David, Andrew, Do you have any thoughts on the use of boswellia for migraines and other forms of chronic daily h/a? I know this is general and not characterizing it as excess type or deficient type. I have only read about it's use in studies so not traditional usage. I was curious if you've used it and seen it helpful in such patients. The studies show it even helped folks with hemicrania continuaa, which typically is treated with indomethacin, a very powerful and GI irritating anti-inflammatory. Maybe we'll get to learning more about it in the intro to Ayurvedic herbs? I'm sorry if you already spoke about this in class - if so I don't remember - sorry! Thanks so much. Warmest, Mona

I have not used Boswellia for migraines. I am wondering where you saw these studies as I could not locate any human clinical trials of Boswellia for migraines on PubMed or Google Scholar.

Thanks so much for the reply, David! I am embarrassed to say I was relying on second-hand information -ack - sorry, not the way to do it. And so the secondary sources now that I look back were all referring back to one report and one study. The study involved just 4 subjects with chronic cluster h/a - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228331555_Long-term_efficacy_of_Boswellia_serrata_in_4_patients_with_chronic_cluster_headache - and then the report by E. Eross - http://headachesociety.ca/wp-content/uploads/mg_groups/1/2352251908078376648.pdf - is referenced here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0333102415581304 (under PO062). The author has ties to the company that makes "Gliacin" - this particular supplement that is a derivative of Boswellia (https://www.gliacin.com/research.html). I see Eross has also authored: A Comparison of Efficacy, Tolerability and Safety of Indomethacin versus Specialized Boswellia Serrata Extract in Subjects with Confirmed Hemicrania Continua, which is included here:

https://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/head.13893.

There is one other issue with these 2 studies, they use a patented proprietary Boswellia extract that may or may not have similar activity to Boswellia the herb or other Boswellia extracts. So we still cannot say Boswellia has any benefit for migraines (although it’s anti-inflammatory activity suggests it might), but that this extract SBSE seems like it might be effective.

That makes sense! Thanks, David.