Boswellia serrata
Boswellia serrata and brain tumors
The resin from Boswellia serrata has an important role in treating brain cancer. Boswellic acid has been shown to demonstrate anti-carcinogenic and anti-tumor activity in several animal models. It also reduces inflammation and prevents metastasis. Boswellia may be doubly useful for primary brain tumors. Studies tell us that in addition to helping reduce cerebral swelling around the tumor, boswellia also kills glioblastoma cells .
Boswellia serrata – definition
Source: The website of the National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov)
A tree that belongs to the incense tree family. The tree’s amber-colored resin is used in incense. The resin has anti-inflammatory effects and has been used to treat arthritis, asthma, and ulcerative colitis. It is also being studied in the treatment of brain tumors. Also called frankincense tree.
Boswellia Serrata
Source: Townsend Letter
The major constituent – boswellic acid – has been shown to demonstrate anti-carcinogenic and anti-tumor activity in several animal models. It also reduces inflammation and favors the production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins, which prevent metastasis.
Boswellia / Frankincense – Viable Cancer Alternatives
Source: Dr Coldwell
Immunologist Mahmoud Suhail is hoping to re-interest the medical community in the healing abilities of this ancient oil. Scientists have observed that there is an agent within Frankincense which stops cancer from spreading, and which actually induces cancerous cells to shut themselves down. He is trying to identify what this is. “Cancer starts when the DNA code within the cell’s nucleus becomes corrupted” he says. “It seems Frankincense has a re-set function. It can tell the cell what the correct DNA code should be. It separates the ‘brain’ of the cancerous cell – the nucleus – from the ‘body’ – the cytoplasm, and closes down the nucleus to stop it from reproducing corrupted DNA codes.” As this oil is molecularly small enough, it can actually cross the blood brain barrier.
Boswellia spp
Source: CAM-cancer
Mechanisms of action
Some BAs – especially AKBA – have shown to reduce tumour cell proliferation and to induce apoptosis in several in-vitro experiments with animal and human malignant cell lines, as well as in animal studies . The underlying mechanism might be an interference with epigenetics in tumour cells .
Legal issues and providers
Boswellia products are traded as “dietary supplements”. H 15 Ayurmedica is a registered Ayurvedic medication in India (Gufic, Mumbay, India). Its manufacturer also holds a partial license for Switzerland, but is not licensed within the EU. However, it can be imported to the EU for use in individual patients under specific circumstances and for use in clinical studies. Additionally, some companies sell Boswellia extracts as “dietary supplements” in the EU.
Brain cancer
Boswellia
Source: Life Extension
Boswellia: The resin from Boswellia serrata also has an important role in treating brain cancer. Boswellia is commonly used for treating inflammation because it acts as an NF-KappaB inhibitor. It is neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and reduces anxiety (Moussaieff A et al 2009).
One important use of boswellia is in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries. Boswellia decreases the brain swelling from glioblastoma, allowing a decrease in the use of prednisone and thus reducing its side effects (Janssen G et al 2000).
Boswellia inhibits hippocampal neurodegeneration and exerts a beneficial effect on functional outcome after closed head injury, as evidenced by reduced neurological severity scores and improved cognitive ability in an object recognition test (Moussaieff A et al 2008).
A 2006 paper reports that Boswellia serrata was gaining importance in the treatment of edema surrounding tumors and other chronic inflammatory diseases. This study suggested that boswellia might be considered as an alternative to corticosteroids in reducing cerebral peritumoral edema (Weber CC et al 2006).
Finding ways to reduce or replace steroid use in the treatment of brain tumors is important, since steroid drugs may protect brain tumor cells. According to a 2000 article in Neuroscience, “glucocorticoids are often used in the treatment of gliomas to relieve cerebral oedema, the inhibition of apoptosis by these compounds could potentially interfere with the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs.” (Gorman AM et al 2000)
A 2006 study reported that steroids interfere with glioma cell apoptosis (Ní Chonghaile T et al 2006). Steroids block the cancer-killing action of camptothecin, a chemotherapy drug used in treating glioma (Qian YH et al 2009).
Boswellia may be doubly useful for primary brain tumors. Studies published in 2000 (Winking M et al 2000) and 2002 (Park YS et al 2002) tell us that in addition to helping reduce cerebral swelling around the tumor, boswellia also kills glioblastoma cells in a dose-dependent manner.
Boswellia is also useful for treating secondary brain tumors. In 2007 researchers reported using boswellia to treat a patient with breast cancer metastasis to the brain. Familiar with the German research on using boswellia in the treatment of primary brain tumors, the team tried it with these secondary brain tumors and reported benefit. After ten weeks of boswellia treatment in combination with radiation treatment, all signs of brain metastases on the patient’s CT scans had disappeared (Flavin DF 2007).
Published Clinical Trials / Studies / Reviews
Frankincense oil derived from Boswellia carteri induces tumor cell specific cytotoxicity
Boswellia serrata acts on cerebral edema in patients irradiated for brain tumors
Novel Boswellic acids Nanoparticles induces cell death in Prostate cancer cells
Boswellic acid acetate induces apoptosis through caspase-mediated pathways in myeloid leukemia cells
LY294002 Enhances Boswellic Acid-induced Apoptosis in Colon Cancer Cells
Antiangiogenic and cytotoxic activity of boswellic acid on breast cancer MCF-7 cells
Where can I get this treatment and more information??
Boswellia is available in health food stores and online
Updated 2024