Boswellia Side Effects

Boswellia, also known as Boswellia serrata, is a tree quite common in India, particularly in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Boswellia is a well-known name in Ayurvedic medicine and serves certain religious purposes as well. Boswellia serrata has been used to treat many health problems in traditional India. Certain varied health conditions such as asthma, dysentery, ulcers especially ulcerative colitis, rheumatism and skin disorders were all treated using different parts of the Boswellia serrata tree. The Boswellia serrata tree produces Boswellia, herbal medicine that is extracted from the gummy resin of the tree bark. However, like any other herbal plant, Boswellia serrata, too, comes with its share of side effects. In the following lines, we have provided the adverse effects of Boswellia.

Adverse Effects Of Boswellia

Boswellia, in general, has no side effects. However, if not consumed as prescribed, it can lead to certain toxic effects. Nausea and acid reflux are the most common complaints after Boswellia consumption. It is always better to consult a professional healthcare expert before using Boswellia.
Boswellia is also said to cause gastrointestinal problems, abdominal fullness, epigastria pain, gastro esophageal reflux symptoms and diarrhea, if not consumed or used as prescribed. It is, however, not clear whether these problems occur as a result of the patient’s underlying colitis or due to Boswellia in particular.
Eczema is also reported as a side effect in clinical trials using articling, a combination product containing gum resin from Boswellia serrata, Withania somnifera, and curcuma longa and zinc complex. It is, however, not clear whether Boswellia alone can lead to this side effect or not.
Resins from Boswellia are an emmenagogue and can lead to birth related problems and even induce abortion. Therefore, Boswellia is not recommended for women, who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
Boswellia dosage should be strictly followed according to the prescription, and should be used only after consulting your health expert. Out of the many adverse effects of Boswellia, few of them are stomach pain, heart bum, skin rashes and stomach discomfort.
The gummy substance in Boswellia is the thriving bed for boswellic acid. The boswellic acid present in Boswellia can lead to several negative effects, one of them being the inhibition of leukotriene biosynthesis.
There are certain Boswellia based creams as well. These creams have been reported to boost or trigger allergic reactions in many people. The cream can also cause dermatitis or inflammation of the skin.
Boswellia can lead to certain life threatening side effects as well. The symptoms of such side effects are chest pain, difficulty in breathing, tightness in chest and throat, skin hives, swollen and itchy skin and many such signs of allergy and choking sensation. These symptoms need to be immediately referred to a doctor, in order to treat these complex symptoms.
Boswellia can even react and interact with other medicines and can decrease their effect on the body. Supplements that contain anti-cancer properties, those used for treating joint diseases, antifungal agents and cholesterol-lowering medicines are among the few medicines with which Boswellia can react, leading to ineffectiveness of these medicines.

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