Boswellia
Boswellia serrata, also called Indian frankincense, in capsules and tablets made from resin extracts. We explain what the standardisation percentage on the label means, which extracts we stock and how to take it.Read more →
Filters
Availability
Brand
Form
Diet
Goal
Price
Boswellia serrata extract: forms, standardisation and daily use
Boswellia is the resin of the Boswellia serrata tree, which grows in India, the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Africa. The dried resin is better known as Indian frankincense, or salai. Ayurvedic practice has used it for centuries. Supplements use an extract of that resin, measured by its content of boswellic acids. It is one of the more specific choices among our herbal extracts.
The percentage on the label says more than the milligrams
Two products can both say 500 mg boswellia and still be very different. The standardisation tells you more. Most extracts sold in the UK state 65% boswellic acids, some go higher, to 75% or 85%. A smaller group is standardised for AKBA, one specific boswellic acid, and those capsules carry a much lower milligram amount on purpose. Before you compare prices, compare three things:
- Extract or resin: a 5:1 or 10:1 extract, or plain gum resin powder
- Boswellic acids: the percentage, and whether it is stated at all
- AKBA: named separately when the product is built around it
Gum resin powder is the traditional form and usually the cheapest. Its content varies from batch to batch, which is exactly what a standardised extract removes.
Extraction and purity are part of the choice
Resin extracts are made with solvents. Gentler methods leave fewer residues, and some brands work with certified organic resin or publish batch tests for heavy metals. Boswellia resin is tapped from the bark by hand, so quality shifts with region and season. That is why we look at what a brand can actually show. We test products ourselves, and independent labs spot-check batches.
How we choose the boswellia in this collection
We select boswellia on three things: the form of the extract, the dose per capsule, and whether a combination makes sense. We prefer extracts that state their boswellic acid percentage, because that number is what you are really paying for. Resin powder with no stated content does not make it in. We also skip blends where boswellia sits at a token amount at the end of a long ingredient list. We buy directly from the brands, no intermediaries, and every product passes our compliance team before it goes live. Read how we select our brands.
Who this suits, and what to expect
Boswellia is mostly bought by people who want to stay active, and often by people who already use Curcumin. Take it with a meal. On an empty stomach, some people notice mild nausea or stomach discomfort. High-dose capsules can be large, so a tablet or two smaller capsules a day is easier if swallowing is a problem.
Be realistic about timing. Give it at least two to three weeks of daily use before you decide whether it earns a place in your routine. Be realistic about claims too. The European food safety authority (EFSA) has approved no health claim for boswellia, so we promise you no outcome, and neither should a label. What we can do is be precise about the extract, the standardisation and the dose per day. Shoppers weighing up their options often look at glucosamine products in the same visit, and boswellia is straightforward to run alongside them.
Frequently asked questions
Boswellia is the dried resin of the Boswellia serrata tree, native to India, the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Africa. You will also see it called Indian frankincense or salai. The resin is tapped from the bark, then extracted and pressed into capsules or tablets. Labels normally name the plant compounds it is measured by, the boswellic acids, as a percentage of the extract.
