DAVIS, California—An enriched extract of the Indian Frankincense herb Boswellia serrata marketed as 5-Loxin® may reduce the pain and improve physical functioning in people with osteoarthritis (OA) in just 7 days, finds new research published in Arthritis Research & Therapy.1

“This study provides important information about the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin in the treatment of OA, which may be useful in promoting 5-Loxin as a promising alternative therapeutic strategy that may be used as a nutritional supplement against OA.”—Siba Raychaudhuri, MD
The extract is a novel Boswellia serrata formulation that is enriched with 30% 3-0-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) and exhibits anti-inflammatory effects by blocking the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme. The extract is being developed by Laila Nutraceuticals, which is based in Vijayawada, India.

“This study provides important information about the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin in the treatment of OA, which may be useful in promoting 5-Loxin as a promising alternative therapeutic strategy that may be used as a nutritional supplement against OA,” conclude researchers led by Siba Raychaudhuri, MD, of the University of California at Davis.

Frankincense, which has long been burned as incense in religious rites, is an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia. Smoke from the burning resin is reported to have antidepressant properties. Frankincense (also known as olibanum) was introduced to Europe by Frankish crusaders.

The randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study included 70 patients who received either 100 mg or 250 mg of extract daily or placebo for 90 days. Researchers used the visual analog scale, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and Lequesne's Functional Index to evaluate pain and physical function at baseline, days 7, 30, 60, and 90. They also measured levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) in synovial fluid.

Higher dose, better results

The 250-mg dose showed better therapeutic efficacy than the 100-mg dose, the researchers report, and there was also a marked reduction in synovial fluid MMP-3. Significant improvements in pain score and functional ability were seen in the patients taking 250 mg as early as 7 days after the start of treatment, which was also shown to be safe “for human consumption, even long term.”

“The high incidence of adverse affects associated with currently available medications has created great interest in the search for an effective and safe alternative treatment,” Dr. Raychaudhuri said in a press release.

Translating research into practice

The formulation used in the trial differs significantly from most natural or herbal medicine preparations, which tend to emphasize using the whole plant rather than extracting or enriching the apparently active compounds.

“When I use Boswellia, I put it in a formula with a number of other herbs as most herbs are not used alone, and their most active ingredients are not extracted,” said Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, a naturopathic physician and author in City Island, NY “The whole plant is what is usually used so that any possible side effects from the concentration of one chemical component doesn’t occur.”

Reference
1. Sengupta K, Alluri KV, Sathas AR, et al. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin(R) for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee [published online ahead of print July 30 2008]. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008. http://arthritis-research.com/content/10/4/R85.