Graz, 4. Januar 2020:

Der Tübinger Pharmakologe und Diabetologe H.P.T. Ammon forscht seit langem über  Weihrauch (1). Jetzt hat er eine Übersichtsarbeit über die Boswelliasäuren veröffentlicht, die im Weihrauch enthalten sind. Hier soll das Abstract der Publikation (2) wiedergegeben werden.

Boswellic extracts and 11-keto-s-boswellic acids prevent type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus by suppressing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines

H.P.T. Ammon

A B S T R A C T

Background: Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease directed to the pancreatic islets where inflammation leads to the death of insulin-producing s cells and insulin deficiency. Type 2 diabetes, which is closely related tooverweight, is characterized by insulin resistance. In both cases, proinflammatory cytokines play an important role by causing insulitis and insulin resistance.

The gum resin of Boswellia species and its pharmacologically active compounds, including 11-keto-s-boswellic acids have been shown to suppress the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in various immunecompetent cells.

Purpose: To review the present evidence of the therapeutic effects of boswellic extracts (BE) and/or 11-keto-sboswellic acids in the prevention/treatment of diabetes mellitus and to provide comprehensive insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods: This review considers all available informations from preclinical and clinical studies concerning BEs, 11-keto-s-boswellic acids, proinflammatory cytokines and diabetes mellitus collected via electronic search (PubMed) and related publications of the author.

Results: Type 1 diabetes: Studies in mice with autoimmune diabetes revealed that in the model of multiple injections of low doses of streptozotocin (MLD-STZ), an extract of the gum resin of Boswellia serrata and 11-ketos- boswellic acid (KBA) suppressed the increase in proinflammatory cytokines in the blood, infiltration of lymphocytes into pancreatic islets and increase in blood glucose. In a second model, i.e. the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse, KBA prevented the infiltration of lymphocytes into pancreatic islets. Regarding the clinical effects, a case report provided evidence that BE suppressed the blood levels of tyrosine phosphatase antibody (IA2-A), a marker for insulitis, in a patient with late-onset autoimmune diabetes of the adult (LADA).

Type 2 diabetes: In a preclinical study in rats where obesity was alimentary induced, the administration of BE significantly reduced food intake, overweight, proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1s (IL-1s), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and ameliorated the parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism. Similar results

were obtained in a second animal study, where type 2 diabetes was induced by a combination of a high-fat/highfructose diet and a single dose of streptozotocin. Two clinical trials with patients with type 2 diabetes receiving nthe resin of Boswellia serrata demonstrated improvement in the blood glucose, HbA1c and lipid parameters.

Conclusion: Preclinical and clinical data suggest that BE and/or 11-keto-s-boswellic acids by inhibiting the expression of proinflammatory cytokines from immune-competent cells, may prevent insulitis and insulin resistance in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively, and therefore may be an option in the treatment/prevention of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Kommentar

Ob der Weihrauch selbst , wie er kürzlich zur Weihnachtszeit in den katholischen Kirchen reichlich verwendet wurde, auch die Expression proinflammatorischer Zytokine hemmt wie die aus dem Weihrauch-Harz extrahierten Boswelliasäuren muss offen bleiben. Hoffen darf man natürlich allemal!

Helmut Schatz