Food supplementBoswellia serrata for joint comfort

Super Boswellia is a 100% natural Boswellia Serrata supplement for improving comfort of the joints. Its enrichment with active principles (20% AKBA) and superior absorption make it one of the best supplements on the market, along with Joint Support Formula.

Who is Super Boswellia aimed at?

Super Boswellia is designed for several groups of people:

• Those suffering from joint pain or stiffness.
• Those experiencing discomfort in particular joints.
• Those with inflammation (in the joints or elsewhere).
• Those affected by decreasing flexibility in certain joints.

What is Boswellia serrata?

Boswellia serrata is a tree indigenous to India, the Middle East and Africa which belongs to the Burseraceare family. The resin it produces is one of the most popular natural health products available today, especially with those plagued by joint problems.

An oleo-gum resin known as ‘olibanum’ or ‘incense’ is produced by resin-secretory structures in the tree, and tapped from incisions made on its trunk. This resin solidifies on contact with air and releases a pleasant scent when burned. It is teardrop-shaped, around 2cm in diameter, amber-brown in colour with a very brittle consistency.

It is held in particular esteem by the world’s principal traditional systems of medicine. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is known as ‘Salaï Guggul’ or ‘Shallaki Guggul’.

Super Boswellia is formulated to contain up to 20% AKBA, a much higher than normal level. It is made from the Boswellia serrata tree, as this is the richest source of AKBA. Extract of Boswellia serrata generally consists of 5-10% essential oil (including primarily α-pinene, α-thuyene, myrcene and sabinene), and also importantly, four boswellic acids including AKBA and KBA, the tree’s major active principles.

Where does Boswellia serrata come from? How is Super Boswellia made?

The Boswellia serrata tree grows mainly in the dry regions of India, tropical Africa and the southern Arabian peninsula (Yemen, Oman). In summer or autumn, a few months after deep incisions have been made in the tree’s bark, the oleoresin gum is collected. Once it has solidified in the open air, it is scraped off as amber-coloured teardrops and the collected resin is then made into a dry extract and produced in vegetarian capsules. Trees from the Boswellia species cannot go on producing good quality resin indefinitely: after three consecutive years of harvesting, they must be allowed to ‘rest’ for a few years.

Super Boswellia is produced by the Laila Impex Research Centre, in India, an establishment recognised by the country’s Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and affiliated to a number of university programmes.

What are Boswellia serrata’s mechanisms of action?

Boswellia serrata was used by the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Indians, Chinese and other civilisations for ‘purifying the soul of the departed’ during ceremonial rituals, as well as for its medicinal properties. Ayurvedic texts credit its use with a wide range of benefits, especially improving joint health.

These benefits are due to the two ingredients mentioned above, KBA and AKBA. A number of in vitro studies show that KBA and AKBA inhibit 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), an enzyme which plays a role in inflammation and thus joint discomfort. AKBA is potentially the more effective of the two because of its acetyl group which gives it greater affinity with 5-LO. Other mechanisms of action are also under investigation (TNF, IL-1, MMP3…).