From Boswellia serrata

Taneja, S. C., and Dhar, K. L., Studies towards development of new anti-inflammatory drug from Boswellia serrata gum resin, in supplement to Cultivation and Utilization of Medicinal Plants, Handa, S. S., and Koul, M. K., Eds., Publishers RRL, Jammu, India, 1996. 

Acebo, E., J.A. Raton, S. Sautua, et aL 2004. Allergic contact dermatitis from Boswellia serrata extract in a naturopathic cream. Contact Dermal. 51(2) 91-92. 

Khajuria, A., A. Gupta, P. Suden, et al. 2008. Immunomodulatory activity of biopolymeric fraction BOS 2000 from Boswellia serrata. Phytother. Res. 22(3) 340-348. 

Sharma, M.L., A. Kaul, A. Khajuria, S. Singh, and G.B. Singh. 1996. Immunomodulatory activity of bosweUic acids (jjentacycUc tii-terpene acids) from Boswellia serrata. Phytother. Res.l0(2) 107-112. 

Boswellic acids are constituents of incense (olibanum) from Boswellia serrata and B. carterii (Burseraceae) a-boswellic acid incorporates the 12-oleanene core structure (section 6.3.3), while 12-ursene is the parent hydrocarbon of p-boswellic acid and ketoboswellic acid. Various derivatives of boswellic acids are reported to have antiinflammatory properties and therefore are suggested to be potential cortisone substitutes. 

Given their structural relationship to steroids, many saponins are renowned for their anti-inflammatory effects. Among the most potent are saikosaponins from Bupleurum falcatum and boswellic acid from Boswellia serrata. Saikosaponins are also immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective. Some saponins have been found to reduce... 

Raman G, Gaikar VG (2003) Hydrotropic solubilization of boswellic acids from Boswellia serrata resin. Langmuir 19(19) 8026-8032. doi 10.1021/la034611r... 

Isol. from Boswellia serrata. Eucalyptus spp., Thuja spp. and many other plant oils. Liq. Bp 151-153°. [a] ... 

A perceptible marker of the olibanum fragrances coming from Somalia, Sudan, or Ethiopia is the aliphatic octyl acetate marked by a distinct acrid smell. Boswellia carterii contains up to 50% of the aliphatic octyl acetate, demonstrated by the strong stinging smell of the fume, whereas Boswellia serrata (its common name in India is salai guggul) contains none or only small amounts of it and, consequentiy, does not have such a harsh smell. 

R.S. Pardhy, S.C. Bhattacharyya, P Boswellic acid, acetyl P boswellic acid, acetyl 11 keto P boswellic acid and 11 keto P boswellic acid, four pentacyclic triterpene acids from the resin of Boswellia serrata Roxb, Indian Journal of Chemistry, 16B, 176 178 (1978). 

Boswellia serrata olibanum has a chemical composition close to that of both the B. carteri and of B. sacra, but contains compounds that are absent in those from other Boswellia and could be used as markers methylchavicol (38), p-anisaldehyde (47), methyleugenol (70), isocaryophyllene (82), sesquiterpene 91, elemicin (92) and an unidentified diterpene (124) eluting between cembrene C (123) and verticilla-4(20),7,ll-triene (125). It is devoid of (5-caryophyllene (73), a-humulene (78), caryophyllene oxide (95) and bornyl acetate (50). 

Boswelic acids are pentacyclic triterpenoids isolated from gum resin secreted by trees of Boswellia serrata Roxb. (Burseraceae). P-Boswelic acid... 

Preparations from the gum resin of Boswellia serrata have been used as traditional remedies in Ayurvedic medicine in India for inflammatory diseases (1). The gum contains substances that have anti-inflammatory properties they are pentacyclic triterpenes related to boswellic acid, which inhibit leukotriene biosjmthesis in neutrophilic granulocytes by inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase. Certain boswellic acids also inhibit elastase in leukocytes, inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis, and inhibit topoisome-rases in cancer cell lines. 

Several examples of bioassay-guided isolation are given in the literature. Recio et al [47] used a topical irritant agent to track the activity during the isolation of the anti-inflammatory triterpenes from Diospyros leucomelas, whereas Cuellar et al. [48] employed a combined system of in vivo and in vitro experiments, consisting of the inhibition of an enzyme activity Fig. (1) . Other authors prefer in vitro models. Ammon and Safayhi [49] used the inhibition of leukotriene formation in rat peritoneal neutrophils to isolate the boswellic acids of gum resin exudate of Boswellia serrata, whereas Takaishi et al. [42] studied the inhibition of interleukin-1 secretion, and Jain et al. [50] studied the in vitro inhibition of phospholipase A2 activity. The main results of these studies are summarised in the pharmacological activity section of this chapter. 

The mechanism of action of boswellic acids from crude extracts of Boswellia serrata has been established [59] and it was reported recently that they inhibit the increased urinary excretion of LTE4 in astrocytoma patients in vivo and block leukotriene biosynthesis ex vivo [60]. 

Boswelhc acids, which are pentacyclic triterpenes derived from the gum resin of a tropical tree, Boswellia serrata, have also recently shown promise in ameliorating signs of photoaging in facial skin [74] . 

Olibanum (frankincense) is one of a group known as the oleogum resins (mono-, sesqui-, di-, and triterpenes and mucous substances) that exude from incisions in the bark of the Boswellia trees (fam Burseraceae), the most common species of which are B. carterii (Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia) and B. serrata (India), whereas B. frereana (Oman, Somalia) and B. sacra (Arabia) belong to the rare resins on the market. 

Eight olibanum samples of unknown botanical origin have been analysed [26]. The chemical compositions are summarized in Table 10.3 for three of them. Both the olibanum coming from Somalia and that from a market in Ta izz (Yemen) have been attributed to Boswellia carteri or sacra on the basis of the occurrence of the characteristic diterpenes isoincensole and isoincensole acetate (128) together with diterpene 126. The absence of methylchavicol (38), oxygenated sesquiterpene 91 and diterpene 124 and the presence in relatively large amount of (3-caryophyllene (73), ot-humulene (78) and caryophyllene oxide (95) excluded the hypothesis of a B. serrata sample. 

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