Boswellia gum oleoresin (frankincense) has a history probably as old as human civilization. Frankincense along with myrrh are best known through the story of Three Wise Men (Magi), delivering gold, frankincense and myrrh for baby Jesus. Myrrh was also used to annoint Jesus' body after crucifixion. These herbs, valued like gold, are mentioned repeatedly in the Old Testament, in instructions to Moses about making incense and anointing oil.

The Magi, carrying myrrh, frankincense and gold, came from the East.

Boswellia has a long history of medicinal use, too. In Ayurvedic texts, Boswellia is one of a group of gum resins collectively referred to as guggals and guggals were recommended for a variety of conditions including osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysentery, asthma, bronchitis and other pulmonary diseases, ringworm, pimples, sores, cancers, dysmenorrhea, stimulation of menstrual flow, syphilis and as a diuretic. In modern Chinese Materia Medica, myrrh and frankincense are classified as herbs for vitalizing circulation of blood and are utilized for treating traumatic injury, painful swellings, masses, and other disorders related to stasis syndromes.

The oleo-gum resin of Boswellia serrata is a complex mixture of lower and higher terpenoids and carbohydrates. Higher terpenoids, collectively called the boswellic acids, constitute the major fraction (25-35%) of the resin.

Preparations from the gum resin of Boswellia serrata have been used as a traditional remedy in Ayurvedic medicine in India for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Compounds from the gum with genuine antiinflammatory effects are pentacyclic triterpenes of the boswellic acid type. Boswellic acids inhibit the leukotriene biosynthesis in neutrophilic granulocytes by a non-redox, noncompetitive inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase. The effect is triggered by boswellic acids binding to the enzyme. Moreover certain boswellic acids have been described to inhibit elastase in leukocytes, to inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis and to inhibit topoisomerases of leukemia- and glioma cell lines. A series of chronic inflammatory diseases are thought to be perpetuated by leukotrienes. In clinical trials promising results were observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, bronchial asthma and peritumoral brains edemas.

Antiinflammatory and anti-cancer properties of boswellic acids are noteworthy. They

• Block the formation of leukotriene B4 by inhibiting (IC50 1.5 µM) 5-LOX; does not impair 12-LOX or COX activity

• Inhibit topoisimerase activity

• Possess anticomplementary activity.

Treatment with boswellic acids may be particularly beneficial in the following disease conditions:

• Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and encephalomyelitis

• Various cancers such as liver, colon, leukemia, skin cancers and brain tumors