Boswellia serrata

Boswellia serrata commonly called « Indian Frankincense » in English, belongs to the Burseraceae botanical family.

Native to India, it is a tree up to 18 m in height, growing in dry and mountainous regions.

The resin of Boswellia species has been used for centuries, as incense in religious and cultural ceremonies and in folk medicine to treat various chronic inflammatory diseases.

It has astringent & antiseptic properties and is useful in diarrhea, dysentery, piles, ulcers, tumor, skin diseases, and in genito-urinary affections. Research showed that it contains marked anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity.

The main constituents of Boswellia s. resinous part are monoterpenes (myrcene), diterpenes, triterpenes, tetracyclic triterpenic acids, and four major pentacyclic triterpenic acids among which acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid is an inhibitor of pro-inflammatory enzymes.

• English name Indian frankincense
• French name Encens indien