The effect of tablet containing Boswellia serrata and Melisa officinalis extract on older adults' memory: A randomized controlled trial

Boswellia serrata extract shows cognitive benefits in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial in individuals who suffered traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability. TBI can result in neuropsychiatric and cognitive problems as well as neurodegenerative pathologies that can appear right after or develop and persist years after injury.

METHOD

We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial on patients who suffered from TBI three months to three years ago. The patients were randomized to placebo (n = 34) or K-Vie™ group (n = 46) for a treatment period of 3 months. The main primary outcomes include cognitive assessment in the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test-Recognition Test (RAVLT), Wechsler adult intelligence Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and trail-making test part B (TMT-B). Assessments were performed at baseline and at the month 3 follow-up visit. Linear mixed models were carried out to evaluate cognitive changes from baseline across all cognitive assessment tests.

RESULT

The current study showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in cognitive function of patients who were given K-Vie™ compared with placebo across the RAVLT, DSST and TMT-B performance assessments. A larger cohort would be beneficial to further confirm the clinical utility of K-Vie™ and assess its effects in acute phases of TBI.

Protection of Beta Boswellic Acid against Streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's Model by Reduction of Tau Phosphorylation Level and Enhancement of Reelin Expression

Alzheimer's disease is a growing general health concern with huge implications for individuals and society. Beta boswellic acid, a major compound of the Boswellia serrata plant, has long been used for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. The exact mechanism of beta boswellic acid action in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis remains unclear. In the current study, the protective effect of beta boswellic acid on streptozotocin-induced sporadic Alzheimer's disease was surveyed. Alzheimer's disease model was induced using streptozotocin followed by an assessment of the treatment effects of beta boswellic acid in the presence of streptozotocin. The prevention effect of beta boswellic acid on Alzheimer's disease induction by streptozotocin was evaluated. Behavioral activities in the treated rats were evaluated. Histological analysis was performed. Phosphorylation of tau protein at residues Ser396 and Ser404 and the expression of reelin protein were determined. Glial fibrillary acidic protein immunofluorescence staining was applied in the hippocampus regions. Our findings indicated that beta boswellic acid decreased traveled distance and escape latency in the prevention (beta boswellic acid + streptozotocin) and treatment (streptozotocin + beta boswellic acid) groups compared to control during the acquisition test. It increased "time spent" (%) in the target quadrant. Reelin level was enhanced in rats treated with beta boswellic acid. Tau hyperphosphorylation (p-tau404) and glial fibrillary acidic protein were decreased in the prevention group while the expression of reelin protein in both groups was increased. We could suggest that the anti-inflammatory property of beta boswellic acid is one of the main factors involving in the improvement of learning and memory in rats. Therefore the antineurodegenerative effect of beta boswellic acid may be due to its ability to reactivate reelin protein.

Frankincense diterpenes as a bio-source for drug discovery

INTRODUCTION

Frankincense (Boswellia sp.) gum resins have been employed as an incense in cultural and religious ceremonies for many years. Frankincense resin has over the years been employed to treat depression, inflammation, and cancer in traditional medicines.

AREAS COVERED

This inclusive review focuses on the significance of frankincense diterpenoids, and in particular, incensole derivatives for establishment future treatments of depression, neurological disorders, and cancer. The authors survey the available literature and furnish an overview of future perspectives of these intriguing molecules.

EXPERT OPINION

Numerous diterpenoids including cembrane, prenylaromadendrane, and the verticillane-type have been isolated from various Boswellia resins. Cembrane-type diterpenoids occupy a crucial position in pharmaceutical chemistry and related industries because of their intriguing biological and encouraging pharmacological potentials. Several cembranes have been reported to possess anti-Alzheimer, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and antimalarial effects along with a good possibility to treat anxiety and depression. Although some slight drawbacks of these compounds have been noted, including the selectivity of these diterpenoids, there is a great need to address these in future research endeavors. Moreover, it is vitally important for medicinal chemists to prepare libraries of incensole-heterocyclic analogs as well as hybrid compounds between incensole or its acetate and anti-depressant or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Molecular evidences on anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and memory-boosting effects of frankincense

Chemical diversity of natural products with drug-like features has attracted much attention from medicine to develop more safe and effective drugs. Their anti-inflammatory, antitumor, analgesic, and other therapeutic properties are sometimes more successful than chemical drugs in controlling disease due to fewer drug resistance and side effects and being more tolerable in a long time. Frankincense, the oleo gum resin extracted from the Boswellia species, contains some of these chemicals. The anti-inflammatory effect of its main ingredient, boswellic acid, has been traditionally used to treat many diseases, mainly those target memory functions. In this review, we have accumulated research evidence from the beneficial effect of Frankincense consumption in memory improvement and the prevention of inflammation and cancer. Besides, we have discussed the molecular pathways mediating the therapeutic effects of this natural supplement.

Melissa officinalis L. ameliorates oxidative stress and inflammation and upregulates Nrf2/HO-1 signaling in the hippocampus of pilocarpine-induced rats

Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures, and its effective management continues to be a therapeutic challenge. Oxidative stress and local inflammatory response accompany the status epilepticus (SE). This study evaluated the effect of Melissa officinalis extract (MOE) on oxidative stress, inflammation, and neurotransmitters in the hippocampus of pilocarpine (PILO)-administered rats, pointing to the involvement of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling. Rats received PILO via intraperitoneal administration and were treated with MOE for 2 weeks. MOE prevented neuronal loss; decreased lipid peroxidation, Cox-2, PGE2, and BDNF; and downregulated glial fibrillary acidic protein in the hippocampus of PILO-treated rats. In addition, MOE enhanced GSH and antioxidant enzymes, upregulated Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNA abundance, and increased the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in the hippocampus of epileptic rats. Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity and GABA were increased, and glutamate and acetylcholine were decreased in the hippocampus of epileptic rats treated with MOE. In conclusion, MOE attenuated neuronal loss, oxidative stress, and inflammation; activated Nrf2/HO-1 signaling; and modulated neurotransmitters, GFAP, and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase in the hippocampus of epileptic rats. These findings suggest that M. officinalis can mitigate epileptogenesis, pending further studies to explore the exact underlying mechanisms.

Potential therapeutic effects of boswellic acids/Boswellia serrata extract in the prevention and therapy of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease

The link between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction has been reported in many recent articles. There is currently no disease-modifying treatment available for cognitive impairment. Boswellia serrata (B. serrata) is used traditionally to treat chronic inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), insulin resistance (IR), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This review aims to highlight current research on the potential use of boswellic acids (BAs)/B. serrata extract in T2D and AD. We reviewed the published information through June 2021. Studies have been collected through a search on online electronic databases (Academic libraries as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Egyptian Knowledge Bank). Accumulating evidence in preclinical and small human clinical studies has indicated that BAs/B. serrata extract has potential therapeutic effect in T2D and AD. According to most of the authors, the potential therapeutic effects of BAs/B. serrata extract in T2D and AD can be attributed to immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity, and elimination of the senescent cells. BAs/B. serrata extract may act by inhibiting the IκB kinase/nuclear transcription factor-κB (IKK/NF-κB) signaling pathway and increasing the formation of selective anti-inflammatory LOX-isoform modulators. In conclusion, BAs/B. serrata extract may have positive therapeutic effects in prevention and therapy of T2D and AD. However, more randomized controlled trials with effective, large populations are needed to show a definitive conclusion about therapeutic efficacy of BAs/B. serrata extract in T2D and AD.

The Effect of Beta-Boswellic Acid on the Expression of Camk4 and Camk2α Genes in the PC12 Cell Line

Purpose: Beta-boswellic acid (βBA) may play central roles in neural plasticity. Neural plasticity has significant implications for learning and memory which are governed by strict memoryrelated molecular pathways. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism by which βBA affects these pathways this study analyzed the expression patterns of Camk2α and Camk4 genes in PC12 cells treated with βBA.

Methods: The cytotoxic effects of different βBA concentrations on PC12 cells were examined by MTT assay. For gene expression analysis, cells were treated with concentrations of 1 and 10 µM of βBA for 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours. Total RNA was purified by RNX-Plus solution and reverse transcribed into cDNA using Thermo Scientific Reverse Transcription reagents. The expression patterns of Camk2α and Camk4 genes were quantified by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results: MTT assay indicated that βBA reduced PC12 cell viability in a time- and concentrationdependent manner. The 50% inhibitory concentrations for the 48 and 72 hours time points were 35 and 26 µM, respectively; while, the βBA concentrations up to 100 µM failed to kill 50% of the cells after 24 hours. According to the qRT-PCR data, the Camk2α variant is not expressed in either βBA-treated or untreated PC12 cells. However, a significant upregulation was observed inCamk4 after 12 hours of treatment with βBA, which followed by a significant downregulation after 24 hours and a persistent expression equal to the control until 72 hours.

Conclusion: these findings indicate that PC12 cells not only does not express Camk2α but also its expression cannot be induced by βBA. However, βBA does modulate the expression of Camk4. This result provides further insight into the molecular mechanism by which βBA affects memory.