Visit the Microscopic Colitis Foundation Website
This subject may have been discussed before but since I am relatively new here I haven't seen anything on it.
In 1997 a study was conducted using boswellia on UC patients. 82% of the patients receiving it went into remission. It is claimed to be a potent anti-inflammatory without side effects. Other tests for arthritis and back pain have also given similar results.
The test reference is Eur J Med Res 2(1):37-43, 1997
Tex, I have read your posts recently regarding Boswellia as a pain reliever. What is your take on this as it relates to MC?
Hotrod
Boswellia for UC
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
-
RUBYREDDOG
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:45 pm
- Location: Glendale, Ca.
-
RUBYREDDOG
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:45 pm
- Location: Glendale, Ca.
Hotrod,
The test results that I've seen, look good, and it was actually recommended to Polly, by her GI doc. I really think that we should be trying it for MC. I can't do it because I'm in remission. If you look at the test results, it always does better than the meds commonly used to treat IBDs.
I suppose I could do a "gluten challenge", and then try it, but I think I'll hang loose for a while, to see if someone else is willing to give it a try. For some reason or other, uncontrollable diarrhea just doesn't appeal to me as much as it used to. LOL.
Tex
The test results that I've seen, look good, and it was actually recommended to Polly, by her GI doc. I really think that we should be trying it for MC. I can't do it because I'm in remission. If you look at the test results, it always does better than the meds commonly used to treat IBDs.
I suppose I could do a "gluten challenge", and then try it, but I think I'll hang loose for a while, to see if someone else is willing to give it a try. For some reason or other, uncontrollable diarrhea just doesn't appeal to me as much as it used to. LOL.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
-
RUBYREDDOG
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:45 pm
- Location: Glendale, Ca.
Hotrod,
Boswellia has been clinically tested and shown to be effective for Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and collagenous colitis - I see no reason why that effectiveness wouldn't extend to lymphocytic colitis.
I assume you've seen the test report cited previously, concerning treatment for CC, but here's a link, in case you want to review it again:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17764013
Here's a discussion of test trials using Boswellia Serata Extract, (BSE), for Crohn's and UC. (Scroll down to where it says, "A Key Role for Boswellia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease":
http://www.crohns.net/Miva/education/ar ... rapy.shtml
Please don't forget to keep us informed, if/when you begin that "trial".
Tex
Boswellia has been clinically tested and shown to be effective for Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and collagenous colitis - I see no reason why that effectiveness wouldn't extend to lymphocytic colitis.
I assume you've seen the test report cited previously, concerning treatment for CC, but here's a link, in case you want to review it again:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17764013
Here's a discussion of test trials using Boswellia Serata Extract, (BSE), for Crohn's and UC. (Scroll down to where it says, "A Key Role for Boswellia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease":
http://www.crohns.net/Miva/education/ar ... rapy.shtml
Please don't forget to keep us informed, if/when you begin that "trial".
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
-
RUBYREDDOG
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:45 pm
- Location: Glendale, Ca.
Tex, I have seen one of these studies and after reading the other I probably will give it a try after the first of the year. OMG, that's only a month away. I will have to order them soon.
I have ordered other supplements from Vitacost and checked out the ones that you used. They seem pretty good however I am confused regarding the mg values as compared to the studies. They recommend 180 mg, equivalent to 1.2 g of Boswellia gum resin three times a day. How does that compute?
I will probably order some extra. My 12 year old hound dog could use some as well.
Hotrod
I have ordered other supplements from Vitacost and checked out the ones that you used. They seem pretty good however I am confused regarding the mg values as compared to the studies. They recommend 180 mg, equivalent to 1.2 g of Boswellia gum resin three times a day. How does that compute?
I will probably order some extra. My 12 year old hound dog could use some as well.
Hotrod
Hotrod,
As Polly has pointed out, this stuff can run into money, when used in amounts proven to provide beneficial results according to the research projects cited above. We might have to try to get some of that "Government Bailout Money", in order to see this through.
I don't understand the 180 mg extract relationship to the 1200 mg of gum, that you mentioned. The sources I have seen, show the extract to be 30% of the gum, not 15%. We need to verify which one is right, obviously, since that doubling of the cost, might be vital, from a practical standpoint.
If you look at the "canine inflammatory joint and spinal disease" research project, for example, as referenced in my post about treating dogs with boswellia, they used boswellia resin extract, (BSB108, product of Bogar AG), at the rate of 400 mg/10 kg of body weight, once daily for six weeks. I would assume that boswellia resin extract is equivalent to the bosweilla serata extract that I tried. IOW, the boswellia extract amounts to 30 % of boswellia gum, so that 1,200 mg, (1.2 g), of boswellia gum, yields 400 mg of boswellia serata extract. (Boswellia serata is simply the name of the tree that is the source of the boswellia gum, or resin).
That dosage rate amounts to 88.184 mg per pound of body weight, (if my math is correct). That would be 14,109.44 mg, for a 160 lb. man, for example, or 14.1 grams. That be 188 of those 150 mg capsules that I bought. Since there are 120 of them per bottle, a bottle and a half would be needed, per day. (Note that the label says 150 mg per "serving", but a "serving" is 2 capsules). I hope I made a math mistake somewhere, because this does not bode well for getting any practical use out of this stuff. The cost, (unless we could get a substantial discount on truckload lots , would be about $22.50 per day, or over $8,200 per year. <sigh> IOW, the cost of the product used in that 6 week research project on canines, amounted to about $950 per dog. It's hard to win, isn't it. It's almost impossible to escape the clutches of the pharmaceutical companies.
Tex
As Polly has pointed out, this stuff can run into money, when used in amounts proven to provide beneficial results according to the research projects cited above. We might have to try to get some of that "Government Bailout Money", in order to see this through.
I don't understand the 180 mg extract relationship to the 1200 mg of gum, that you mentioned. The sources I have seen, show the extract to be 30% of the gum, not 15%. We need to verify which one is right, obviously, since that doubling of the cost, might be vital, from a practical standpoint.
If you look at the "canine inflammatory joint and spinal disease" research project, for example, as referenced in my post about treating dogs with boswellia, they used boswellia resin extract, (BSB108, product of Bogar AG), at the rate of 400 mg/10 kg of body weight, once daily for six weeks. I would assume that boswellia resin extract is equivalent to the bosweilla serata extract that I tried. IOW, the boswellia extract amounts to 30 % of boswellia gum, so that 1,200 mg, (1.2 g), of boswellia gum, yields 400 mg of boswellia serata extract. (Boswellia serata is simply the name of the tree that is the source of the boswellia gum, or resin).
That dosage rate amounts to 88.184 mg per pound of body weight, (if my math is correct). That would be 14,109.44 mg, for a 160 lb. man, for example, or 14.1 grams. That be 188 of those 150 mg capsules that I bought. Since there are 120 of them per bottle, a bottle and a half would be needed, per day. (Note that the label says 150 mg per "serving", but a "serving" is 2 capsules). I hope I made a math mistake somewhere, because this does not bode well for getting any practical use out of this stuff. The cost, (unless we could get a substantial discount on truckload lots
, would be about $22.50 per day, or over $8,200 per year. <sigh> IOW, the cost of the product used in that 6 week research project on canines, amounted to about $950 per dog. It's hard to win, isn't it. It's almost impossible to escape the clutches of the pharmaceutical companies.Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hotrod,
By comparison, consider this research project , (presumably with UC patients), where:
900 mg of gum resin, would be equivalent to only 270 mg of boswellia serata extract. At that rate, only 3.6 capsules per day of the stuff that I bought, would be required, at a retail cost of only 45 cents per day. Obviously that's much more affordable.
Clearly, we need to reconcile the amounts used in these research projects. I find it somewhat incredible that they used that much in the canine trials. Physically, that's a pretty sizable pile of boswellia serata extract that those dogs had to consume with their food, every day. I can't help but wonder about their math, or if they just arbitratily chose that amount, in order to guarantee a response by brute force. IOW, I wonder what a minimum "effective" dose might be, for dogs.
Tex
By comparison, consider this research project , (presumably with UC patients), where:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1148 ... t=CitationTwenty patients were given a preparation of the gum resin of Boswellia serrata (900 mg daily divided in three doses for 6 weeks) and ten patients were given sulfasalazine (3 gm daily divided in three doses for 6 weeks) and served as controls. Out of 20 patients treated with Boswellia gum resin 18 patients showed an improvement in one or more of the parameters: including stool properties, histopathology as well as scanning electron microscopy, besides haemoglobin, serum iron, calcium, phosphorus, proteins, total leukocytes and eosinophils. In the control group 6 out of 10 patients showed similar results with the same parameters. Out of 20 patients treated with Boswellia gum resin 14 went into remission while in case of sulfasalazine remission rate was 4 out of 10. In conclusion, this study shows that a gum resin preparation from Boswellia serrata could be effective in the treatment of chronic colitis with minimal side effects.
900 mg of gum resin, would be equivalent to only 270 mg of boswellia serata extract. At that rate, only 3.6 capsules per day of the stuff that I bought, would be required, at a retail cost of only 45 cents per day. Obviously that's much more affordable.
Clearly, we need to reconcile the amounts used in these research projects. I find it somewhat incredible that they used that much in the canine trials. Physically, that's a pretty sizable pile of boswellia serata extract that those dogs had to consume with their food, every day. I can't help but wonder about their math, or if they just arbitratily chose that amount, in order to guarantee a response by brute force. IOW, I wonder what a minimum "effective" dose might be, for dogs.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
-
RUBYREDDOG
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:45 pm
- Location: Glendale, Ca.
Tex, This is the way I see it. (and I am probably wrong) The gum is taken from the tree. The boswellia extract is contained in the gum. The percentages vary from product to product. (30% in the product that you purchased)
The gum oreoresin comes from the tree bark. Oreoresin consists of essential oils, gum and terpenoids. Terpenoids contain the boswellic acids. These acids have been shown to inhibit the production of leukotrienes in our body which contribute to joint inflammation and other responses.
The product you purchased (5-loxin) is a selective inhibitor for the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. The acid is touted as the most potent of all the Boswellia acids.
Other products contain alpha and beta acids. One on this site contains 65% (200mg of acid from 307 mg of extract) This is also cheaper.
Wow, I initally thought this would be easy, like taking a vitamin c pill, but the more I learn the more confused I get.
The 5-loxin product is supposed to inhibit collagen degradation. While the other promotes comfort in the lower back.
Maybe you can make some sense out of this. I agree with you that 900-1200 mg of the gum resin is the dosage used in these tests.
Hoping you and all on this board have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!
Hotrod
The gum oreoresin comes from the tree bark. Oreoresin consists of essential oils, gum and terpenoids. Terpenoids contain the boswellic acids. These acids have been shown to inhibit the production of leukotrienes in our body which contribute to joint inflammation and other responses.
The product you purchased (5-loxin) is a selective inhibitor for the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. The acid is touted as the most potent of all the Boswellia acids.
Other products contain alpha and beta acids. One on this site contains 65% (200mg of acid from 307 mg of extract) This is also cheaper.
Wow, I initally thought this would be easy, like taking a vitamin c pill, but the more I learn the more confused I get.
The 5-loxin product is supposed to inhibit collagen degradation. While the other promotes comfort in the lower back.
Maybe you can make some sense out of this. I agree with you that 900-1200 mg of the gum resin is the dosage used in these tests.
Hoping you and all on this board have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!
Hotrod
Hotrod,
Did you check Wikipedia's description of "boswellic acid"? The first reference listed there, appears to be pretty comprehensive:
http://www.salugenecists.com/genpage.ph ... al&dbid=24
Note that Wikipedia mentions a risk of hepatoxicity with high dosages, (in mouse models). I hadn't encountered that before, (in reference to boswellia).
Tex
Did you check Wikipedia's description of "boswellic acid"? The first reference listed there, appears to be pretty comprehensive:
http://www.salugenecists.com/genpage.ph ... al&dbid=24
The red emphasis is mine, of course. I get the impression that "everybody" is selling a different version of this stuff. How can they call it "standardized", when there are a zillion different versions of a "standard" extract.Description, professional
Boswellia serrata is a medium to large-sized branching tree about 12 feet in height and three to four feet in girth, generally found in dry hilly areas of India, North Africa, and the Middle East. When strips of its bark are peeled away, the Boswellia serrata exudes a gummy oleo-resin known as salai guggul that has been traditionally used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine as an anti-arthritic. The resin contains oils, terpenoids and gum. The oil, which is called Indian frankincense, has long been an important ingredient in Oriental perfumes. The terpenoids, the medicinally active components of the exudates, are called boswellic acids.
The resin of the Boswella serrata tree is collected towards the end of October. Transverse incisions are made in the upper and lower portions of the tree trunk to be exposed and then segments of bark six to eight inches wide are peeled off. The gum that exudes from the resulting wound is collected for the next 10 to 12 days.
Key Constituents
The exudate of the boswellia tree contains oils, terpenoids, and gum:
* Up to 16% of the oleo-resin is essential oil, primarily alpha thujene and p-cymene.
* The terpenoids are comprised of four pentacyclic triterpene acids: beta-boswellic acid (the most abundant), 3-o-acteyl beta, 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid, and 3 o-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid.
* The gum resins are also known as guggals.
* The terpenoids, referred to collectively as boswellic acids, have been shown to be the active constituents in boswellia. The gum resin of Boswellia serrata typically contains 30% boswellic acids. Ethanol extracts typically contain 43% boswellic acids. Standardized extracts from commercial sources contain from 37.5% to 65% boswellic acids.
Note that Wikipedia mentions a risk of hepatoxicity with high dosages, (in mouse models). I hadn't encountered that before, (in reference to boswellia).
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
-
RUBYREDDOG
- Adélie Penguin
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 4:45 pm
- Location: Glendale, Ca.