Boswellia

Boswellia is a type of tree from the burseraceae family, which is noted for its fragranced sap. The boswellia serrata variety grows to about 14 feet tall in the hills of India, while the boswellia carterii variety grows in Africa and parts of Saudi Arabia. Both trees produce a highly scented sap sometimes known as Frankincense that has been a prized healing substance since ancient times.

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Boswellia sap is reduced to a sticky resin substance that is known as a guggul (tree resins used in Ayurvedic preparations and healing). This resin, also called boswellia, is the medicinal part of the boswellia tree, and is used in Ayurvedic healing. Boswellia resin is available in a range of grades.

Refining Boswellia Organically

The optimal process for concentrating Boswellia is called supercritical extraction. This organic method uses up to 200 pounds of fresh boswellia sap to create just 1 pound of super concentrated boswellia extract. Prior to processing, all of the sap is tested for heavy metals and other impurities that would render it unsuitable for refining.

Carbon dioxide (just like the carbon dioxide used to carbonate sparkling water) is used in place of chemicals to reduce the raw tree sap into the pure extract. The extract is then recombined with raw boswellia to create a treatment so pure that the heady fragrance is still present. This careful process results is a super-concentrated yet pure extract.

Boswellia Potency

The higher the grade of boswellia, the more fragrant and potent the resin is. Boswellia grades are determined by the season when the resin is harvested, and how well the resin has been sorted. The highest quality boswellia is said to be that which is harvested in October, when a section of tree bark is scraped away and the sap is collected.

Boswellia potency and grades also depend on the variety of boswellia used in the preparation of the extract. Boswellia from Ethiopia, boswellia papyrifera, has been considered a high-grade version, but is unobtainable in the western world. This article will focus on the high-grade boswellia serrata variety, which has been refined and used in both the East and the West for hundreds of years.

Boswellic Acid Concentrations

The active ingredient in boswellia tablets is boswellic acid. Boswellic acid makes up about 30 percent of the raw boswellia sap as it is taken raw from the Indian tree. Once the sap is concentrated and purified, the concentration of boswellic acid increases dramatically. The most powerfully concentrated boswellia extracts contain 65 percent boswellia acids.

When put into capsule form, other inactive ingredients may be added to create a stable form of boswellia extract. Reputable Ayurvedic medicine sources use kosher, vegetarian inactive ingredients such as vegetable cellulose (to create the capsule itself) and non-synthetic aerated silica to bind the extract together. Pure boswellia extracts don't contain any heavy metal traces whatsoever.

Oral Boswellia Dosages

Boswellia capsules can contain between 200 and 500 mg of boswellia. Ayurvedic practitioners recommend people take two 500mg boswellia capsules per day to maintain a healthy inflammation response, ease pain and maintain joint heath. As with all other supplements, you should follow your doctor's dosage instructions if they are different.

Herbal researchers have found that ingesting approximately 1,000 mg of boswellia per day is a safe dosage for most adults. Consumption of boswellia during pregnancy should be discussed with your doctor, as boswellia use in pregnant women has not been studied in-depth. Although boswellia has not been found to have problem interactions with other medications, you should inform your doctor if she prescribes new medications for you.

Boswellia in Joint Compounds

For targeted joint pain relief, bowsellia is also available in combination with other joint health herbs. The most potent combination adds tumeric, Shilajit and Ashwagandha herbs to boswellia to create a synergistic compound specifically targeted to joint health.

Joint compound dosages should replace your normal dosage of boswellia--do not take both the full joint compound dosage and the full boswellia dosage. Ayurvedic practitioners recommend one 500 mg joint compound capsule be taken up to twice daily for best results. Discuss any switch between your herbal supplements with your Ayurvedic practitioner or doctor to ensure that you maintain a health balance.