Himalaya Rumalaya Forte

Boswellia (Indian frankincense)· evidence: Limited

Boswellia serrata is a tree resin used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Supplements are usually extracts standardised to a percentage of boswellic acids or AKBA, often under brand names such as 5-Loxin, ApresFlex or Boswellin.

Studies have looked at boswellia extracts for joint comfort. A number of small trials and reviews report positive results, but most trials were short, small and funded by or linked to the extract makers, and the extracts and doses differ a lot. Independent, larger trials are lacking.

As a botanical, boswellia has no authorised health claim in Great Britain, so we make no claims about what it does.

Typical dose: Varies by extract: studies used about 100–250 mg of branded AKBA-rich extracts, or 300–1,000 mg of standard extracts, a day

Safety: Usually well tolerated; can cause stomach upset or heartburn. Not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Herbal extracts can interact with medicines, so speak to your GP or pharmacist first if you take regular medication, including blood thinners.

Research we looked at:
Yu G et al. (2020). Effectiveness of Boswellia and Boswellia extract for osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Med Ther 20:225.
Cameron M, Chrubasik S (2014). Oral herbal therapies for treating osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (5):CD002947.

Guggul (Indian bdellium)· evidence: Insufficient

Guggul is a gum resin from the Commiphora mukul tree, used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and often combined with boswellia in joint formulas.

There is very little good-quality research on guggul for joints, and the controlled trials that exist in other areas have been small or disappointing. As a botanical it has no authorised health claim in Great Britain, so we make no claims about what it does.

Typical dose: Varies widely by product and extract

Safety: Can cause skin rashes and stomach upset. Guggul may affect thyroid hormones and may interact with blood thinners, the contraceptive pill, some heart medicines and other drugs, so speak to your GP or pharmacist first if you take any regular medication. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Research we looked at:
Szapary PO et al. (2003). Guggulipid for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 290(6):765–772.
Cameron M, Chrubasik S (2014). Oral herbal therapies for treating osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (5):CD002947.

Cost per daily dose lets you compare packs of different sizes fairly.Worked out from our current prices.