Shallaki is also called Boswellia serrata, in botanical terms. It belongs to the Burseraceae family. It is a moderate-large sized branching tree. The plant grows in the hilly region of India, the Middle East, and Northern Africa.

Shallaki is a holy plant which is widely used in traditional medicine and is considered to be an important part of Ayurvedic medicine. The oleo gum resin extracted from this plant has various medicinal properties.

It has antiseptic and astringent properties that might be beneficial in managing dysentery, piles, diarrhoea, ulcers, skin diseases, tumours, and genitourinary disorders. The oleo-gum resin of Shallaki contains boswellic acid that has analgesic, antitumor, and sedative properties.