Topical or systemic application of extract results in profound improvement in mouse model of psoriasis

This publication is really quite remarkable.

First, it’s seldom that researchers will use a phrase like “profound improvement.” Researchers tend toward understatement, not hyperbole. The mouse must truly have been ‘cured’ to elicit such a statement.

Second, the extract was equally effective whether applied topically, or administered systemically.

Finally, this effect was achieved with an extract that has been in use for thousands of years.

What is acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKbetaBA)? It’s a a naturally occurring gum resin isolated from the  stem of the tree Boswellia serrata. It’s frankincense. Yes, just like in the Nativity story.

Impressive results – natural product. If I had psoriasis (and didn’t have Banjo) I would be out looking for frankincense.

But is it safe? Well, for starters it’s edible (when pure.) That’s always a good sign. Plus it has a 5,000 year history of safe use – and an equally long history of medicinal use. In Ayurvedic medicine frankincense is recommended for the treatment of arthritis. In Asia it has been used for digestive problems and as a treatment for skin conditions. I would do some additional research before using it myself – and a lot more research before giving it to anyone else – but based on what I already know, it’s likely safe. And likely much safer than most other treatments.

And since it’s an NF-kB inhibitor it will do more than just treat the symptoms of psoriasis. It would likely lesson the chance of psoriatic arthritis while inhibiting colon cancer, (and prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma) lowering your cholesterol, treating your osteoarthritis, and reducing symptoms in chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, bronchial asthma and a host of other ailments too long to list.

That’s what natural NF-kB inhibitors do. Some do it (much) better than others. But they all do it – because they fight inflammation.

And you’re already using them. Every fresh fruit and vegetable is a natural NF-kB inhibitor.

But you’re probably not using enough of them, especially because our modern world is filled with so many things that cause inflammation. And if you have an autoimmune disease – like psoriasis – then you have a genetic vulnerability to inflammation. You need even more of these NF-kB inhibitors.

With additional NF-kB inhibitors from frankincense (or Banjo) – you can get better. That’s my theory. It’s not proven, but it’s consistent with the results from thousands of studies, a few of which are referenced on this site – one of which is summarized below.

The publication:

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J Immunol. 2009 Oct 1;183(7):4755-63. Epub 2009 Sep 14.

Targeting NF-kappa B with a natural triterpenoid alleviates skin inflammation in a mouse model of psoriasis.

Wang H, Syrovets T, Kess D, Büchele B, Hainzl H, Lunov O, Weiss JM, Scharffetter-Kochanek K, Simmet T.

Summary of the abstract

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease involving cytokines and an activated cellular immune system.

At variance to skin from patients with atopic dermatitis or from healthy subjects, human psoriatic skin lesions exhibit strong activation of transcription factor NF-kappaB.

Since NF-kappaB signaling is required for the induction of many cytokines, and since aberrant cytokine expression has been proposed as the cause of psoriasis, we investigated – using a mouse model – whether NF-kappaB targeting would affect the course of the disease.

When mice with severe psoriatic lesions were treated systemically or locally with the IkappaB kinase inhibitor acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKbetaBA), NF-kappaB signaling and cytokine production were profoundly suppressed.

Additionally, application of the compound counteracted the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in previously diseased skin areas. Inflammation resolved and skin cell hyper-proliferation ceased.

Overall, the treatment was accompanied by a profound improvement of the psoriasis.

Our data demonstrate that NF-kappaB signaling is pivotal for the pathogenesis of psoriasis in the mouse model. Therefore, targeting NF-kappaB might provide an effective strategy for the treatment of psoriasis.

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