Brilliant Boswellia

What is Boswellia?

Boswellia is a very commonly sought botanical by horse owners because its benefits are well-renowned. This powerful resin has much to offer for supporting equine health and it also has an interesting history. 

Boswellia serrata is a plant, which produces the resin that we commonly feed to horses. It is also known as Frankincense, and of course featured as one of the precious gifts brought by the Three Wise Men. Beyond its biblical connections, Frankincense, which is native to India, has been used in traditional Indian medicine practices for thousands of years. In that tradition, Frankincense has been used for many conditions ranging from joint pain to managing diabetes. 

Where did Boswellia originate?

Indian communities initially began implementing the use of Frankincense into Ayurvedic medicine after observing elephants consuming Boswellia trees. Elephants, widely considered to be wise, but also known for their longevity and incredible physical capabilities inspired the use of boswellia for people. It’s popularity rapidly increased as the benefits of consuming Frankincense made themselves clear. 

What does Boswellia help with?  

Boswellia has been shown in a wide variety of studies to reduce inflammation through moderating cytokine production In a German study, Boswellia was shown to help with IBD and has also demonstrated an ability to reduce tumours in people with with several different types of cancer. Beyond that, Frankincense has shown to have antibacterial and antiseptic properties, as well as to alleviate coughs and help with managing asthma.

The Benefits of Boswellia

The shift into using Boswellia to support animal health has shown similar results and benefits and this has made Frankincense a very popular botanical with horse owners. It is widely known to support joint health and function and to help with maintaining mobility. Beyond that, it has also shown to support clear breathing and and assist with the management of bacterial infections - particularly when using frankincense essential oil. 

In its oil form, or as the chewy gum resin extracted from the tree, Fraknicnense has much to offer in the way of benefiting horses. It is particularly beneficial for older horses, and it is for this reason that we have included it in Golden Oldies.

If you have an older horse and you’re looking to support its overall health and well-being, Golden Oldies may be just what you’re looking for. 

For more information how to support the health of a veteran horse and managing common challenges faced by older horses, read our blog post here. 

¹ Chevrier MR, Ryan AE, Lee DY-W, et al.  Boswellia carterii extract inhibits TH1 cytokines and promotes TH2 cytokines in vitro.  Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology.  2005;12(5):575-580. ² Joos SS, Rosemann TT, Szecsenyi JJ, et al.  Use of complementary and alternative medicine in Germany – a survey of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.  BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.  2006;6:19.  In press. ³ Park YS, Lee JH, Bondar J, et al.  Cytotoxic action of acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) on meningioma cells.  Planta Med.  2002;68;397-401. ⁴ Rashan, L., Hakkim, F.L., Idrees, M., Essa, M.M., Velusamy, T., Al-Baloshi, M., Al-Balushi, B.S., Al Jabri, A., Al-Rizeiqi, M.H., Guillemin, G.J. and Hasson, S.S.A.A., 2019. Boswellia Gum Resin and Essential Oils: Potential Health Benefits− An Evidence Based Review. International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases, 9(2), p.53.