Anti-neoplastic Properties of Boswellic Acids and their Novel Semi-synthetic Analogs: In vitro, In vivo and Clinical Evidence

Introduction: Recently, Boswellia gum resin extract has been shown to exhibit therapeutic properties against multiple inflammatory illnesses, comprising arthritis, asthma, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and different malignancies. There are growing shreds of evidence that Boswellia extracts and their phytoconstituents could be used in adjuvant and combinatorial chemotherapeutic approaches for the management and prevention of cancer. Aim: The principal objective of this comprehensive investigation is to offer up-to-date and in-depth insights into the anticancer potential of boswellic acids along with their semisynthetic analog that are novel and preventive/therapeutic substitutes for the management of cancer and inflammatory diseases due to their strong potential. Materials and Methods: In the course of this review, a comprehensive compilation of In-vitro, Invivo, and clinical evidence on the antineoplastic potential of boswellic acids was assembled through systematic computerized searches utilizing platforms such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Sci-Hub, and Research Gate. Result: Boswellic acids, the key compounds found in the resin of nearly all the species of the Boswellia plant, have been reported to exhibit therapeutic effects by modulating various targets in different disease conditions. Moreover, semisynthetic derivatives of boswellic acids show strong cytotoxic effects, particularly those with cyanoenone moieties, endoperoxides, and hybrids, which exhibit enhanced potency. Conclusion: In this review, we have sincerely highlighted the effectiveness of novel boswellic acids as alternative preventive and therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory conditions. Their strong anticancer potential could provide a basis for promising future direction to develop potent anticancer drugs for human malignancies.