|
|
Article: Boswellia serrata.(Monograph)
- Article from:
- Alternative Medicine Review
- Article date:
- June 1, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Thorne Research Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Description
Boswellia serrata (frankincense) is a moderate-to-large branching tree (growing to a height of 12 feet) found in India, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. Strips of Boswellia bark are peeled away, yielding a gummy oleo-resin. Extracts of this gummy exudate have been traditionally used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine as an anti-arthritic, astringent, stimulant, expectorant, and antiseptic.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Active Constituents
Boswellia contains oils, terpenoids, sugars, and volatile oils. Up to 16 percent of the resin is essential oil, the majority being alpha-thujene and p-cymene. Four pentacyclic triterpene ...