April 16, 2007 – Boswellia resin, a plant that belongs to the Ayurvedic tradition (India), is said to relieve pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Its effects would last longer than those of Bextra®, an anti-inflammatory drug from the COX-2 family.
The Bextra has not been sold in Canada since 2005. The Célébrex® and Vioxx®– the latter has also been withdrawn from the market – are also part of the same category of anti-inflammatory drugs which are accused of having adverse effects on the cardiovascular system.
Indian researchers compared the effects of a boswellia extract (Boswellia serrata) to those of Bextra in 66 patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. The study participants took 1000 mg per day of a boswellia extract standardized to 40% boswellic acid or 10 mg of Bextra for six months.
The results indicate that Bextra provided relief after one month, but its effects wore off as soon as the subjects stopped taking it. Boswellia would have significantly relieved the pain after two months and its effects would have persisted for at least a month after the end of treatment. Boswellia would therefore act less quickly, but in a more durable way.
The authors point out that although they are effective in relieving the pain associated with osteoarthritis, the anti-inflammatory drugs of the COX-2 category would have no effect against the progression of the disease.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
According to Natural Standard.
1. Sontakke S, Thawani V, et al. Open, randomized, controlled clinical trial of Boswellia serrata extract as compared to valdecoxib in osteoarthritis of knee. Indian J Pharmacol 2007; 39: 27-29. Full text: www.ijp-online.com
2. Kimmatkar N, Thawani V, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee – a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2003 Jan; 10 (1): 3-7.