Effects of Boswellia serrata on Improvement of Memory Impairment in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between the expected cognitive decline of normal aging and the more serious decline of dementia. In the present study, the effect of Boswellia serrata (BS) on improvement of memory impairment in patients with MCI was investigated. Methods: In this single-center randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial study, 118 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were included and randomly divided into two groups (case and control). Control group (n=59) received BS 300 mg/kg body weight twice a day and control group (n=59) received placebo for a period of three and six months. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test for detecting cognitive impairment was done at baseline, three and six months after the intervention. Results: A significant difference was reported in the MoCA mean score between the groups after three months (24.64 vs. 22.83) and six months of the intervention (25.22 vs. 22.7). Memory item had the greatest impact on the average final score (P≤0.0001). Conclusion: BS has a significant effect on the improvement of memory impairment in patients with MCI. Further studies are required with higher doses of BS and longer duration of treatment to assess the effects of BS on memory of patients with MCI.