Definition:

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herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract Health Benefits:

herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract is a natural active ingredient obtained from the resin of the Boswellia serrata tree, also known as Indian frankincense. Traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine and modern natural health products, it is renowned for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and joint-protective properties.

Particularities of herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract:

Product Specifications:

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Product quality standards:

● Food grade, In-house

▶ Anti-inflammatory

herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract Applications:

herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract inhibits the key enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) in the inflammatory response. This reduces the production of leukotrienes, which are potent pro-inflammatory substances, and blocks the inflammatory cascade reaction at its source. Research indicates that it regulates chronic inflammation-related issues, such as alleviating intestinal inflammation and helping to reduce discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome, as well as reducing airway spasms in asthma patients. This anti-inflammatory process does not affect the protective mechanisms of the gastric mucosa and causes significantly less gastrointestinal irritation than traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

■ Source

The Indian Boswellia serrata tree belongs to the Burseraceae family and the Boswellia genus, and is a deciduous tree. Primarily native to South Asia, it grows in regions such as the Indian subcontinent (including India and Pakistan), Iran, and the arid or semi-arid areas of the Middle East. It typically grows in hot, sunlit areas with gravelly soil. The raw material for the extract is not the entire plant, but the resin secreted by the tree, commonly known as 'frankincense'. This resin is obtained by making controlled 'cuts' to the trunk of the tree (in a similar way to tapping rubber trees for latex). In order to protect the wound, the tree secretes a sticky resin that ranges in colour from pale yellow to amber. Once this resin has hardened and dried naturally, it forms block-shaped or granular 'frankincense resin', which is collected and used as the raw material for extraction.

herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract is available in the following specification and contents:

☑  herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract 65% (Boswellic acids)

In the dietary supplement sector, herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract is primarily intended for daily health maintenance, and products are mainly oral. The core objective is to provide anti-inflammatory support and protect joints. Joint health products are most commonly formulated in combination with ingredients such as glucosamine, chondroitin and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), and are available in capsule, tablet or powder form. Anti-inflammatory regulation products are mostly single-ingredient or combined capsules/soft capsules (e.g. with curcumin), used to alleviate the discomfort of chronic inflammation. A small number of immune regulation products use herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract as an auxiliary ingredient, combined with vitamin C and zinc to leverage its regulatory effect on immune cells and enhance immune defence. However, such applications are relatively rare and require a synergistic effect with other ingredients. In the medical field, herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract is primarily used as a medicinal raw material or adjuvant therapy ingredient to improve disease-related symptoms. As an anti-inflammatory adjuvant, it is used to relieve the pain and swelling associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It can also be used as an adjunctive therapy for intestinal diseases and as an ingredient in respiratory drugs. herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract is primarily used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and certain traditional Chinese medical practices, focusing on natural regulation. Topical formulations combine frankincense resin extract with other natural ingredients, such as coconut oil and beeswax, to create ointments and oils. These are applied to bruises and contusions to alleviate swelling and pain. In Ayurvedic medicine, internal formulations often combine herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract with herbal ingredients to create decoctions or pills that regulate chronic joint discomfort and intestinal dysfunction. Some formulations are also used to improve skin inflammation through internal and external application.

■ Active ingredients

The core bioactive value of herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract stems from its unique boswellic acids (BAs). BA is a general term for a class of lipophilic pentacyclic triterpenic acids that account for 70-90% of the extract's active components. The primary bioactive compounds among these are 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) and 11-keto-β-boswellic acid (KBA). In addition to these, the extract contains small amounts of other components which, although less active, may exhibit synergistic effects with the BAs. α-Boswellic acid (α-BA) has a similar structure to β-boswellic acid, but exhibits lower anti-inflammatory activity. It primarily serves as a 'characteristic component' in the extract, used for authenticating the raw material. Volatile components such as monoterpenes (α-pinene and limonene) and sesquiterpenes are present in extremely low quantities (typically<1%) and primarily contribute to the natural aroma of frankincense, with limited additional effects on its core functions. Polysaccharides and resin impurities are purified to extremely low levels (less than 5%) and exhibit no clear activity. Their main effect is on the purity of the extract, and they are usually removed during the refinement stage.

herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract works in two ways. First, it reduces inflammation in the synovial membrane of the joints, alleviating pain and swelling. Second, it inhibits the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), thereby reducing the degradation of joint cartilage and helping to slow down wear and tear (such as that associated with osteoarthritis). Multiple clinical studies have demonstrated that long-term supplementation (typically 12 weeks or more) can significantly enhance joint mobility in patients with osteoarthritis and reduce pain scores (e.g. Visual Analogue Scale).

▶ Joint health

In Indian Ayurvedic medicine, herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract is used to alleviate bruising, muscle aches and joint stiffness, and is often applied topically in the form of an ointment or taken internally as a decoction. It can also be used to improve skin inflammation and minor wound healing, and its extract is often added to modern skincare products for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

▶ Traditional values

■ Extraction process characteristics

The core objective of the herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract extraction process is to efficiently separate and concentrate the active components (especially frankincense acid and AKBA) while removing impurities. This process can be divided into three main stages: pretreatment of the raw material, core extraction and purification and refinement. First, select dried frankincense resin (in block or granular form) that is free from mould and insect damage, and remove impurities such as bark and sand. The screened resin is then ground into a fine 80-120 mesh powder using a grinder, which increases the contact area between the resin and solvent and thereby enhances extraction efficiency. Some processes involve drying the resin powder at a low temperature (40-50°C) to remove residual moisture and prevent microbial growth during extraction or solvent contamination.

The core extraction stage primarily involves separating the active components, which is at the heart of the extraction process. The two main methods are solvent extraction and supercritical CO2 extraction. Solvent extraction is the more common method, utilising the lipid-solubility of frankincense acid in organic solvents to separate the active components. Supercritical CO2 extraction is used for high-end products, leveraging the unique properties of supercritical CO2-a substance that combines the diffusivity of a gas with the solubility of a liquid-to efficiently extract active components.

The aim of the purification and refinement stage is to remove impurities, such as waxes, inactive oils and residual solvents, from the extract in order to obtain a high-purity extract. When solvent extraction is used, the concentrated extract may contain waxes or oils. These require washing with weak polar solvents, such as petroleum ether or hexane, to remove the lipophilic impurities (impurities that dissolve in weak polar solvents). Boswellic acid does not dissolve in these solvents. For products requiring a particularly high level of purity, further separation is performed using 'column chromatography' (with silica gel or macroporous resin acting as the adsorbent) to precisely enrich the boswellic acid content, ensuring that the AKBA content meets the required specifications (typically 20-65%). The purified extract is then processed into a powder via spray drying or vacuum freeze drying to facilitate subsequent manufacturing into capsules, tablets and other products.

☑  herbgreey®Boswellia serrata extract 10:1/20:1/30:1

General Information: