The effect of Boswellia Serrata on neurorecovery following diffuse axonal injury.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized double-blind crossover trial
PubMed 24088189 · doi:10.3109/02699052.2013.825009
What was done
In a 12-week, multicenter, double-blind, randomized crossover pilot study, 38 patients with pure diffuse axonal injury (DAI) were allocated to receive either placebo (Group A, n = 20) or Boswellia serrata (BS) capsules (Group B, n = 18) for 6 weeks, before switching to the alternate intervention for the subsequent 6 weeks. Disability Rating Scale (DRS) scores were evaluated at 2, 6, and 12 weeks post-trauma.
What was found
No exact numeric values, standard deviations, or p-values are reported in the abstract. BS treatment resulted in a non-significant trend toward improvement in total DRS scores. In DRS sub-scores, Group A demonstrated statistically significant improvement in 'cognitive ability to self-care' while receiving BS in the second 6 weeks compared to non-significant spontaneous recovery on placebo in Group B. Both groups showed close-to-significant increases in DRS cognitive-related items during their respective BS treatment periods. Adverse events were all mild with similar frequency across groups.
Why it matters
This trial provides preliminary human clinical data on Boswellia serrata in traumatic brain injury, suggesting potential selective cognitive effects despite failing to improve overall functional disability.
Limits
The trial has a small pilot sample size (n = 38). The abstract does not report raw numerical outcomes, effect sizes, or exact p-values. In an acute-to-subacute trauma setting, spontaneous recovery and potential carryover effects present substantial confounding risks for a crossover design.