Boswellia Serrata (Salai/Salai guggul), is a moderate to large sized branching tree of family Burseraceae (Genus Boswellia), grows in dry mountainous regions of India, Northern Africa and Middle East. It is also called Indian Frankincense. Oleo Gum-Resin is tapped from the incision made on the trunk of the tree and is then stored. Gum-resin extracts of Boswellia Serrata have been traditionally used in folk medicine for centuries to treat various chronic inflammatory diseases.

The resinous part of Boswellia Serrata possesses monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, tetracyclic triterpenic acids and four major pentacyclic triterpenic acids i.e. β-boswellic acid, acetyl-β-boswellic acid, 11-keto-β-boswellic acid and acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid, responsible for inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes. Out of these four boswellic acids, acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid is the most potent inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase, an enzyme responsible for inflammation.

Based on current evidence, Boswellia and its extract may be an effective and safe treatment option for patient with Osteoarthritis. Boswellic acids act synergistically to exert anti‐inflammatory/anti‐arthritic activity showing improvement in physical and functional ability and reducing the pain and stiffness.