Question: I have osteoarthritis and an Indian friend suggested a herb called boswellia. Is it any good? Where can I buy it?

Answer

Boswellia (Boswellia serrata), or Indian frankincense, is actually a tree resin that is much used in Ayurveda, India’s traditional medical system.

Compared with other well-researched anti-inflammatory remedies like devil’s claw (Harpogophytum procumbens) and guggul (Commiphora mukul), boswellia stacks up quite well. Lab studies have shown that boswellia blocks the pro-inflammatory enzyme called 5-lipoxygenase, which is responsible for causing pain in osteoarthritis patients.

In one small Indian study reported in Phytomedicine (10:1), patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were either given boswellia extract or a placebo sugar pill: those given boswellia reported significantly less pain and swelling, plus they could walk for longer than the other patients.

Boswellia is available in a number of over-the-counter arthritis preparations sold in healthfood stores and pharmacies, or online at www.goldenglow.com.au or www.thexton.com.au. As with all supplements, always choose a reputable brand, and check that it contains a standardised extract of at least 150 mg boswellic acid. A herbalist or naturopath can also prescribe boswellia for you – Mediherb has a great practitioner-only anti-inflammatory product which contains boswellia, turmeric, ginger and celery seed. Visit the National Herbalists Association of Australia at www.nhaa.org.au to find a practitioner near you.

However, it would be unrealistic to expect boswellia – or any other individual supplement – to be a surefire ‘magic bullet’ for osteoarthritis. If you and your practitioner decide that it is worth trying, it should be in conjunction with a complete program tailored to your needs which might include, for instance, cartilage-building compounds (glucosamine, chondroitin, niacinamide and SAMe); cleansing herbs to remove waste material from joints and tissues (burdock, dandelion, bladderwrack, celery and sarsaparilla), and other anti-inflammatories (birch, meadowsweet, poplar, willow and turmeric). Applying capsicum ointment to painful swollen joints, especially when the pain is aggravated by cold, damp weather, invigorates local circulation, and helps alleviate pain.

Note: Your health practitioner should monitor your kidney and liver function while you are taking medicinal herbs, and you should ensure they are aware of all medications and drugs that you are taking, to avoid negative interactions.

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