Turning Off the Pain If you're pondering gift ideas for a newborn, gold has obvious appeal, but frankincense and myrrh? Those botanicals might be better put to use by older folks who need an indigestion tonic (myrrh) or a natural way to comfort joint pain (frankincense). Herbalists also call frankincense "Boswellia" - a gummy resin that comes from the Boswellia serrata tree and has been used by healers for many centuries. Late bloomer The Boswellia serrata tree grows mostly in Northern Africa, the Middle East, and India, so it's fitting that this new research is a joint study from three medical universities in Nagpur, India, and is reported in the most recent issue of the Indian Journal of Pharmacology. STUDY PROFILE Researchers recruited 66 patients between the ages of 40 and 70 who had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee Subjects were divided into two groups to receive either 333mg of Boswellia serrata extract (BSE) three times each day, or 10 mg of valdecoxib daily (Valdecoxib is better known as Bextra - one of the notorious COX-2 inhibitors that have received much-needed safety scrutiny over the past few years.) Before the six-month intervention period began, each subject's OA was assessed using a series of questions known as the WOMAC scale - a commonly used method of rating OA progression - The WOMAC scale was used once each month during intervention and again one month after the completion of intervention
- Both groups experienced significant improvements in pain, stiffness, and difficulty in performing daily activities
- Improvements in the valdecoxib group began after one month, but pain relief lasted only as long as the drug was being used
- Improvements in the BSE group began after two months, but pain relief continued throughout the month after the end of the intervention
- Both therapies were generally well tolerated, but three BSE subjects and one valdecoxib subject complained of acidity.
Knocking out inflammation Scientists have discovered that boswellic acid - the active ingredient of BSE - inhibits the synthesis of inflammatory molecules called leukotrienes. Research has shown that these anti-inflammatory effects of Boswellia extend beyond joint pain relief. In a 1997 study, the herb was given to patients suffering from ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory disease of the large intestine and rectum). Since ulcerative colitis is thought to be incurable, the results of the study were impressive: 82 percent of the patients who received Boswellia went into remission. A 1998 study of 40 asthma-sufferers showed a significant effect with BSE use. Seventy percent of those receiving Boswellia showed improvement versus only 27 percent of the control group. The researchers concluded that the "data show a definite role of gum resin of Boswellia serrata in the treatment of bronchial asthma." BSA products and formulations that contain BSA can be found in vitamin stores and through various Internet sources. Talk to your doctor before using Boswellia. You can find more information about natural ways to treat osteoarthritis and other joint pains in the e-Alert "Gut Feeling" at this link: http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealerts/ea200501/ea20050131.html | 
