European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EFFECT OF BOSWELLIN® SUPER ON KNEE PAIN IN JAPANESE ADULTS: A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Muhammed Majeed, Priti Vaidyanathan, Sankaran Natarajan, Shaheen Majeed, Kiran Kumar Vuppala*

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Boswellia serrata extract is a traditional remedy for joint health with an anti-inflammatory effect. The present trial investigated the effect of Boswellin® Super (BS), a standardized extract from the gum resin of B. serrata containing Boswellic acids, on reducing knee pain. Methods: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients reported with knee pain were assigned to receive either BS or placebo as one capsule daily for 8 weeks. The primary outcome measures, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) and the Western Ontario & Mc Master Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were used to evaluate knee pain. In addition, serum hyaluronic acid and high sensitivity C-reactive protein were measured as secondary outcome measures. Results: Compared with baseline, the BS group patients showed significant improvements in the VAS, JKOM, and WOMAC scores after 8 weeks of intervention. Serum hyaluronic acid levels were lower in the BS group than those in the placebo group after 8 weeks of intervention. This may play a vital role in alleviating pain in rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusion: The results of this trial suggest that BS inhibits the secretion of hyaluronic acid into the blood. In addition, intervention with BS resulted in improvements in the VAS, JKOM and WOMAC scores. Therefore, BS could find potential use to relieve knee pain patients and manage related inflammatory conditions.

Keywords: Boswellia serrata, boswellic acids, knee pain, JKOM, WOMAC, hyaluronic acid.