Drug & supplement interaction

Boswellia Serrata + Ocrelizumab

Ocrelizumab brand name: Ocrevus.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Boswellia Serrata has a moderate interaction with Ocrelizumab. Theoretically, Boswellia serrata might alter the effects of immunosuppressive drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Boswellia Serrata and Ocrelizumab

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS

Why this applies to Ocrelizumab

Ocrelizumab falls under IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS — the group Boswellia Serrata interacts with.

Theoretically, Boswellia serrata might alter the effects of immunosuppressive drugs.
Some in vitro research suggests that Boswellia serrata extracts might inhibit mediators of autoimmune disorders such as leukotrienes and reduce production of antibodies and cell-mediated immunity. However, other in vitro research suggests that, when coupled with calcium ions, boswellic acids containing the keto group have immunostimulant properties within specific cell signaling pathways.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the honest picture with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) and boswellia. Ocrelizumab is an infused antibody that quiets your immune system by lowering certain immune cells, which is exactly how it helps with MS. Boswellia isn't broken down by the same machinery, so this isn't a classic liver-enzyme tug-of-war. The concern is simply that both touch the immune system, and boswellia could in theory nudge it one way or the other.

And that's the key word: theory. This caution comes only from lab and animal studies, with mixed signals about whether boswellia calms or stirs up immune activity. We don't have real-world cases showing problems in people. Still, since MS treatment is serious business, please run boswellia by your neurologist or pharmacist before adding it.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Kimmatkar N, Thawani V, Hingorani L, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee--a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2003;10:3-7. PubMed
  2. Liu JJ, Nilsson A, Oredsson S, et al. Boswellic acids trigger apoptosis via a pathway dependent on caspase-8 activation but independent on Fas/Fas ligand interaction in colon cancer HT-29 cells. Carcinogenesis 2002;23:2087-93. PubMed
  3. Wildfeuer A, Neu IS, Safayhi H, et al. Effects of boswellic acids extracted from a herbal medicine on the biosynthesis of leukotrienes and the course of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Arzneimittelforschung 1998;48:668-74.
  4. Gupta I, Parihar A, Malhotra P, et al. Effects of gum resin of Boswellia serrata in patients with chronic colitis. Planta Med 2001;67:391-5. PubMed
  5. Altmann A, Poeckel D, Fischer L, et al. Coupling of boswellic acid-incuded Ca2+ mobilisation and MAPK activation to lipid metabolism and peroxide formation in human leucocytes. Br J Pharmacol 2004;141:223-32.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Boswellia Serrata Also Interacts With Other Medications

Boswellia Serrata has 951 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Ocrelizumab one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 951 No known interaction 1,879 (incl. Ocrelizumab)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Boswellia Serrata

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Boswellia Serrata. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Ocrelizumab

This page covers Boswellia Serrata only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Ocrelizumab page lists 53 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate), Alfalfa (moderate), American Ginseng (moderate), Andrographis (moderate) and Ashwagandha (moderate).

By severity: 52 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Ocrelizumab page

“Echinacea, the cold-season staple, revs up the immune system, which is exactly what Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is given to quiet in multiple sclerosis. That single tension runs through all 53 supplements on this page.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Ocrelizumab interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Boswellia Serrata as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,914 real supplement products containing Boswellia Serrata, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Boswellia Serrata. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Ocrelizumab too, on top of Boswellia Serrata — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Boswellia Serrata and Ocrelizumab Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Boswellia Serrata
Top 10%

#102 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Ocrelizumab
Steady interest

#2,245 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Boswellia Serrata

What is Boswellia Serrata?

Boswellia Serrata
  • Osteoarthritis joint pain
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Inflammation
  • Asthma
  • Inflammatory bowel conditions

Boswellia serrata is a tree resin used in traditional medicine, mainly for joint pain and inflammation. Some studies suggest it may help with osteoarthritis symptoms, but the overall evidence is limited and more research is needed. It is generally well tolerated, but you should check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Read the full Boswellia Serrata monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Ocrelizumab Injection

What Is Ocrelizumab Injection Used For?

Brand name: Ocrevus

Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) is given by intravenous (IV) infusion and is approved for adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) — including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, and active secondary progressive MS — as well as adults with primary progressive MS (PPMS).

Ocrevus is also approved for pediatric patients 10 years of age and older who weigh at least 25 kg (about 55 lbs) and have relapsing-remitting MS.

See full Ocrelizumab Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Boswellia Serrata

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Boswellia Serrata — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
951Moderate
0Minor
1,878No known interaction
951 Moderate 1,878 No interaction
Moderate

951 interactions

Showing 60 of 951 moderate interactions — see all 951 on the Boswellia Serrata page.

No interaction 1,878 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Boswellia Serrata against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,878 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Boswellia Serrata list.

See the full Boswellia Serrata interactions page
See every supplement checked against Ocrelizumab, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Boswellia Serrata monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Ocrelizumab supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Ocrelizumab, ranked by severity Ocrelizumab Injection drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Boswellia Serrata and Ocrelizumab Together: Common Questions

Can you take Boswellia Serrata with Ocrelizumab?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Boswellia Serrata and Ocrelizumab interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Ocrelizumab and Boswellia Serrata?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.