Boswellia serrata and haritaki: improved memory, deeper sleep, and a brain biomarker nearly doubled.
There are plants that traditional Indian medicine has used for centuries to support the mind, yet modern science has struggled to evaluate with the right tools. Boswellia serrata, known in the West as Indian frankincense, and Terminalia chebula, called haritaki in Ayurveda, are among them. Both have a long history of use for improving memory, concentration, and mental clarity. What had been missing, until recently, was the clinical data to back it up.
A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition in 2025 put a standardized combination of the two extracts to the test on 100 adults aged 40 to 65 with subjective memory complaints. The trial was randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled: the most rigorous format clinical research knows. The treatment lasted 120 days, one capsule of 300 mg every morning after breakfast. What emerged was surprising even for the breadth of the measured effects.
Two botanicals, one standardized formulation
The combination brings together a resin extract of Boswellia serrata and a fruit extract of Terminalia chebula in a precise 1:4 ratio, standardized on four key molecules: gallic acid, ellagic acid, and two forms of alpha-amyrin. This is not a generic dried herb powder, but a standardized ingredient with a composition verifiable batch by batch through chromatographic analysis.
This formulation precision matters for two reasons. The first is scientific: it allows the observed effects to be attributed to specific molecules. The second is industrial: companies wanting to develop a product on this basis know exactly what they are working with, how reproducible it is, and how to document it at a regulatory level.
How memory was measured
To assess cognition, researchers used two internationally validated psychological test batteries: one for verbal memory (how much is recalled, how quickly it is learned, how much is retained after a waiting interval) and a computerized battery for visual processing speed, response accuracy, and spatial memory.
Alongside the cognitive tests, the study measured sleep quality through a validated questionnaire and blood levels of BDNF, a protein produced by the brain that plays a fundamental role in maintaining neural connections and forming new memories. Assessments were repeated at regular intervals throughout all 120 days.
Memory improves ahead of schedule
The most immediate result came as early as week two, with a significant reduction in proactive interference compared to placebo: in practical terms, the brain was better able to ignore irrelevant information to focus on new content. As the weeks passed, the benefits expanded to all measured indicators.
Improvements observed over the 120 days:
- Day 15: reduction in proactive interference and improved recognition of previously seen words
- Day 60: more words recalled after a waiting interval, faster learning of new sequences, overall learning score superior to placebo
- Day 90: immediate recall also detaches significantly from the control group
- End of study: all six assessed verbal memory indicators were superior to placebo
Visual cognition: speed, accuracy and strategy
The computerized battery showed even broader results. Out of 23 tests administered, approximately 70% showed a significant effect in favor of those taking the botanical combination. The improvements touched three distinct areas:
- Processing speed: the brain recognizes and responds to visual stimuli more quickly
- Accuracy: higher percentage of correct responses in tasks requiring multiple pieces of information to be held in memory simultaneously
- Spatial strategy: greater ability to remember the position of objects in space using more effective strategies
The fact that speed and accuracy improve together is noteworthy: under time pressure, the brain typically tends to sacrifice accuracy. Here instead both improve, suggesting an action that goes beyond a simple transient stimulus.
The surprising biomarker: BDNF nearly doubled
The most significant finding of the entire study concerns BDNF, the brain protein that promotes the growth of new neurons, strengthens synapses, and protects nerve cells from aging. Those who took the combination of Boswellia serrata and Terminalia chebula saw their blood BDNF levels nearly double over the 120 days of treatment. In the placebo group, the increase was marginal.
BDNF levels naturally decline with age, and this reduction is associated with volume loss in the hippocampus, the brain structure most directly involved in memory. Measuring such a marked increase with a food supplement is an unusual finding. It should be noted that BDNF measured in blood does not necessarily directly reflect brain levels, but available studies suggest a correlation. The comparison with placebo speaks for itself nonetheless.
How these plants work on the brain
The mechanisms proposed in the literature are multiple and reinforce one another. The amyrins and boswellic acids present in Indian frankincense have been associated in animal studies with a reduction in the enzyme that degrades acetylcholine, the main neurotransmitter involved in memory and learning. Less degradation means more acetylcholine available at synapses, and therefore more efficient cognitive circuits.
Gallic acid and ellagic acid, abundant in haritaki, have shown neuroprotective properties in various experimental models, with documented effects on processes related to cognitive decline. On the sleep front, the observed improvement could be explained by the action of beta-amyrin on the GABAergic system. Better sleep, in turn, directly contributes to cognitive performance.
Safety and application potential for formulators
Over 120 days of treatment, no serious adverse events occurred. Five participants in total reported minor and transient complaints, three in the placebo group and two in the treated group. Blood parameters and organ functions remained within normal range for all subjects.
For companies developing products in the cognitive health segment, the combination of Boswellia serrata and Terminalia chebula has characteristics of concrete interest: a contained effective dose (300 mg in a single capsule), verifiable standardization on multiple active molecules, a measurable biomarker such as BDNF that supports scientific communication of the product, and a clinical trial published in a peer-reviewed journal as a documentary basis.
If your company is interested in developing formulations based on Boswellia serrata and Terminalia chebula:
Source: Salter D, Gupta SVB, Sairam B, Gupta AK, Maurya R (2025). A standardized combination of Boswellia serrata and Terminalia chebula extracts to improve cognition in adults with subjective memory complaints: a randomized controlled proof-of-concept study. Front. Nutr. 12:1695341. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1695341
