Boswellic acids (K‐Vie™) improves clinical cognitive scores and reduces systemic inflammation in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. (20th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Karima, Saeed; Aghamollaii, Vajiheh; Tafakhori, Abbas; Baram, Somayeh Mahmoodi; Balenci, Laurent; Lanctôt, Krista L.; Kiss, Alexander; Mahdavi, Meisam; Rajaei, Shima; Shateri, Somayeh; Mokhtari, Farzad; Fotouhi, Akbar; Riazi, Ali
• Is Part Of: Alzheimer's & dementia. Volume 18(2022)Supplement 10
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-12-20
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease -- Periodicals; Alzheimer Disease -- Periodicals; Dementia -- Periodicals; Démence; Maladie d'Alzheimer; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.83
• DOI: 10.1002/alz.063660
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1552-5260

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains an incurable neurodegenerative disorder. Neuroinflammation has been now recognized as an important player in the pathogenesis of AD. We conducted a clinical trial to measure whether boswellic acids (K‐Vie™, an enriched Boswellia extract) can improve cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms while reducing inflammation in patients with AD. Method: We conducted a placebo‐controlled clinical trial including a total of 85 patients with mild‐to‐moderate (based on MMSE) Alzheimer's disease randomized to Boswellia (n = 43) and placebo (n = 42) groups. The treatment doses were 400 mg K‐Vie™ capsule, thrice a day (1200 mg/day), versus matching placebo. Result: Of 85 patients, 43 were assigned to Boswellia and 42 to the placebo group. There were 8 dropouts. The median age of study participants was ∼71 (range, 63‐85) for the Boswellia and ∼70 (range, 61‐81) for the placebo group with 54.5% females and 45.5% males. After 6 months of treatment, there was a significant increase of the MMSE scores with a 1.7 (df = 39, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.1) unit in the Boswellia group compared to ‐1.4 (df = 36, 95% CI ‐2.0 to ‐0.9) unit decrease in the placebo group. There was also a significant decrease of the CDR‐SOB scores in the boswellia group with ‐0.8 (df = 39, 95% CI ‐1.1 to ‐0.6) unit difference, whereas the placebo group saw a 0.8 (df = 36, 95% CI 0.4 to 1.2) unit increase from baseline to 6 months. The analysis of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI‐Q) revealed a significant ‐3.4 (df = 27, 95% CI ‐6.1 to ‐0.8) unit decrease, whereas the placebo group did not show a significant change (p = 0.08) (df = 23, 95% CI ‐0.4 to 6.9). Patients receiving Boswellia showed a significant decrease as compared to placebo in plasma levels of several key pro‐inflammatory cytokines including IL‐6 (F(1, 38) = 71.1, p<0.0001), TNF‐α (F(1, 35) = 14.8, p = 0.0005), and IL‐1α (F(1, 38) = 33.4, p<0.0001) as well as a significant increase in the plasma level of amyloid‐β42/amyloid‐β40 ratio (F(1, 36) = 19.3, p<0.0001). No serious adverse events were observed during the trial. Conclusion: This study suggests that a reduction of systemic inflammatory biomarkers correlates with improvement in brain and cognitive function. Decreasing inflammation may represent a novel avenue to effectively treat AD.