Effects of Boswellia Serrata Supplementation on Ex Vivo Immune Responses in Horses

Frankincense, the gum resin of Boswellia serrata (BS), has been used for centuries in central Africa and in the Middle East as a remedy for many health problems, especially chronic inflammatory diseases [1]. In recent years, the extracts from the gum resin of BS have been also shown to target both the humoral and adaptive immune responses in mice [2,3]. To date, the effects of an oral administration of BS in horses has not been investigated. Purpose of this preliminary work was the evaluation of immune responses in ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of horses supplemented with BS. The preliminary study suggests that BS is able to modulate the ex vivo immune responses in equine species by increasing the immune responses in cells either pulsed or not by mitogens.