Synergistic effects of Boswellia serrata and Acmella oleracea extract combination for treating neuropathic pain in a preclinical model of spared nerve injury

Abstract

We would like to submit a Letter detailing our recent findings on the pharmacological effect of a combination of Boswellia serrata and Acmella oleracea (code 9100135 dry extract 25% triterpenic acids for the Boswellia serrata and code 1136/45/A dry extract 3% alcylamides for the Acmella oleracea) extracts in a mouse model of spared nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain. The spared nerve injury was induced as previously described by our group and others (Boccella, Cristiano, et al., 2019). Our study aimed to assess the potential synergistic effects of these extracts at different dosages and evaluate their antiallodynic efficacy in a peripheral neuropathic pain model. Neuropathic pain is a debilitating condition resulting from damage or dysfunction of the nervous system (Guida et al., 2020). The tactile allodynia, defined as a painful sensation perceived following an innocuous stimulus, is the major symptom that limit the quality of life of patients suffering from neuropathic pain. Current pharmacological interventions often provide limited relief and are associated with undesirable side effects. Because of their analgesic qualities and excellent safety profiles, natural compounds have drawn interest as viable add on to pharmaceuticals for the treatment of neuropathic pain.For millennia, folk medicine has made use of the plant Boswellia serrata. Among consumers, it has grown in popularity as a treatment for a variety of chronic inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis and pain.Boswellia serrata contains monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, tetracyclic triterpene acids, and pentacyclic triterpene acids, called boswellic acids (BAs) (Riva et al., 2017).Acmella oleracea (L.) is the most common cultured species of the Acmella genus belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is native to South