Globally, Boswellia serrata is used by many different communities to treat various ailments including modulation of the immune system though with limited scientific evidence. This study was aimed at investigating the immunomodulatory and antioxidant effect of Boswellia serrata resins extract in rodents. Chemical characterization of the extract was performed for detecting the presence of secondary metabolites using pure boswellic acids as standard. In vitro antioxidant assay was performed by DPPH free radical scavenging assay and reducing power assay. In vivo study includes acute toxicity assay, delayed type hypersensitivity test, Hemagglutination reaction and carbon clearance test. Enzymatic action was used for the estimation of reduced glutathione (GSH), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Lipid peroxidation (LPO). The sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) are used as an antigenic material. Statistical comparison between different groups was done by using one way ANOVA followed by Benferroni’s test. Based on the findings from the study, it is concluded that the ethanolic extract of Boswellia serrata increased both the cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in rats. This could be attributed to the different macronutrients, micronutrients and phytochemicals present in the plant. The extract therefore has a potential therapeutic value in several immunosuppressing clinical disorders and hence the reason for its use in local communities to alleviate various disease conditions.
