata) - a systematic review and meta-analysis for osteoarthritisSource linkedPMIDYu G, Xiang W, Zhang T et al. · J Ethnopharmacol · 2020
Randomized controlled trials
8- 7Efficacy and safety evaluation of Boswellia serrata and Curcuma longa extract combination in the management of chronic lower back pain: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studyPMIDMajumdar A, Prasad MAVV, Gandavarapu SR et al. · Explore (New York, N.Y.) · 2025
Majumdar A, Prasad MAVV, Gandavarapu SR et al.. Efficacy and safety evaluation of Boswellia serrata and Curcuma longa extract combination in the management of chronic lower back pain: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. Explore (New York, N.Y.). 2025
- 8A Standardized Boswellia serrata Extract Improves Knee Joint Function and Cartilage Morphology in Human Volunteers with Mild to Moderate Osteoarthritis in a Randomized Placebo-Controlled StudyPMIDKumar B, Ghaytidak AB, Pandey AK et al. · Journal of the American Nutrition Association · 2025
Kumar B, Ghaytidak AB, Pandey AK et al.. A Standardized Boswellia serrata Extract Improves Knee Joint Function and Cartilage Morphology in Human Volunteers with Mild to Moderate Osteoarthritis in a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study. Journal of the American Nutrition Association. 2025
- 9A full-spectrum Boswellia serrata extract with enhanced bioavailability, and its co-delivered system with curcumin alleviate pain and stiffness associated with moderate spondylitis: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-arm studyPMIDMamatha K, Prabhakaran P, Syam Das S et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025
Mamatha K, Prabhakaran P, Syam Das S et al.. A full-spectrum Boswellia serrata extract with enhanced bioavailability, and its co-delivered system with curcumin alleviate pain and stiffness associated with moderate spondylitis: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-arm study. Frontiers in pharmacology. 2025
- 10A standardized Boswellia serrata extract shows improvements in knee osteoarthritis within five days-a double-blind, randomized, three-arm, parallel-group, multi-center, placebo-controlled trialPMIDNotarnicola A et al. · BMC Musculoskelet Disord · 2024
Standardized Boswellia serrata extract demonstrated large clinically important effects for pain reduction at short term, with improvements visible within five days
- 11A pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a novel Boswellia serrata extract in the management of osteoarthritis of the kneePMIDMajeed M, Majeed S, Narayanan NK et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2019
Majeed M, Majeed S, Narayanan NK et al.. A pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a novel Boswellia serrata extract in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee. Phytotherapy research : PTR. 2019
- 12A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin for treatment of osteoarthritis of the kneePMIDSengupta K et al. · Arthritis Res Ther · 2008
5-Loxin (AKBA-enriched boswellia extract) significantly improved pain scores and physical function in osteoarthritis patients with no safety concerns
- 135-Loxin significantly improves osteoarthritis of the knee: a 90-day randomized double blind placebo controlled studySource linkedPMIDSengupta K, Alluri KV, Satish AR et al. · BMC Complement Altern Med · 2008
- 14Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee: a randomized double blind placebo controlled trialSource linkedPMIDKimmatkar N, Thawani V, Hingorani L, Khiyani R · Phytomedicine · 2003
Reviews & position papers
2- 15Boswellic Acids and Their Role in Chronic Inflammatory DiseasesPMIDAmmon HP · Adv Exp Med Biol · 2016
Boswellic acids inhibit 5-lipoxygenase, leukotriene synthesis, prostaglandin synthesis, NF-kappaB, and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha
- 16Boswellia serrata: an overall assessment of in vitro, preclinical, pharmacokinetic and clinical dataPMIDAbdel-Tawab M et al. · Clin Pharmacokinet · 2011
Boswellic acids and B. serrata extract are safe agents with multiple beneficial anti-inflammatory activities, though pharmacokinetic data suggest poor oral bioavailability of AKBA
Mechanistic & preclinical
1- 175-Lipoxygenase inhibition by acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) by a novel mechanismPMIDSiemoneit U et al. · Br J Pharmacol · 2013
AKBA potently inhibits 5-lipoxygenase product formation with an IC50 of 1.5 microM at a novel pentacyclic triterpene binding site distinct from the substrate site
Reference material
2- 18Vaidya N, Agarwal R, Dipankar DG et al.. Efficacy and Safety of Boswellia serrata and Apium graveolens L. Extract Against Knee Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Degeneration: A Randomized, Double-blind, Multicenter, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Pharmaceutical research. 2025Source linkedPMID
- 19Karlapudi V, Sunkara KB, Konda PR et al.. Efficacy and Safety of Aflapin®, a Novel Boswellia Serrata Extract, in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Short-Term 30-Day Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study. Journal of the American Nutrition Association. 2023Source linkedPMID
Common questions.
Quick answers about Boswellia, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Boswellia?
Resin extract with potent anti-inflammatory properties, especially for joints.
What is Boswellia used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Boswellia include: Joint health; Anti-inflammatory; Gut health; Respiratory support. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Boswellia?
A typical adult dose of Boswellia is 300-500 mg 3x daily. The commonly recommended form is Standardized to 30-65% boswellic acids (AKBA-enriched preferred). These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Boswellia?
Reported side effects include gi discomfort, acid reflux, skin rash (rare). This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Boswellia?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Boswellia in NutriStack.
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