Jan 17 - British healthcare group Alliance Boots forecast "strong profit growth" in 2010-11 as robust performances in both its retail and wholesale divisions drove a 14.3 percent rise in third quarter revenue.

The group, taken private in 2007 in what at the time was Europe's biggest leveraged buyout, said on Monday revenue in the three months to Dec. 31 increased 15.6 percent on a constant currency basis. Sales at Boots UK stores open over a year rose 2.8 percent including VAT sales tax over the three month period and were up 3.8 percent in December.

The firm said Boots UK grew market share in its core health and beauty categories, highlighting particularly strong sales of fragrances and electrical beauty products.

Revenue in the group's pharmaceutical wholesale division increased 24.4 percent, reflecting acquisitions.

"It is likely that the financial climate will remain challenging throughout 2011," Chief Executive Andy Hornby said in an internal letter to employees.

"This means that we will have to continue to work hard to meet our targets for the final quarter of our financial year ending March 31, 2011. I am confident that we will achieve these and report another year of strong profit growth in May."

Alliance Boots was bought for 11 billion pounds ($17.4 billion) in 2007 by private equity firm KKR and Executive Chairman Stefano Pessina.

(Reporting by James Davey, Editing by Mark Potter)