Boswellia
""No certain conclusions can currently be drawn on the effect of orally administered Boswellia extracts on peritumoural brain edema or brain tumours in women, men or children"
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Boswellia subspecies are branching trees in Asia and Africa. Medicinal dry extracts of different Boswellia trees are traded as phytopharmaceuticals for oral administration. Boswellia extracts are claimed to be inhibitors of inflammation processes, with efficacy against perifocal edema in brain tumour patients and antitumour activity.
In-vitro experiments have found an anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effect at high concentrations in some animal and human malignant cell lines. However, the opposite effect was seen for low concentrations of Boswellia extracts. Only very little pharmacokinetic data is available for humans to date.
Findings of three clinical studies (Oxford level of evidence IV) suggest that a beneficial effect for Boswellia extracts on brain edema in some of the study participants. The applicability of these findings to other patients, however, is limited due to methodological constraints. No effect of Boswellia extracts on brain tumour growth was seen in these studies.
No certain conclusions can currently be drawn on the effect of orally administered Boswellia extracts on peritumoural brain edema or brain tumours in women, men or children.
