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Aquatic pollution, which includes organic debris and heavy metals, is a severe issue for living things. Copper pollution is hazardous to people, and there is a need to develop effective methods for eliminating it from the environment. To address this issue, a novel adsorbent composed of frankincense-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fr-MMWCNTs) and Fe3O4 [Fr-MWCNT-Fe3O4] was created and subjected to characterization. Batch adsorption tests showed that Fr-MWCNT-Fe3O4 had a maximum adsorption capacity of 250 mg/g at 308 K and could efficiently remove Cu2+ ions over a pH range of 6 to 8. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, and its thermodynamics were identified as endothermic. Functional groups on the surface of modified MWCNTs improved their adsorption capacity, and a rise in temperature increased the adsorption efficiency. These results highlight the Fr-MWCNT-Fe3O4 composites’ potential as an efficient adsorbent for removing Cu2+ ions from untreated natural water sources.

Frankincense is an oleo-gum-resin collected from wild Boswellia spp. trees, and widely used in perfumery, cosmetics, aromatherapy, incense, and other industries. Boswellia rivae, growing in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, is one source of frankincense, but is little-commercialized compared to species such as B. sacra, B. frereana, and B. papyrifera. In this study, we examine the resin essential oil chemistry and harvesting systems of B. rivae in order to evaluate its potential for increased trade and potential positive livelihood benefits. Boswellia rivae produces an essential oil rich in α-thujene (0.1–12.4%), α-pinene (5.5–56.4%), β-pinene (0.3–13.0%), δ-3-carene (0.1–31.5%), p-cymene (1.4–31.2%), limonene (1.8–37.3%), β-phellandrene (tr-5.6%), trans-pinocarveol (0.1–5.0%), trans-verbenol (0.1–11.2%), and trans-β-elemene (0–5.7%), similar to major commercial species, although it is difficult to detect mixing of B. rivae and Commiphora africana resins from chemistry alone. The B. rivae trees are not actively tapped, so resin collection has a neutral impact on the health of the trees, and resin production is unaffected by drought. Consequently, collecting resins acts as a key income supplementing livestock herding, as well as a safety net protecting pastoral communities from the severe negative effects of climate change-exacerbated drought on livestock. Therefore, Boswellia rivae is well positioned chemically, ecologically, and socially to support expanded trade.

Background: Frankincense is a resin secreted by the Boswellia tree. It is used in perfumery, aromatherapy, skincare, and traditional Chinese medicine. However, all Boswellia species are under threat owing to habitat loss and overexploitation. As a result, the market is getting flooded with counterfeit frankincense products. Objective: This study aims to establish a high-throughput method to screen and identify the authenticity of commercial frankincense products. We report, for the first time, a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based method for rapid and high-throughput screening of frankincense samples. Methods: MALDI-TOF MS, HPLC, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity assay were used to examine the frankincense samples. Results: Well-resolved peaks of frankincense triterpenoids in the spectra were observed in the crude extract of commercial samples, including α-boswellic acids (αBAs), β-boswellic acids (βBAs), 11-keto-β-boswellic acids (KBAs), acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acids (AKBAs), and their esters. These compounds can be used as indicators for determining the authenticity of frankincense. Conclusion: Unlike LC–MS, which is a time-consuming and expensive method, and TLC, which requires a reference sample, our inexpensive, rapid high-throughput identification method based on MALDI-TOF MS is ideal for large-scale screening of frankincense samples sold in the market.

Chemical diversity of natural products with drug-like features has attracted much attention from medicine to develop more safe and effective drugs. Their anti-inflammatory, antitumor, analgesic, and other therapeutic properties are sometimes more successful than chemical drugs in controlling disease due to fewer drug resistance and side effects and being more tolerable in a long time. Frankincense, the oleo gum resin extracted from the Boswellia species, contains some of these chemicals. The anti-inflammatory effect of its main ingredient, boswellic acid, has been traditionally used to treat many diseases, mainly those target memory functions. In this review, we have accumulated research evidence from the beneficial effect of Frankincense consumption in memory improvement and the prevention of inflammation and cancer. Besides, we have discussed the molecular pathways mediating the therapeutic effects of this natural supplement.

Frankincense is an aromatic resin obtained from a tree of various species of the genus Boswellia, family Burseraceae. Boswellia serrata, which is characteristic for the Indian subcontinent and whose pharmacological effects have been proven in numerous studies, has the greatest medical importance. The aim of this paper is a detailed literature review of the chemical composition and biological activity of Indian frankincense resin isolates (B. serrata). In vitro studies and numerous clinical trials have shown promising beneficial effects in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease (ileitis), Crohn's disease and asthma, as well as in the reduction of peritumoral edema. The resin obtained from B. serrata which has both religious and medical significance is today widely used in the cosmetics industry due to its high content of essential oil.

Acute lung injury is a serious illness with a high death rate, resulting in more significant diseases. Thus, this study evaluated the licorice extract for flavonoid compounds and frankincense extract for the essential oil to treat pneumonia in experimental animals. The results found that the major flavonoid compounds in licorice extract were Rutin, Quercetin-3-O-glucoside, Vitexin, and Apigenin-7-O-β-glucoside, whilst, Narengin, Quercetin, Luteolin-7-O-β-glucoside, and Epicatechin were found in medium amounts. Furthermore, it could be noticed the licorice extract contained antioxidant activity which scavenging free radicals. Meanwhile, Frankincense oil could be identified and the major compounds were µ- Pinene, Limonene, µ-Campholenal, and β-Fenchene whilst, P-Cymene, µ- Thujene, Octanal, and Sabinene were found in medium amounts. The biological experiment observed that the male rats were divided into five groups; the first group was considered a negative control. The rest were injected with 50 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to cause pneumonia, after that, re-divided the rat groups. The second group considered as a positive control group, while the 3 and 4 groups were taken orally/day separately 200 ppm /kg BW rat from each licorice and frankincense, and group 5 was taken orally/ day 200ppm from both licorice and frankincense aqueous extract was for four weeks during the experimental period. The results found that group 5 which was taken orally/ day 200ppm from both licorice and frankincense extract give the best results to improve the complete blood picture, inhibition of inflammation and oxidative stress, followed by the groups were taken orally/day separately 200 ppm /kg BW rat /day from each licorice and frankincense, respectively. The result could be recommended to use the licorice and frankincense extract as a new curative agent for treating the pneumonia of rats induced by bacterial liposaccharides. الملخص العربى العرقسوس واللبان الدکر کمستخلصات للعلاج من الالتهاب الرئوي الناجم عن الليبوسکريد البکتيري في فئران التجارب يعتبرالالتهاب الرئويهو مرض خطير مما يؤدى الى ارتفاع معدل الوفيات. لذلک اعدت هذه الدراسة لتقييم مستخلص العرقسوس لمرکبات الفلافونويد ومستخلص اللبان للزيوت العطرية وذلک لمحاولة تقديم علاج من المستخلصات الطبيعية لعلاج الألتهاب الرئوى ، وقد أوضحت النتائج أن مرکبات الفلافونويد الرئيسية في مستخلص العرقسوس هى Rutin, Quercetin-3-O-glucoside, Vitexin, and Apigenin-7-O-β-glucoside, ، بينما احتوت المرکبات ، Narengin ، Quercetin ، Luteolin-7-O-β-glucoside ، و Epicatechin بکميات متوسطة. علاوة على ذلک ، يمکن ملاحظة أن مستخلص العرقسوس يحتوي على نشاط مضاد للأکسدة يقضي على الجذور الحرة. وفي الوقت نفسه ، يمکن التعرف على المرکبات الرئيسية فى زيت اللبان مثل µ- Pinene, Limonene, µ-Campholenal, and β-Fenchene بجانب المرکبات المتوسطة کانت P-Cymene و α- Thujene و Octanal و .Sabineneومن خلال التجربة البيولوجية للفئران والتي قسم فيها 30 من ذکور فئران التجارب إلى خمس مجموعات. المجموعة الأولى کانت تعتبر المجموعة الضابطة السالبة حيث تغذت على الوجبة الاساسية دون أي اضافات ثم تم حقن الفئران المتبقية بحقن 50 مجم / کجم من الليبوسکريد البکتيري (LPS) لکي تسبب لهم الالتهاب الرئوي ، وبعد ذلک تم إعادة تقسيم مجموعات الجرذان المصابه حيث اعتبرت المجموعة الثانية مجموعة ضابطة إيجابية ، بينما أخذت المجموعة الثالثة والرابعة عن طريق الفم / يوميا بشکل منفصل 200 جزء في المليون / کجم من وزن جسم الفأر / يوميا من کل من العرقسوس واللبان ، والمجموعة الخامسة تناولت 200 جزء في المليون عن طريق الفم / اليوم من کل من العرقسوس واللبان معا لمدة أربعة أسابيع خلال فترة التجربة. أوضحت النتائج أن المجموعة الخامسة التي أخذت عن طريق الفم 200 جزء في المليون / يوم من کل من خلاصة العرقسوس واللبان تعطي أفضل النتائج فحدث تحسين لصورة الدم الکاملة ، وتثبيط الالتهابات والإجهاد التأکسدي ، تليها المجموعات التي تم تناولها عن طريق الفم 200 جزء في المليون / کجم. وزن الجسم الفئران / يوميا من کل من العرقسوس واللبان بشکل منفصل على التوالي. ومما سبق ، يمکن التوصية باستخدام مستخلص العرقسوس واللبان التى تم تجربتها لعلاج مجموعات الفئران التي تعاني من الالتهاب الرئوي الناجم عن الليبوسکريد البکتيري (LPS) ، والتي يمکن أن تکون عاملا علاجيا جديدا للمساهمه في علاج الالتهاب الرئوي. الکلمات المفتاحية: العرقسوس- لبان الدکر- الليبوسکريد- المرکبات الفينولية- الزيوت الاساسية

Herbal pair is formed based on the experience summary of doctors' deep understanding and perception of the medicinal nature in long-term clinical practice. It gradually becomes the exquisite structural unit for preparing traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) prescriptions, and often plays a core bridge role in the prescription combination. Frankincense and myrrh are raw resin materials of incense abroad, which are subsequently included as Chinese medicinal herbs and endowed with rich medicinal connotation. With the functions of relaxing Zang-fu organs, activating blood and relieving pain, they have definite clinical efficacy. From the perspective of herbal description and clinical application, this study systematically analyzed the combination of frankincense and myrrh as well as their combination proportion, efficacy characterization, diseases and syndromes, effective components and action mechanism. On this basis, the focus of in-depth research of frankincense-myrrh and the application prospects were proposed, in order to further reveal the potential meditation law of this herbal pair, thus contributing to clinical practice and drug innovation of traditional Chinese medicine, and providing reference for understanding of TCM medicinal nature and research of herbal pairs.

Boswellia ogadensis is a critically endangered species of frankincense tree, restricted to a small area of the Shabelle river valley in southern Ethiopia. It has only been recorded from two botanical collecting trips, in 1972 and 2006, with no indication of the abundance, threats, or population status of the trees, and it was listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species as “Critically Endangered” in 2018. More recent expeditions, in 2019 and 2021, were not able to locate the species, raising concerns about its continued survival. We carried out a field survey in June 2022 to re-locate the species, assess the threat level it is facing, and collect samples of resin for analysis. This survey revealed that B. ogadensis is present in more locations than previously recorded, and is more abundant than thought. While it is facing multiple threats, including grazing, cutting for firewood, and insect attacks, these threats vary geographically, and there are populations that appear to be healthy and regenerating well. While more research is needed, the current survey indicates that downlisting to “Endangered” status may be appropriate. Samples of resin were also collected and analyzed using gas chromatographic techniques, revealing that while the essential oil profile is similar to that of other Boswellia species (dominated by α-thujene, α-pinene, p-cymene, and terpenin-4-ol), there are chemical markers that can distinguish it from other sympatric Boswellia species, indicating the potential for this to be used as a tool to monitor whether B. ogadensis is being harvested alongside other more common Boswellia species.

Background: Frankincense has been used as a traditional medicine in many countries. It is an important herb with multiple targets and therapeutic effects, including liver protection. However, its mechanism of action in drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains unknown. Objective: The purpose of this work was to elucidate the active components, core genes, and molecular mechanism of frankincense in DILI through network pharmacology and molecular docking approaches. Methods: The active components of frankincense and its target genes were obtained from the BATMAN-TCM database, and the DILI target genes were obtained from the GeneCards and Drug- Bank databases. Cytoscape was used to create the compound-shared gene target network. STRING and DAVID software were used to analyze key targets and pathway enrichment. Autodock Vina software was used for molecular docking. Results: Network analysis identified 16 compounds in frankincense and 103 target genes highly related to DILI. The core genes in the protein-protein interaction network are INS, IL6, TP53, TNF, SRC, PTGS2, IL1B, CAT, IL10, and IGF1. Furthermore, GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses indicated that the effect of frankincense on DILI is related to positive regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter and inflammatory response. Core pathways such as the HIF-1, TNF, FoxO, PI3K-Akt, and the sphingolipid signaling pathway are closely related to DILI. Conclusion: This study revealed the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of frankincense and unveiled potential DILI healing targets. This study could provide insights for further development of drugs that specifically target DILI.

This research to decide the consequences of expanding the steadiness of the concentrate and part of incense with the expansion of glycerol and tween 80 by contrasting the reference tests of frankincense separates available. The technique utilized in this examination depends on the expansion of glycerol and tween 80, just as directing boundaries of consistency, organoleptic, pH and investigation of substance content of concentrates and parts with GC-MS instruments. The outcomes got in this investigation demonstrate the actual properties of the concentrate and part of the incense sap as a thick fluid, earthy red and has an unmistakable fragrant smell. The consistency got from the thickness test was 277.68 Cp. In the meantime, the thickness estimation consequences of the reference test acquired a consistency worth of 326.54 cP. What's more, has a pH scope of 4.0-5.5. The fundamental synthetic parts of the extraction results and the isoprophyl part of styrax benzoin and the reference part of the reference styrax benzoin remove dependent on the consequences of the investigation discovered 6 mixtures that share practically speaking, in particular Benzoic corrosive, Vanillin, trans-Cinnamic corrosive, (Z) - Cinnamyl benzoate, 2-Propenoic corrosive , 3-phenyl-, phenylmethyl ester, (E) - and Cinnamyl cinnamate. Keywords: Styrax benzoin, Glycerol, Extract stability, Tween 80, Fractionation

Selected trace metals of importance in different incense before and after the smoldering process were assessed based on the recent respiratory ailments. Marketed perfumed and non-perfumed incense from different countries was separately analyzed using an Inductive coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). A particulate analyzer measured the dispersed particulates (PM2.5) in the indoor environment. The analysis revealed higher mean metals concentrations in the smoldered perfumed incense (1.98 µg g−1) than in the non-smoldered and non-perfumed incense (0.59 µg g−1). Pilot-scale experiments included the smoke dispersed in different sized-rooms, and the distance between the inhaler and the smoldering incense. Simultaneously, a questionnaire distributed to 300 residents from six sampling areas revealed the exposure of incense to human health. This study indicated significant attributes on (a) the room size and incense volume, (b) the permissible inmate’s number in a room, (c) the distance between the inmate vicinity and the point of smoldering incense, (d) selectivity of incense, besides the outdoor environmental influence. Furthermore, this study revealed the various categories of respiratory ailments in residents in relation to the frequency of burning incense, prolonged smoke exposure, and the impact of burners although, earlier beneficial effects of incenses were evidenced. This study recommends preventive measures to human respiratory ailments from smoldering incense.

The endemic Boswellia species (Burseraceae) on Socotra Island (Yemen) are of great local significance due to their various local ethnobotanical uses. However, despite the fact that these trees are endangered, little is known about their biology. We tested seed germination rates in controlled experiments (trials of 21 days) for two subsequent years and for nine endemic taxa of Boswellia occurring on Socotra Island. For this, seeds were collected island-wide from a wide range of localities and for several populations per species. We observed differences in germination among Boswellia species, among species and localities and among both years, which indicates that the development of seeds is strongly affected by external ecological factors. Although we noted a large variation in seed germination (relatively high in Boswellia socotrana), and half of the species showed relatively low mean daily germination, our study indicated that all endangered endemic Frankincense Tree taxa of Socotra harbor the potential for in situ conservation through recruitment, given that known impacts can be reduced in local replantation areas (e.g., grazing). Nasl. z nasl. zaslona. Opis vira z dne 21. 2. 2023. Bibliografija: str. 20-21. Abstract.

The resin of the tree Boswellia sacra Flueck. (synonym: B. carterii; Burseraceae), also known as "frankincense", is a traditional remedy used for central nervous system disorders in East Africa. Here we report the evaluation of its antiseizure activity in zebrafish and mouse epilepsy models to identify novel antiseizure compounds. The resin was extracted by solvents of increasing polarity. The hexane extract demonstrated the strongest antiseizure activity and was therefore subjected to bioactivity-guided isolation, which leaded to the isolation of eight terpene derivatives. A new prenylbicyclogermacrene derivative (2) was isolated along with seven other compounds (1, 3-8). Among them, the triterpene β-boswellic acid (5) showed the strongest activity and reduced 90% of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures at 100 μg/mL. In parallel to B. sacra, a commercial extract of Boswellia serrata was also evaluated and showed moderate bioactivity (45% reduction at 30 μg/mL). The extract of B. serrata was subjected to targeted isolation of other boswellic acid derivatives (9-13), which were evaluated for antiseizure activity in comparison with 5. In the whole series, β-boswellic acid (5) was the most active (60% reduction at 200 μM), and its potency was also confirmed with its purchased standard (S5). Pure nanoparticles of S5 and a commercially formulated extract of B. serrata were tested in a PTZ-kindling mouse seizure model. This notably revealed that the S5 administration reduced seizures by 50% in this mouse model, which was consistent with its detection and quantification in plasma and brain samples. This study and the preclinical evaluation performed indicate that β-boswellic acid, common to various species of Boswellia, has some potential as an antiseizure agent.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial disorder that its progress and development are related to various genetic and environmental factors. The disease onset is affected by both genetic and environmental factors such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction, and is remarkably related to age progress. Aluminum, a neurotoxic environmental factor, impairs memory performance and can cause neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. On the other hand, the regulatory RNA-binding product of Fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) gene exerts a translational inhibitory effect on the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP), the main culprit in AD development. In the present study, we treated AlCl3-induced Alzheimer’s disease model rats with Frankincense and investigated its protective and therapeutic effects on the AlCl3-induced memory disturbance by behavioral and molecular assays. Also, Rivastigmine was used as a standard control. Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to assay special memory working of the rats and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was applied to investigate the expression profile of the FMR1 gene in the hippocampus of the treated rats. MWM behavioral tests indicated that both Frankincense and Rivastigmine not only may prevent AlCl3-induced memory impairment but also may alleviate the memory declines induced by AlCl3 in the rats. Expression analysis showed significant upregulation of the FMR1 gene in response to both Frankincense and Rivastigmin treatments. Further, qRT-PCR results revealed that the AlCl3-induced downregulation of the FMR1 gene expression could significantly be reversed by both Frankincense and Rivastigmine, though Rivastigmine was more effective than Frankincense. In conclusion, our results highlighted that Frankincense might be effective both in the prevention and treatment of memory impairments, to some extent, by affecting the FMR1 gene expression.

Boswellia carterii, known as frankincense, is a fragrant medicinal plant. The essential oil from this plant is often used in traditional medicine or aromatherapy. Due to its positive properties, it has potential applications as an antimicrobial agent in medicine and the food industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial, anti-insect, and antioxidant activities of frankincense essential oil (FEO). The composition of volatile compounds was determined by GC/MS, and the main components were found to be α-pinene (37.0%), α-limonene (19.8%), and p-cymene (6.3%). The antioxidant activity was evaluated with DPPH and ABTS methods with the resulting inhibition of 73.88 ± 0.35% of DPPH radical (6.27 ± 0.17 TEAC) and 97.09 ± 0.48% of ABTS radical cation (5.21 ± 0.07 TEAC). The antimicrobial activity was the strongest against Candida species with inhibition zones in the range of 38.00–44.00 mm and MIC 50 and MIC 90 values of 11.72 and 12.58 μL/mL, respectively. The inhibition activity of the vapor phase was the highest against G+ and G− bacteria growing on a carrot with inhibition ranging from 65.14 to 93.67%. The anti-insect activity against O.lavaterae was determined as 100% at 100% concentration and 50% at 25% concentration. The degradation of biofilm was tested with MALDI-TOF MS, and changes in the protein profile were observed.

Boswellia species (Burseraceae) are trees or shrubs whose area of distribution covers the wide geographic area between North Africa and India. After incision, their bark produces oleo-gum resin known as frankincense (Olibanum). In traditional medicine, frankincense is often used for medical treatment of arthritis, asthma, ulcerative colitis, coughs, sores, and wound healing. Various frankincense preparations are marketed almost exclusively as dietary supplements. Indian frankincense, or Olibanum indicum, is official in the European Pharmacopoeia. The major components of frankincense are boswellic acids, among which the most important and abundant is 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA). AKBA is a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor with anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects. Besides, frankincense contains essential oil, whose composition greatly depends on the biological source, as well as arabinogalactans and glycoproteins. In small clinical trials, certain benefits of various frankincense preparations have been demonstrated in cases of ulcerative colitis, bronchial asthma, mild symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and various disorders of osteo-muscular system. However, for collagenous colitis and Crohn’s disease remission maintenance, the evidence is ambiguous or negative. AKBA-containing extract was found advantageous in patients with osteoarthritis, and to some extent with rheumatoid arthritis. Almost all the trials had serious flaws in experimental design, such as insufficient sample size and/or incomplete reporting of data. For any clinical recommendation of frankincense preparations, larger and better-designed studies are needed. Vrste roda Boswellia (Burseraceae) su žbunovi ili nisko drveće, čiji areal rasprostranjenja obuhvata veliki geografski prostor između severne Afrike i Indije. Nakon zasecanja, njihova kora oslobađa oleogumirezinu, koja je poznata pod nazivom tamjan (Olibanum). U tradicionalnoj medicini, koristi se u lečenju artritisa, astme, ulcerativnog kolitisa, kašlja i ozleda. Različiti preparati tamjana se u prometu nalaze gotovo isključivo u obliku dodataka ishrani (dijetetskih suplemenata). Indijski tamjan ili Olibanum indicum je oficinalan u Evropskoj farmakopeji. Glavni sastojci tamjana su bosvelinske kiseline, među kojima je najznačajnija i najzastupljenija 3-O-acetil-11-keto-b-bosvelinska kiselina (AKBA). AKBA je inhibitor 5-lipoksigenaze i ispoljava antiinflamatorni i antiartritički efekat. Pored toga, tamjan sadrži etarsko ulje, čiji sastav u velikoj meri zavisi od biološkog izvora, kao i arabinogalaktane i glikoproteine. Malim kliničkim studijama je potvrđen izvestan pozitivan efekat raznih preparata tamjana na ulcerativni kolitis, bronhijalnu astmu, blage simptome sindroma iritabilnog kolona i poremećaje koštano-mišićnog sistema. Međutim, kod kolagenoznog kolitisa ili za održanje remisije Kronove bolesti, dokazi su nejasni ili izostaju. Ekstrakt bogat AKBA se pokazao efikasnim kod pacijenata sa osteoartritisom i, u izvesnoj meri, reumatoidnim artritisom. Skoro sva objavljena klinička ispitivanja su imala ozbiljne nedostatke u eksperimentalnom dizajnu, kao što su mala veličina uzorka i nekompletno objavljivanje eksperimentalnih podataka. Neophodne su veće i bolje dizajnirane studije kako bi se ostvarile preporuke za primenu u kliničkoj praksi.

Omani (Dhofari) frankincense is world famous for its high quality and fragrance. The oleo-gum resin obtained from the tree of Omani species i.e., Boswellia sacra (local name: luban) is widely used by the natives. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of phytochemicals in chloroform and ethanol extracts of B. sacra resin and to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic, antimicrobial- and antioxidant-activities. The ethanol and chloroform extracts of Hojari luban were obtained in good yield. The extracts were subjected to phytochemical screenings, quantification of total phenolics (TP) and evaluation of in vitro biological activities viz. antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic potential. The bioactivities of four boswellic acids, the major constituents of the oleo-gum resin, were also predicted with the help of PASS and CLC-pred software. Both the extracts showed similar level of TP (14.67 mg/g and 14.79 mg/g in terms of gallic acid equivalent) but polar fraction was noted to be more active against E. coli. A moderate antioxidant activity was shown by the resin extracts however their cytotoxic activity was observed to be quite remarkable at 1000 μg/l which could be attributed to their high boswellic acid content. Results of in silico PASS studies showed boswellic acids to possess an array of useful biological activities including chemopreventive activity. Further, CLC-pred software revealed that only keto boswellic acid is expected to exert antineoplastic activity against pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, however all the four major boswellic acids are likely to be active against non-tumor embryonic lung fibroblast (MRC5). The study confirmed that frankincense is rich in bioactive metabolites which are of significant economic and therapeutic importance. Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 19(2): 105-110, 2020 (December)

Boswellia sacra Flueck essential oil is obtained from frankincense obtained from Boswellia sacra trees. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro anti-cancer activity of Boswellia sacra...

Frankincense (This inclusive review focuses on the significance of frankincense diterpenoids, and in particular, incensole derivatives for establishment future treatments of depression, neurological disorders, and cancer. The authors survey the available literature and furnish an overview of future perspectives of these intriguing molecules.Numerous diterpenoids including cembrane, prenylaromadendrane, and the verticillane-type have been isolated from various

Frankincense (Boswellia sacra Fluck.,) is traditionally used in the treatment of altered male fertile potential in several countries. This study evaluated the cytoprotective action of B. sacra oleo gum resin extract against cyclophosphamide (CP) induced testicular toxicity in rats (in-vivo) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced cytotoxicity in human Leydig cells (in-vitro). The methanolic extract of B. sacra was standardized for the presence of different boswellic acids using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and volatile constituents in the extract were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Two doses of B. sacra extract were used in the in-vivo study. The HPLC analysis showed that extract contains about 36% w/w of total boswellic acids and GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of another 71 different constituents. Administration of B. sacra extract to rats increased serum testosterone levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, and sperm count with improved sperm quality in a dose-dependent manner, when compared to CP treated animals. Boswellia sacra extract also protected the human Leydig cells against LPS-induced damage and increased the expression of the Bcl-2 gene along with a decrease in caspase-3 gene expression. The results of this study show that B. sacra extract has a protective effect on the male reproductive system.

The roles of ethylene, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid and their interactions in frankincense resin production in Boswellia sacra trees growing in the drylands of Oman were studied. On March 18 (Experiment 1) and September 17 (Experiment 2), 2018, 32-year-old B. sacra trees with multiple trunks were selected at the Agricultural Experiment Station, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. Various lanolin pastes containing Ethrel, an ethylene-releasing compound; methyl jasmonate; sodium salicylate; and combinations of these compounds were applied to debarked wounds 15 mm in diameter on the trunks. After a certain period, the frankincense resin secreted from each wound was harvested and weighed. The anatomical characteristics of the resin ducts were also studied in the bark tissue near the upper end of each wound. The combination of Ethrel and methyl jasmonate greatly enhanced frankincense resin production within 7 days in both seasons. The application of methyl jasmonate alone, sodium salicylate alone or a combination of both did not affect resin production. These findings suggest a high possibility of artificial enhancement of frankincense resin production by the combined application of Ethrel and methyl jasmonate to B. sacra trees.

Aim: This research investigated the anti-malarial and antibacterial activities of stem bark methanol extract of Frankincense tree and Kenaf leaves extract on Plasmodium falciparum parasite and against five clinically significant bacteria. Study Design: Laboratory-experimental design was used for this study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out between September 2019 and November 2019 at Biochemistry and Microbiology laboratories, Sokoto State University, Sokoto, Nigeria. Methodology: The in vitro antimalarial activity test was conducted by determining the parasitemia for each sample concentration by manual counting on thin Giemsa smears after a 24-hour incubation with the extracts in order to determine the IC50 values. The antibacterial study was done using a modified agar well diffusion technique. Results: The testing revealed that methanol stem bark extract of Frankincense tree and Kenaf leaves exhibited good and potent (very good) antimalarial activities against P. falciparum respectively with IC50 values of 1.25 μg/mL and 0.16 μg/mL respectively. They also show good inhibitory activities against E.coli but slight inhibitory activities against the other pathogens tested. Conclusion: The current study indicates that extracts of these plants exhibit anti-malarial and antibacterial activities and may serve as useful sources of drugs for treatment of malaria caused by P. falciparum parasite as well as bacterial infections caused by the tested bacteria.

The paper presents the results of research performed at the National Research Center Kurchatov Institute on a sample of frankincense found in 1993 during excavations in the eastern part of the historic core of the city of Vladimir known as Vetchany Gorod (Decayed Town), currently part of the collection of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture State Vladimir-Suzdal Historical, Architectural, and Art Museum-Reserve. Identification of bioactive substances of frankincense in the museum sample by European Pharmacopoeia methods did not detect the presence of boswellic acids and their derivatives, which are characteristic of frankincense. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) examination of the fragment of museum frankincense detected compounds present in modern frankincense, amyrenones and amyrins, and thermal decomposition products but not the primary biomarkers—boswellic acids and their derivatives. GC/MS analysis of a sample of modern frankincense after thermal treatment that simulated the process of censing as done in church services showed the absence of boswellic acids and their derivatives. The remains left after the thermal treatment were found to contain more stable chemical compounds of frankincense as well as products of its thermal decomposition. A hexane extract of the residue of the studied sample was found to contain odd carbon numbered n-alkanes, which are biomarkers of beeswax. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that the studied museum sample is a mixture of beeswax and incense remains left in a censer after a church service.

The article deals with the results of a study of a plant mixture from an ancient vessel found in the rich burial of the Isakovka I burial ground (the Gorkovsky district of the Omsk region, the right bank of the Irtysh River). According to archaeological material, the estimated date of the complex might be not earlier than the 1st–2nd centuries AD. The analysis of the substance was carried out by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC–MS) after acid methanolysis. The mixture contains aliphatic lipids (fatty acids, phytosterol), terpenes (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes and triterpenes) derived apparently from the large amounts of essential oils and resins of plant origin. The presence of a number of diagnostic compounds in the mixture composition (boswellic acid derivatives, amyrins, lupeol) suggests that frankincense from Boswellia resin is included in the mixture. Since psychotropic substances (cannabinoids and nicotinoids) have not been found, this combination may be characteristic of an aroma mixture or incense based on frankincense from Boswellia.

To investigate the efficacy of frankincense and myrrha in the treatment of acute interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS). The effects of frankincense and myrrha on the proliferation and migration of primary human urothelial cells (HUCs) were assessed in vitro. In the animal study, 48 virgin female rats were randomized into 4 groups (12 in each group): (1) control group (saline-injected control); (2) cyclophosphamide (CYP) group (intraperitoneal injected 150 mg/kg CYP); (3) CYP + pentosan polysulfate sodium group (orally received 50 mg/kg pentosan polysulfate sodium); and (4) CYP + frankincense and myrrha group [orally received frankincense (200 mg/kg) and myrrha (200 mg/kg)]. Rats orally received pentosan polysulfate sodium or frankincense and myrrha on day 1, 2, and 3. The experiments were performed on day 4. Pain and cystometry assessment behavior test were performed. Voiding interval values were assessed in rats under anesthesia. Finally, immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to confirm the location and level, respectively, of cell junction-associated protein zonula occludens-2 (ZO-2) expression. Low dose frankincense and myrrha increased cell proliferation and migration in HUCs compared with control (P

The frankincense resins, secreted from Boswellia species, are an uncommon example of a natural raw material where every class of terpenoids is present in similar proportions. Diterpenoids (serratol, incensole, and incensole acetate) are used to discriminate samples from different species and origins. Headspace solid-phase microextraction has been used for frankincense analysis, although it requires long sampling time for medium- to low-volatility markers; headspace solid-phase microextraction under vacuum can overcome this limit. Gas chromatography is used for analysis but the separation of incensole and serratol needs polar stationary phases. In this study, we develop a method to discriminate frankincenses based on vacuum-assisted headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with fast gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with ionic liquid-based stationary phases. The optimized conditions for solid samples were: air evacuation below 0°C, 15 min of incubation time, and 15 min of extraction time. Losses of volatiles due to vial air-evacuation in the presence of the sample were minimized by sample amount above 100 mg and low sample temperature. Fast gas chromatography provides the baseline separation of all markers in 20 min. By applying vacuum sampling and fast gas chromatography, the total analysis was reduced to 50 min compared to 120 min (60 min sampling plus 60 min analysis) as previously reported. The method was successfully applied to commercial frankincense samples.

Oil was extracted from Frankincense (Boswellia Sacra) by the soxhlet extraction method and various bioactive compounds were identified using gas chromatography (GC).These compounds can be developed as active pharmacophores.The present study involves the extraction and identification of bioactive compounds and their in-vitro study on the interaction of these compounds to target proteins. Frankincense oil collected from Boswelia Sacra species was subjected to Soxhlet extraction using Hexane solvent and essential oil (EO) was separated using vacuum distillation. Chemical profiling of essential oil was done using GC-MS. Various biological databases like PubChem, Protein Data Bank and software like Argus Lab, Rasmol were used to retrieve and analyze the structural and molecular interactions of bioactive compounds from Frankincense oil with receptor proteins. The target protein structure was retrieved from Protein data bank ligand structures that were downloaded from Pubchem, which was visualized using Rasmol Software. Protein-ligand interaction was studied using Argus Lab software by docking simulations and various docking poses were analyzed.The energy values of docking conformations were analyzed for obtaining the best docking pose & score.

A study was conducted in South Omo Zone, Ethiopia with the aim of assessing the population status of the frankincense tree Boswellia neglecta and investigating its resin essential oil chemical comp...

Two limestone monoliths, interpreted as altars, were found in the Judahite shrine at Tel Arad. Unidentified dark material preserved on their upper surfaces was submitted for organic residue analysi...

The oleo gum resin of Boswellia sacra Fleuck. (Burseraceae) is widely consumed for treatment of several diseases and disorders. To determine the effect of repeated administration of this resin on liver and kidney functions, three different doses of standardized methanolic extract were administered orally to rats for 28 days. Apart from histological studies and determination of biomarkers of hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, other parameters of sub-chronic toxicity such as behavioral change, food consumption and change in body weight were assessed. The extract contained about 36.91% of total boswellic acids; of which 11-keto beta boswellic acid, acetyl-11-keto beta boswellic acid, boswellic acids (α and β) and acetyl boswellic acid (α and β) were found to be 5.81%, 1.91%, 21.92% and 7.27% respectively. Oral administration of the extract for 28 consecutive days did not show any sign of behavioral toxicity and did not affect food consumption or weight gain significantly. Determination of biomarkers of hepatic and nephrotoxicity revealed that extract was safe at the tested doses as it did not produce any significant change in the studied biomarkers except producing a dose dependent increase in serum total protein levels. The histological examination supported biochemical findings. To conclude, methanolic extract of Boswellia sacra doen not produce any significant toxicity to liver and kidney up to doses of 100 mg/kg body weight. The results contradict earlier reports that members of boswellia species produce organ toxicity in rats. Keywords: Frankincense, Boswellic acid, Biomarkers, Sub-chronic toxicity, HPLC

Inflammatory responses are the consequences of infection, injury, and tissue dysfunctions. In general, these responses associate with the inception of several diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, allergy, asthma, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. To enhance such responses a number of synthetic drugs are widely used, including steroidal/non-steroidal components, antibodies, and cytokine inhibitors. However, prolonged use of these components may generate some side effects, including the malfunction of digestive tract, liver intoxication, kidney damage, and cardiovascular disorders. Therefore, alternative application of natural compounds, such as herbal components, against inflammatory responses might be safer and more effective. Frankincense is a gum resin with potential therapeutic effects on various diseases with signs of inflammation. Therefore, frankincense can decrease the indications of numerous illnesses with the least side effects. The identification of critical active constituents in frankincense may be useful for the development of new components with desired biological effects. In this review, the potential therapeutic effects of frankincense will be described based on its anti-inflammatory effects.

Five compounds were isolated from the alcohol extract of Olibanum by MCI, silica gel, ODS, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). On the basis of spectral data and literature data, the compounds were identified as:(1S,3R,4S,7R,11S,12R)-1:12,4:7-diepoxisonane-8(19)-ene-3,11-diol(1), boscartin A(2),(+)-resinolin(3),(+)-5-hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2(5H)-one(4), and acerogenin A(5). Compound 1 is a new compound, and compounds 3-5 were isolated from Olibanum for the first time. The structure of compound 1 was determined by spectroscopic analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1 and 2 were tested for PC12 neurotoxicity, and the results showed that they were both safe compounds.

Based on the deep fusion of intelligent meridian sensing technology and Huoluo Xiaoling Pill (HXP) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), firstly, the effective components and targets of Salvia miltiorrhiza, Angelica sinensis, frankincense, and myrrh were obtained by using TCMSP, SwissADME, and Swisstarget databases. Similarly, relevant targets of KOA were collected through GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, PharmGKB, and DrugBank databases. Next, the potential targets of ZXP in the treatment of KOA were obtained by intersection of drug and disease targets. Finally, Cytoscape 3.7.1 software was used to construct a “disease-drug-component-target” network, and Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Gnomes (KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the core targets through Metascape website. A total of 99 active components and 203 corresponding potential therapeutic targets were obtained from the components of HXP. And KOA has 2543 potential therapeutic targets, of which 120 cross targets correspond to 120 active compounds in HXP. Then, topology analysis displayed that the six targets form the core PPI network. In addition, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that these core targets were mainly enriched in inflammatory response, apoptosis, oxidation reaction, and other related pathways.

The resin of Boswellia plant species has been used since ancient times for its several bio-active curative effects. In modern times, extracts of this resin are still widely commercialized on the food supplements and nutraceuticals market. Nowadays the legislation on botanical extracts and the increasing demand for their safety and traceability are setting new standards for their chemical characterization. In this work we present an easy, feasible and rugged HPLC-UV-based approach for the quantitation of boswellic acids in food-supplement-grade resin extracts of Boswellia plant species. This method can be used for quality control purposes as well as for studying their differences in regional origin, years of harvesting and species-related differences. The method employs a C18 (3 × 150 mm, 3 µm) analytical HPLC column, and the separation is carried out through a gradient of acetonitrile/water with 0.1% formic acid. The method was validated following the ICH guidelines and used to quantitate different samples of commercial resin of Boswelliacarteri and serrata together with other samples from unknown species. The six known boswellic acids were identified and quantified in all the analyzed samples. The results were used to build a multivariate model to graphically appreciate their difference through their clustering. The model was then augmented by adding further quantitation data for boswellic acids belonging to different species of Boswellia obtained by another scientific publications to increase the number of studied samples.

Neuroglia are important modulators of neuronal functionality, and thus play an integral role in the pathogenesis and treatment of neuropathic pain (NP). According to traditional Chinese medicine, Frankincense-Myrrh is capable of "activating blood and dissipating blood stasis", and as such these two biological compounds are commonly used to treat NP, however, the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of such treatment are unclear.This study aimed to further elucidate the protective effects associated with the Frankincense-Myrrh treatment of NP.A chronic sciatic nerve compression injury (CCI) model of NP was established, after which animals were gavaged with Frankincense, Myrrh, Frankincense-Myrrh, or the positive control drug pregabalin for 14 days. Network pharmacology approaches were used to identify putative pathways and targets associated with the Frankincense-Myrrh-mediated treatment of NP, after which these targets were subjected to in-depth analyses. The impact of TLR4 blockade on NP pathogenesis was assessed by intrathecally administering a TLR4 antagonist (LRU) or the MyD88 homodimerization inhibitory peptide (MIP).Significant alleviation of thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity in response to Frankincense and Myrrh treatment was observed in NP model mice, while network pharmacology analyses suggested that the pathogenesis of NP may be related to TLR4/MyD88-mediated neuroinflammation. Consistently, Frankincense-Myrrh treatment was found to reduce TLR4, MyD88, and p-p65 expression in spinal dorsal horn neuroglia from treated animals, in addition to inhibiting neuronal TRPV1 and inflammatory factor expression. Intrathecal LRU and MIP delivery were sufficient to alleviate thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia in these CCI model mice, with concomitant reductions in neuronal TRPV1 expression and neuroglial activation in the spinal dorsal horn.These data suggest that Frankincense-Myrrh treatment was sufficient to alleviate NP in part via inhibiting TLR4/MyD88 pathway and TRPV1 signaling activity. Blocking TLR4 and MyD88 activation may thus hold value as a means of treating NP.

Two terpenes, 3-keto-tirucalla-8,24-dien-21-oic acid(KTDA) and 2-methoxy-5-acetoxy-furanogermacr-1(10)-en-6-one(FSA), are isolated from Olibanum and Myrrha respectively, which are characterized by high yield and easy crystallization during the preparation. The present study explored the regulatory targets and anti-inflammatory mechanism of KTDA and FSA based on network pharmacology and cell viability assay. First, the drug-likeness of KTDA and FSA was predicted by Swiss ADME. The target prediction of active components was carried out by Swiss Target Prediction and Pharmmapper. TTD, Drug Bank, and Gene Cards were searched for inflammation-related target genes of KTDA and FSA. Protein-protein interaction(PPI) analysis was performed on the inflammatory targets of KTDA and FSA by STRING, and Cytoscape was used to conduct topological analysis of the interaction results and construct the PPI network. GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of inflammatory targets of KTDA and FSA were carried out by DAVID, and aquot; component-target-pathwayquot; network was constructed. Finally, lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264. 7 cells were treated with KTDA and FSA at different concentrations, and nitric oxide(NO) concentration and protein and m RNA expression levels were detected. The results showed that both KTDA and FSA showed good drug-likeness. A total of 157 and 142 inflammation-related targets of KTDA and FSA were screened out. PPI network analysis showed that MAPK1, AKT1, MAPK8, PIK3 CA,PIK3 R1, EGFR, etc. might be the key proteins for the anti-inflammatory effect. PI3 K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways were obtained by KEGG and GO-BP enrichment. Cell experiment results showed that KTDA and FSA could exert anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting NO production, reducing the phosphorylation levels of JNK, p38, and AKT proteins, and down-regulating the m RNA expression of interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-6. Meanwhile, FSA could also inhibit ERK phosphorylation. The results indicated that KTDA and FSA had significant anti-inflammatory activity, which provided a scientific basis and important support for the further research,development, and utilization of Olibanum and Myrrha.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease (ND) that represents the principal cause of dementia. Effective treatment is still lacking. Without prevention, Alzheimer's disease (AD) incidence is expected to triple within 30 years. The risk increases in highly polluted areas and is positively linked to chronic aluminum (Al) exposure. Canonical Wingless-Int (Wnt)/β-catenin pathway has been found to play a considerable role in ND pathogenesis. Resins of Boswellia serrata (frankincense) have been used traditionally for their psychoactive activity, in addition to their memory-boosting effects. Boswellic acids (BA) are pentacyclic triterpenes. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and immunomodulatory activities. This study aimed to elucidate the role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in BA protective activity against aluminum-induced Alzheimer's disease. For 6 weeks, rats were treated daily with AlCl3 (100 mg/kg/i.p.) either alone or with BA (125 or 250 mg/kg PO). Results indicated that BA significantly improved learning and memory impairments induced by AlCl

Since the early history of mankind there have been pictorial and written references about the use of incense, be it for religious-ritual purposes, as a remedy or as a spice. Already in ancient times, starting from today's Oman, the ���Incense Trade Road��� has been established, via which the precious goods were distributed further north and west and brought indescribable wealth to the neighbouring countries. Outside of the Arabian Peninsula, however, frankincense is also found in eastern Africa and India. The best-known types of incense are the "Indian incense", that is obtained from Boswellia serrata ROXB. (Burseraceae) is obtained, as well as the very high priced ���Arabian incense���, which derives from B. sacra FL��CK. Other species occur mainly in East Africa, for example in Ethiopia ["Ethiopian frankincense", B. papyrifera (DELILE ex CAILL.) HOCHST]. The problem is that the high-priced varieties are often blended with inferior varieties, mostly from East Africa. Even if there is no approved (registered) medicinal product based on frankincense in Germany, internal consumption for medical purposes is heavily advertised on the Internet, mostly with questionable promises of salvation. There are quite a few pharmacological studies that deal with the health-promoting effects of frankincense, mostly an anti-inflammatory effect. However, there is currently a lack of meaningful clinical studies. Because of the widespread use of incense-containing medicines and dietary supplements, both the American USP and the European Pharmacopoeia felt compelled to establish monographs on Indian incense (B. serrata; Olibanum indicum). On closer inspection, however, these monographs appear inadequate. In addition, extracts of dubious quality are often produced and marketed. In cooperation with the company Floradex in O��mannstedt / Thuringia, high-quality ethanol-based extracts were initially developed, which, in addition to incense samples from various sources, were included in these studies, with a focus on the analytical investigations of the high-quality "Arabian incense", B. sacra. The overriding goal was to develop suggestions for improving the existing pharmacopoeia monographs. The preparation of the samples for physico-chemical analysis turned out to be problematic. Approx. 50% of frankincense consists of mostly polymeric, swellable materials, which hardly dissolve in alcohols, but in some cases, it can significantly interfere with the chromatographic analysis. To avoid these problems, an efficient extraction method and simple sample preparation were developed. A Soxhlet extraction with subsequent separation of the acidic components by solvent-extracting twice is suitable. This method works particularly well with B. sacra. In the second step, the TLC separation was reworked to identify the materials. It was found that even with different mobile phases, extensive separation of the triterpene acids was difficult to achieve. An acidic solvent, combined with a two-fold, short development on HPTLC plates, and with an evaluation at UV 254 nm followed by the development with anisaldehyde reagent, proved to be the most favourable. This method is clearly superior to the current pharmacopoeia monographs, as many of the value-determining triterpenic acids can be identified separately. The revision of the HPLC method turned out to be a major challenge. Of the approx. 20 triterpene acids that occur in significant amounts in frankincense, only two keto-boswellic acids are considered, which also only make up a small proportion in terms of quantity (approx. 1-3%, based on the raw material). First of all, very time-consuming experiments attempted to derivatize the acid function or the alcohol function of the triterpenic acids either via an ester bond or an acid amide bond with an aromatic ring system that can be detected without problems at UV 254 nm and higher. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of the samples, this venture proved unsuccessful. In contrast, the attempts to find a suitable internal standard (��-glycyrrhetinic acid) and the quantitative determination of other substances using response factors were successful. A total of 11 frankincense samples (extracts plus raw materials) were processed comprehensively and many unresolved questions about chromatographic analysis could be clarified. On this basis, suggestions for the improvement of the existing pharmacopoeia monographs could be made., Seit der Fr��hgeschichte der Menschheit finden sich bildliche und verschriftliche Hinweise auf die Nutzung von Weihrauch, sei es f��r religi��se-rituelle Zwecke, als Heilmittel oder auch als Gew��rz. Schon in der Antike bildete sich, ausgehend vom heutigen Oman, die Weihrauchstra��e aus, ��ber welche das kostbare Gut weiter nach Norden und Westen verteilt wurde und den Anrainerstaaten einen unbeschreiblichen Reichtum bescherten. Au��erhalb der arabischen Halbinsel kommt Weihrauch aber auch im ��stlichen Afrika sowie in Indien vor. Die bekanntesten Weihraucharten sind der ���Indische Weihrauch���, der von Boswellia serrata ROXB. (Burseraceae) gewonnen wird, sowie der sehr hochpreisige ���Arabische Weihrauch���, der von B. sacra FL��CK. stammt. Weitere Arten kommen haupts��chlich in Ostafrika vor, beispielsweise in ��thiopien [�����thiopischer Weihrauch���, B. papyrifera (DELILE ex CAILL.) HOCHST]. Problematisch ist, dass die hochwertigen Sorten h��ufig mit minderwertigeren Sorten, zumeist aus Ostafrika, verschnitten werden. Auch wenn es in Deutschland kein zugelassenes Arzneimittel auf der Basis von Weihrauch gibt, wird die innerliche Einnahme zu medizinischen Zwecken im Internet heftig beworben, zumeist mit fraglichen Heilsversprechen. Dabei gibt es nicht wenige pharmakologische Studien, die sich mit den gesundheitsf��rdernden Wirkungen von Weihrauch, zumeist einer entz��ndungshemmenden Wirkung, befassen. Derzeit fehlen jedoch aussagekr��ftige klinische Studien. Wegen der weiten Verbreitung von weihrauchhaltigen Zubereitungen und Pr��paraten sahen sich sowohl die amerikanische USP als auch das Europ��ische Arzneibuch veranlasst, Monographien zum Indischen Weihrauch (B. serrata; Olibanum indicum) auszuarbeiten. Bei n��herer Betrachtung erscheinen diese Monographien aber unzul��nglich. Zudem werden h��ufig Extrakte von zweifelhafter Qualit��t verarbeitet. In Kooperation mit der Firma Floradex in O��mannstedt / Th��ringen wurden zun��chst qualitativ hochwertige Extrakte auf Ethanol-Basis entwickelt, die neben Weihrauchproben aus unterschiedlichen Quellen mit in die Untersuchungen eingeflossen sind, wobei der Schwerpunkt der analytischen Untersuchungen auf dem qualitativ sehr hochwertigen ���Arabischen Weihrauch���, B. sacra, lag. ��bergeordnetes Ziel war es, Verbesserungsvorschl��ge f��r die existierenden Arzneibuchmonographien zu erarbeiten. Als problematisch erwies sich schon die Probenvorbereitung f��r die Analysen. Ca. 50 % des Weihrauchs bestehen aus zumeist polymeren, quellf��higen Materialien, die sich kaum, aber eben doch teilweise, in Alkoholen l��sen und somit eine chromatographische Analytik erheblich st��ren k��nnen. Um diese Probleme zu umgehen, wurde eine effiziente Extraktionsmethode sowie eine einfache Probenaufbereitung erarbeitet. Geeignet ist eine Soxhlet-Extraktion mit anschlie��ender Abtrennung der sauren Komponenten durch zweimaliges Aussch��tteln. Diese Methode gelingt insbesondere mit B. sacra problemlos. Im zweiten Schritt wurde die DC-Trennung zur Identifizierung der Materialien nachgearbeitet. Es zeigte sich, dass auch mit unterschiedlichen Flie��mitteln eine weitgehende Trennung der Triterpens��uren nur schwer zu erreichen ist. Als optimal erwies sich ein saures Flie��mittel, verbunden mit einer zweimaligen, kurzen Entwicklung auf HPTLC-Platten, und mit einer Auswertung bei UV 254 nm sowie nachfolgendem Entwickeln mit Anisaldehyd-Reagenz. Diese Methode ist den derzeitigen Arzneibuch-Monographien deutlich ��berlegen, da viele der wertbestimmenden Triterpens��uren getrennt identifiziert werden k��nnen. Als gro��er Herausforderung erwies sich die ��berarbeitung der HPLC-Methode. Von den ca. 20 Triterpens��uren, die in deutlichen Mengen im Weihrauch vorkommen, werden nur zwei Keto-boswellias��uren betrachtet, die zudem einen nur mengenm����ig kleinen Teil ausmachen (ca. 1- 3 %, bezogen auf das Rohmaterial). Zun��chst wurde mit sehr zeitaufw��ndigen Experimenten versucht, die S��urefunktion oder die Alkoholfunktion der Triterpens��uren entweder ��ber eine Esterbindung oder eine S��ureamidbindung mit einem aromatischen Rest zu substituieren, der problemlos bei UV 254 nm und h��her zu detektieren ist. Dieses Unterfangen erwies sich leider wegen der Komplexit��t der Proben als wenig erfolgreich. Hingegen verliefen die Versuche zur Findung eines geeigneten internen Standards (��-Glycyrrhetins��ure) sowie die quantitative Bestimmung weiterer Substanzen ��ber Responsefaktoren erfolgreich. So konnten insgesamt 11 Weihrauchproben (Extrakte plus Rohmaterialien) exemplarisch umfassend bearbeitet werden und viele offene Fragen zur chromatographischen Analytik gekl��rt werden. Ausgehend hiervon konnten Verbesserungsvorschl��ge f��r die existierenden Arzneibuchmonographien erstellt werden.

A large proportion of individuals who have recovered from an acute COVID-19 infection continue to experience symptoms months later. Post-acute COVID-19 (long-haul COVID-19) can range from serious complications to quality of life symptoms such as fatigue or insomnia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential for inhalation of essential oils to improve energy levels among otherwise healthy female survivors of acute COVID-19 who experience a lack of energy more than five months after recovery. This study was conducted in the United States in late 2021.This was a randomized double blind, placebo controlled trial to evaluate the potential for inhalation of Longevity™, a proprietary essential oil blend manufactured by Young Living Essential Oils (Lehi, Utah, USA), on energy levels among female survivors of COVID-19 who continue to experience fatigue more than 5 months recovery from the acute infection. Forty women were randomized to two groups: intervention and placebo. Both groups inhaled the assigned product twice daily for fourteen consecutive days. Fatigue scores were measured using the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory (MFSI). Secondary outcomes included scores on each of the MFSI's ten subscales.Individuals who inhaled the essential oil blend for 2 weeks had significantly lower fatigue scores after controlling for baseline scores, employment status, BMI, olfactory function, and time since diagnosis, with a large effect size (F (1,39) = 6.15, p = .020, partial eta squared = 0.198). Subscale analysis identified subscales of vigor, as well as global, behavioral, general, and mental fatigue as benefiting from the intervention. This study provides evidence that a proprietary aromatherapy blend can significantly improve energy levels among women who are experiencing fatigue after recovering from COVID-19.

Background. Knee synovitis is a common sports injury. We proposed the use of UTVOR, which is a combination of the use of volatile oil of Olibanum (VOO) and volatile oil of Chuanxiong Rhizoma (VOCR) and conventional ultrasound (US) therapy, to treat knee synovitis. Design, Setting, Participants, and Interventions. Participants were randomly assigned into a control group (conventional US therapy group) and a test group (UTVOR group). The control group received conventional US therapy with a coupling agent as the medium. The test group received a revised US therapy with VOO and VOCR as media. Both groups were treated once per day for three consecutive days. Main Outcome Measures. The subjects’ Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain score, Lysholm knee score, knee swelling degree, circumference, and range of motion of the knee joint were evaluated before the first treatment and 24 h after the third treatment. The VAS pain score was considered the primary outcome, while the three other measurements were regarded as the secondary outcomes. An adverse event was reported subjectively and recorded. Results. A total of 116 participants were included in the analysis (test group: n = 64; control group: n = 52). The evaluation results showed that the VAS pain scores of the male and female participants in both groups decreased after treatment ( P < 0.001 ), but only the difference among the male sub-group had significant between-group difference ( P < 0.001 ). After treatment, the Lysholm scores in both groups increased significantly (all P < 0.001 ), the range of motion and the circumference of the injured knee decreased significantly ( P < 0.001 ), while no between-group difference was observed in general or in the gender sub-groups (all P > 0.025 ). No side effect or complication was reported during the treatment. Conclusion. UTVOR had a superior analgesic effect to conventional US therapy in the male population, but its effects on alleviating joint function, swelling, and range of motion were comparable to that of conventional US therapy. Our study found that UTVOR can be an effective method to reduce pain and treat knee synovitis, and it is subjectively safe. Trial registration. This study was registered under the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2000035671).

O milho (Zea mays L.) é um dos principais insumos na produção de ração animal, tornando-se um cereal de notoriedade para o agronegócio. Os óleos essenciais são uma opção de produtos naturais que possuem atividade antimicrobiana, assemelhando-se ao potencial do tratamento químico. Portanto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a qualidade sanitária e fisiológica de sementes de milho crioulo tratadas com óleos essenciais . Os tratamentos foram constituídos por T1: Testemunha; T2: Óleo essencial de alecrim; T3: Óleo essencial de cravo; T4: Óleo essencial de eucalipto; T5: Óleo essencial girassol; T6: Óleo essencial de citronela; T7: Óleo essencial de limão; T8: Óleo essencial de olíbano; T9: Óleo essencial de lavanda; T10: Fungicida: Captan®. Na determinação da qualidade sanitária das sementes de milho, foi possível constatar a presença dos fungos Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus sp., Aspergillus niger, Penicillium sp. e Cladosporium sp. Os tratamentos com os óleos de alecrim (T2), cravo (T3), eucalipto (T4) e girassol (T5) não influenciaram a germinação das sementes de milho na concentração avaliada. Os óleos essenciais de alecrim, cravo, eucalipto, girassol, citronela, limão, olíbano e lavanda promovem redução significativa do fungo Trichoderma sp. Todos os tratamentos estimulam a incidência de Aspergillus sp e A. niger. Os óleos essenciais de cravo e girassol estimulam a incidência de Penicillium sp,. O óleo essencial de olíbano estimula a incidência do Cladosporium sp.. As sementes de milho apresentaram qualidade fisiológica satisfatória quando submetidas a tratamento com óleos essenciais de alecrim, cravo, eucalipto e girassol.

Background and purpose: The formation of postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion band formation may lead to severe complications. This study aimed to evaluate the preventive effect of local administration of frankincense n-hexane extract (FHE) on the formation of postsurgical adhesion bands. Materials and methods FHE was extracted from the resin of a Boswellia sacra tree and its components were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In an animal model, the expression levels of TNF-α and TGF-β1 cytokines after application of FHE were assessed to check the inflammatory and fibrotic cues, respectively. Results Following FHE compound analysis, in vivo experiments demonstrated that intraoperative local administration of FHE resulted in the prevention of adhesion band formation. The adhesion grades in the FHE-treated group were significantly lower than those in the negative control (NC) and the positive control (Interceed). The infiltration of inflammatory cells observed by histopathology revealed a significant anti-inflammatory potential of FHE. Furthermore, the gene expression results proved that significant suppression of TNF-α and TGF-β1 was responsible for its antiadhesion properties. Conclusions The study reported the potential of FHE as an ointment for the prevention of adhesion bands.

Encouraged by the potent anti-depression activities of incensole (1) and incensole acetate (2) isolated from the resin of Boswellia papyrifera in our previous work, different derivatives of 1 and 2 were synthesized in the present study. The reaction of 1 with m-CPBA afforded the mono-epoxide derivative 3a, while the same reaction with 2 led to three different epoxide derivatives 3a, 3b, and 3c. Oxidation of 1 with PCC to get compound 3b, however along with the target 3b, the reaction gave three interesting side products (3c-3e). Oxime (3b-1) resulted from the reaction of 3b with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in pyridine, while epoxidation of 2 generate three epoxide products (4a-4c). The structures of all products were unambiguously confirmed using NMR and Mass spectrometry. Compounds 3a-e and 4a-c (0.1-3 mg/kg, i.p.) demonstrated promising anti-depression activities in classical mouse models of depression of FST and TST. The results showed that compounds 3a-e and 4a-c (0.1-3 mg/kg, i.p.) caused dose dependent reduction in immobility time compared to the vehicle control, with 3c-3e and 4b-4c demonstrating higher potency and efficacy. The findings of the open field test excluded the motor effects of these compounds, thus further confirming their anti-depression activity. Preliminary investigation into their mechanism of action using GABA antagonist, PTZ and molecular docking has predicted that compounds 3e and 4c bind at the GABA binding site of GABA

Boswellia sacra Flueck. oleoresin extract (frankincense) has traditionally been used in the treatment of different diseases, but there are no sufficient studies on its potential activity against periodontal pathogens. Therefore, antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of frankincense extract against Porphyromonas gingivalis clinical isolates were studied. The phytochemical composition of the volatile components of the extract was identified by GC-MS analysis revealing 49 compounds as trans-nerolidyl formate, cycloartenol acetate, ursenoic acid 3-oxomethyl ester, bisabolene epoxide, and kaur-16-ene. It decreased the growth and increased the leakage of nucleotides in 58.3% and 33.3% of isolates, respectively. Additionally, it reduced the extracellular polysaccharide production and the cell surface hydrophobicity in 41.67% and 50% of the isolates, respectively. Crystal violet assay revealed inhibition of biofilm formation by the tested isolates. Light microscope and scanning electron microscope were used to examine the biofilms and they confirmed the reduction of biofilm formation by frankincense extract. Downregulation of the genes linked to biofilm formation (fimA, hagA, and hagB) was observed using qRT-PCR after treatment with the frankincense extract. This study suggested that the frankincense extract could exhibit antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against P. gingivalis isolates. Thus, the frankincense extract could be used as a treatment approach for periodontitis.

Extracts of frankincense, the gum resin of Boswellia species, have been extensively used in traditional folk medicine since ancient times and are still of great interest as promising anti-inflammatory remedies in Western countries. Despite their common therapeutic use and the intensive pharmacological research including studies on active ingredients, modes of action, bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and clinical efficacy, frankincense preparations are available as nutraceuticals but have not yet approved as a drug on the market. A major issue of commercially available frankincense nutraceuticals is the striking differences in their composition and quality, especially related to the content of boswellic acids (BAs) as active ingredients, mainly due to the use of material from divergent Boswellia species but also because of different work-up and extraction procedures. Here, we assessed three frequently used frankincense-based preparations for their BA content and the interference with prominent pro-inflammatory actions and targets that have been proposed, that is, 5-lipoxygenase and leukotriene formation in human neutrophils, microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1, and inflammatory cytokine secretion in human blood monocytes. Our data reveal striking differences in the pharmacological efficiencies of these preparations in inflammation-related bioassays which obviously correlate with the amounts of BAs they contain. In summary, high-quality frankincense extracts display powerful anti-inflammatory effectiveness against multiple targets which can be traced back to BAs as bioactive ingredients.