review · Naunyn-Schmiedeberg s Archives of Pharmacology
Boswellic acids are pentacyclic triterpene molecules derived from the gum resin of Boswellia serrata and Boswellia carteri. A review of these natural compounds and their synthetic derivatives demonstrates a wide spectrum of biological actions, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-arthritic, and hepatoprotective properties. The cytotoxic and anti-tumour effects linked to Boswellia species are primarily driven by their triterpenoid content, with three-O-acetyl-11-keto-boswellic acid identified as the most potent cytotoxic molecule among the tested substances. These anti-cancer mechanisms occur through the activation of caspases, upregulation of Bax expression, downregulation of nuclear factor-kappa B, and stimulation of poly (ADP)-ribose polymerase cleavage. Overall, the gathered evidence highlights the broad potential of boswellic acids in addressing debilitating health conditions, spanning oncology, liver disorders, inflammatory diseases, and neurological conditions.
Chronic conditions such as cancer, neurological disorders, and severe inflammatory illnesses require diverse and effective therapeutic options. Plant-derived compounds like boswellic acids offer well-defined chemical structures with multi-target biological activity. Clarifying the precise molecular mechanisms and identifying the most active derivatives helps guide rational drug design and supports the development of more effective treatments for long-term diseases.
This work points to early-stage pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications, providing medicinal chemists and drug discovery teams with a validated lead compound in three-O-acetyl-11-keto-boswellic acid for synthetic derivative development. Because the abstract reports on broad pharmacological literature searches and underlying biological mechanisms rather than formal clinical testing, commercial applications remain at an early, pre-clinical stage of development.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
There has been a lot of interest in using naturally occurring substances to treat a wide variety of chronic disorders in recent years. From the gum resin of Boswellia serrata and Boswellia carteri, the pentacyclic triterpene molecules known as boswellic acid (BA) are extracted. We aimed to provide a detailed overview of the origins, chemistry, synthetic derivatives, pharmacokinetic, and biological activity of numerous Boswellia species and their derivatives. The literature searched for reports of B. serrata and isolated BAs having anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, hypolipidemic, immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-asthmatic, and clastogenic activities. Our results revealed that the cytotoxic and anticancer effects of B. serrata refer to its triterpenoid component, including BAs. Three-O-acetyl-11-keto-BA was the most promising cytotoxic molecule among tested substances. Activation of caspases, upregulation of Bax expression, downregulation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB), and stimulation of poly (ADP)-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage are the primary mechanisms responsible for cytotoxic and antitumor effects. Evidence suggests that BAs have shown promise in combating a wide range of debilitating disease conditions, including cancer, hepatic, inflammatory, and neurological disorders.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02725-w
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
