Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Properties of Frankincense: Implications for Anticancer Therapy

Overview

Journal Chin J Integr Med

Date 2024 May 30

PMID 38816637

Authors

Yong-Rong Wu

Wei Xiong

Ying-Jing Dong

Xin Chen

Yuan-Yuan Zhong

Xin-Ling He

Yu-Jia Wang

Qun-Fang Lin

Xue-Fei Tian

Qing Zhou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The discovery of novel antitumor agents derived from natural plants is a principal objective of anticancer drug research. Frankincense, a widely recognized natural antitumor medicine, has undergone a systematic review encompassing its species, chemical constituents, and diverse pharmacological activities and mechanisms. The different species of frankincense include Boswellia serrata, Somali frankincense, Boswellia frereana, and Boswellia arabica. Various frankincense extracts and compounds exhibit antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties and antioxidation, memory enhancement, and immunological regulation capabilities. They also have comprehensive effects on regulating flora. Frankincense and its principal chemical constituents have demonstrated promising chemoprophylactic and therapeutic abilities against tumors. This review provides a systematic summary of the mechanism of action underlying the antitumor effects of frankincense and its major constituents, thus laying the foundations for developing effective tumor-combating targets.

References

Hamidpour R, Hamidpour S, Hamidpour M, Shahlari M . Frankincense ( rǔ xiāng; boswellia species): from the selection of traditional applications to the novel phytotherapy for the prevention and treatment of serious diseases. J Tradit Complement Med. 2014; 3(4):221-6. PMC: 3924999. DOI: 10.4103/2225-4110.119723. View

Rumgay H, Arnold M, Ferlay J, Lesi O, Cabasag C, Vignat J . Global burden of primary liver cancer in 2020 and predictions to 2040. J Hepatol. 2022; 77(6):1598-1606. PMC: 9670241. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.08.021. View

Dai G, He L, Yan Q, Li Y, Huang Y, Li B . Case Report: Advanced pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma with adrenal gland metastasis after sintilimab combined with anlotinib treatment. Front Oncol. 2023; 13:1167516. PMC: 10348826. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1167516. View

Motyka S, Jafernik K, Ekiert H, Sharifi-Rad J, Calina D, Al-Omari B . Podophyllotoxin and its derivatives: Potential anticancer agents of natural origin in cancer chemotherapy. Biomed Pharmacother. 2022; 158:114145. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.114145. View

Kaur H, Kaur K, Singh A, Bedi N, Singh B, Alturki M . Frankincense oil-loaded nanoemulsion formulation of paclitaxel and erucin: A synergistic combination for ameliorating drug resistance in breast cancer: and study. Front Pharmacol. 2022; 13:1020602. PMC: 9623270. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1020602. View

Li W, Liu J, Fu W, Zheng X, Ren L, Liu S . Correction: 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid exerts anti-tumor effects in glioblastoma by arresting cell cycle at G2/M phase. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2022; 41(1):236. PMC: 9347118. DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02454-7. View

Gong Y, Jiang X, Yang S, Huang Y, Hong J, Ma Y . The Biological Activity of 3-O-Acetyl-11-keto-β-Boswellic Acid in Nervous System Diseases. Neuromolecular Med. 2022; 24(4):374-384. PMC: 8931781. DOI: 10.1007/s12017-022-08707-0. View

Siemoneit U, Koeberle A, Rossi A, Dehm F, Verhoff M, Reckel S . Inhibition of microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 as a molecular basis for the anti-inflammatory actions of boswellic acids from frankincense. Br J Pharmacol. 2010; 162(1):147-62. PMC: 3012413. DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.01020.x. View

10.

Sturner K, Verse N, Yousef S, Martin R, Sospedra M . Boswellic acids reduce Th17 differentiation via blockade of IL-1β-mediated IRAK1 signaling. Eur J Immunol. 2014; 44(4):1200-12. DOI: 10.1002/eji.201343629. View

12.

Majeed M, Majeed S, Narayanan N, Nagabhushanam K . A pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a novel Boswellia serrata extract in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee. Phytother Res. 2019; 33(5):1457-1468. PMC: 6681146. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.6338. View

13.

Goswami D, Mahapatra A, Banerjee S, Kar A, Ojha D, Mukherjee P . Boswellia serrata oleo-gum-resin and β-boswellic acid inhibits HSV-1 infection in vitro through modulation of NF-кB and p38 MAP kinase signaling. Phytomedicine. 2018; 51:94-103. DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2018.10.016. View

14.

Ur Rehman N, Khan A, Al-Harrasi A, Hussain H, Wadood A, Riaz M . New α-Glucosidase inhibitors from the resins of Boswellia species with structure-glucosidase activity and molecular docking studies. Bioorg Chem. 2018; 79:27-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2018.04.020. View

15.

Fathi E, Katouli F, Riazi G, Shasaltaneh M, Parandavar E, Bayati S . The Effects of Alpha Boswellic Acid on Reelin Expression and Tau Phosphorylation in Human Astrocytes. Neuromolecular Med. 2016; 19(1):136-146. DOI: 10.1007/s12017-016-8437-3. View

16.

Huang G, Yang J, Zhang L, Cao L, Zhang M, Niu X . Inhibitory effect of 11-carbonyl-beta-boswellic acid on non-small cell lung cancer H446 cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2018; 503(4):2202-2205. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.06.137. View

17.

Yu J, Zhao L, Sun X, Geng Y, Wang X . Bioactive cembrane diterpenoids from the gum resin of Boswellia carterii. Fitoterapia. 2020; 146:104699. DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2020.104699. View

18.

Wang J, Sun H, Suo X, Wang X, Sun H, Wang X . Ten undescribed cembrane-type diterpenoids from the gum resin of Boswellia sacra and their biological activities. Phytochemistry. 2020; 177:112425. DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2020.112425. View

19.

Sun X, Geng Y, Wang X, Qin D, Yu J . Cembrane-type diterpenoids from the gum resin of and their biological activities. RSC Adv. 2022; 10(2):746-755. PMC: 9047511. DOI: 10.1039/c9ra09776g. View

20.

Zhang B, Liu D, Ji W, Otsuki K, Higai K, Zhao F . Sacraoxides A-G, Bioactive Cembranoids from Gum Resin of . Front Chem. 2021; 9:649287. PMC: 8044883. DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.649287. View

21.

Moussaieff A, Shohami E, Kashman Y, Fride E, Schmitz M, Renner F . Incensole acetate, a novel anti-inflammatory compound isolated from Boswellia resin, inhibits nuclear factor-kappa B activation. Mol Pharmacol. 2007; 72(6):1657-64. DOI: 10.1124/mol.107.038810. View

22.

Pollastro F, Golin S, Chianese G, Putra M, Moriello A, De Petrocellis L . Neuroactive and Anti-inflammatory Frankincense Cembranes: A Structure-Activity Study. J Nat Prod. 2016; 79(7):1762-8. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00141. View