Boswellia serrata has been traditionally used in ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammatory problems. This has been its main use since this herb was found to be rich in Boswellic acids, an active component found in Boswellia serrata that helps on the treatment of inflammatory conditions. Image: Boswellia sacra by Scott Zona under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0).

WHAT IS BOSWELLIC ACID?

Boswellic acids are Triterpenes, organic acids found mainly in the resin produced by plants in the genus Boswellia, as Boswellia serrata, and can be up to 30% of the total active constituents found in that resin. They were used in Ayurvedic medicine as part of many other traditional herbal remedies.

BOSWELLIA SERRATA

Family: Burseraceae
Genus: Boswellia
Common name: Indian frankincense, Salai, ru Xiang (Chinese).

Active constituents found in the aqueous extract of a flower native to Spanish coasts, locally known as Manto de la Virgen (English: Virgin's mantle), botanical name Fagonia cretica, showed cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, causing p53 associated growth arrest within 5 hours of extract treatment and apoptosis within 24 hours, showing how the aqueous extract of Fagonia cretica can induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via p53-dependent and independent mechanisms, with activation of the DNA damage response [5].  Image: Fagonia cretica by Silversyrpher under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

The results of the study indicate that Fagonia cretica aqueous extract contains potential anti-cancer agents acting either singly or in combination against breast cancer cell proliferation via DNA damage-induced FOXO3a and p53 expression [5].

FAGONIA CRETICA

Family: Zygophyllaceae
Genus: Fagonia
Common name: Virgin's mantle, Manto de la virgen.