Some people at the barn have been talking about boswellia. You’ve heard of it before. But what exactly does it do? And would it be good for my horse?
Boswellia is an herb that has been around for many years. The resin is also known as frankincense. It has been known for its benefits to humans for pain relief, arthritis support, and as an anti-inflammatory. Recently, it’s caught the attention of horse owners because affordable options have become available.
◆︎ Mechanisms of action:
Boswellia relieves pain in a different manner than NSAIDs.
☛ NSAIDs are COX inhibitors. COX2 enzymes cause pain and inflammation.
☛ Boswellia is a LOX inhibitor. LOX enzymes cause inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and psoriasis. Boswellia inhibits those enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Both have the same precursor AA (arachidonic acid). When the COX pathway is inhibited, the precursors may be shunted over to the LOX pathway.
◆︎ Nutraceutical support in horses:
➡ Arthritis:
Among the best know use of boswellia is for pain relief in osteoarthritis. It does this through
» Reducing inflammation
» Protecting articular cartilage by suppressing inflammatory cytokines that degrade it
» Reducing pain
Most formulations for arthritis include other supplements, such as turmeric, quercetin, devil’s claw, hyaluronic acid, or MSM.
➡ Breathing:
Because it can inhibit the formation of leukotrienes, it may offer support to:
» Asthma, bronchoconstriction, bronchitis with the goal of reducing the difficulty of breathing.
» Allergies, by reducing the inflammatory response to pollen, wild-fire smoke, and air pollution.
Allergy formulations frequently include spirulina, chondroitin sulfate, and MSM.
➡ Skin issues:
By inhibiting leukotrienes, boswellia may offer support for itchy skin.
◆︎ Purity and serving size:
The boswellia offered by My Best Horse is concentrated to 65% boswellic acid. The recommended serving size is 2 grams. Some companies state that their supplement is boswellia extract, but don’t inform you as to the extract percentage.
It’s common to take 6-8 weeks to see an effect when adding boswellia to the horse’s diet.
Boswellia is one more tool in our toolbox to help support our horses with arthritis or allergies.
We do the best that we can do for our horses.
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Disclaimer: Statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.
©Joan Kulifay, MSc. 2025