Anti-inflammatory actions of boswellic acids.

Boswellic acids (BA) demonstrated dose-related anti-inflammatory activity (AIA) in acute tests of carrageenan-, histamine- and dextran-induced edema in rats and mice. It elicited inhibitory action on vascular permeability in mice induced by acetic acid. Marked AIA was observed in chronic models of adjuvant-induced polyarthritis and formaldehyde arthritis in rats and bovine serum albumin-induced arthritis in rabbits. It produced significant protective effects in sodium urate gouty arthritis in dogs. BA reduced exudate volume and inhibited leucocyte migration in carrageenan-induced pleurisy in rats. It did not affect the parturition period in pregnant rats or castor oil-induced diarrhea in rats. It failed to exhibit any analgesic or ulcerogenic effects. BA elicited antipyretic activity in rats and rabbits. LD(50) of BA was found to be greater than 2 g/kg in rats and mice when administered orally or intraperitoneally.