What is Frankincense?

Frankincense, the name may be foreign to some of us. Olibanum is another name for this substance. It is a fragrant resin collected from the trees belonging to the genus Boswellia. The Boswellia tree is a small and shrubby species of tree. It bears white flowers, and the resin created by the tree’s bark is milky white when it is first produced. Still, it eventually turns an orange-brown color and is used to make essential oil.

The aroma of frankincense is described as having undertones of citrus, sweetness, balsamic, camphoraceous, and smokey wood. Certainly, it mixes well with most floral, woods, spice, and citrusy scenes. Four primary kinds of Boswellia trees are responsible for the production of real frankincense, and each type of resin is offered in several different grades.

Slashing the bark of the Boswellia tree and allowing the tree resins to flow out and harden in the open air is the process that is used to harvest frankincense. This is similar to how we harvest rubber from plants. Tears are the name given to the hardened resins produced by the Boswelia tree. The quality of the frankincense resin is determined by hand sorting, and the grade of the frankincense depends on when it was harvested. The quality of the frankincense resin can be affected by various factors, including climate and soil conditions.

The History of Frankincense

According to research, traditional people and people from ancient times used frankincense in certain religious rituals, such as forcing away evil spirits from human bodies, particularly among the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and French. Other rituals also included using frankincense, such as in Asian folklore. In ancient times, people believed that the devil was the cause of various health problems. Later, as we learned more about the potential effects of frankincense, we were able to comprehend why this belief had been visible in the process of curing physical illness.

Since more than five thousand years ago, the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa have been major trading hubs for frankincense, making it an essential commodity in international trade. Since ancient times, the Egyptians have been recognized as the people who traded sacks of frankincense from a region known as the Kingdom of Punt. This frankincense was utilized in the rites of the Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, who passed away in 1458 BCE. The Frankish Crusaders were the ones who initially brought frankincense to Europe.

Olibanum is derived from the Arabic term al-lube, which means “that which results from milking.” The name Olibanum was given to frankincense by the people who lived in Arabic-speaking regions. Frankincense is also recognized as the “oil of Lebanon” because Lebanon is the location where the resin was originally sold to European merchants.

In addition, Greek history makes reference to frankincense. Herodotus, a Greek historian, was well-versed in frankincense, and he was aware that the frankincense was produced from trees in southern Arabia. Specifically, he was aware of this fact. Because of the prevalence of poisonous snakes in the trees, he also says that collecting the gum from the trees was risky.

This was since the trees themselves were poisonous. Later, he went on to outline the approach the Arabians had taken to solve the issue. There is a reference to the fact that they burned the gum of the styrax tree so that the smoke would scare the snakes away. Theophrastus and Pliny, the Elder, in his Naturalis Historia, both mention frankincense, which is the resin of the Boswellia tree.

Different Grades and Applications of Frankincense

There are many different grades of frankincense, and each grade is distinguished from the others based on the color, purity, aroma, and age of the frankincense. The Silver and Hojari grades of frankincense are regarded as the best available varieties of this precious resin. The Arabic people, particularly the Omanis, believe that silver has a higher grade than Hojari, despite the fact that the quality of Hojari may vary depending on the region that uses it.

Hojari has the finest scene in areas that have climates that are often chilly and damp, such as the countries of Europe and North America. In contrast, silver has the best scent for hot, dry climates like those in Arabia. The Boswellia tree yields a resin utilized in aromatic oil production and in the perfume industry. People in Egypt make kohl from frankincense resin by grinding it into a powder and applying it to their eyes. Kohl is a type of black eyeliner that was traditionally utilized as a cosmetic as well as an artistic medium in Egyptian culture.

Health Benefits of Frankincense

1. Safeguard the Liver

According to research carried out by Badria et al. in 2003, frankincense in the form of Boswellia Carterii extract, when combined with glycyrrhizin, exerts a powerful hepatoprotective effect on rat liver injury from both a biochemical and histological standpoint. This indicates that using frankincense can successfully protect the liver from various injuries, including damage caused by free radicals.

2. Treats Herpes

According to research conducted in 2003 by Badria et al. and Botros et al., an active component of frankincense known as triterpenoids showed anti-herpes action and immunomodulatory properties. This research demonstrated that frankincense is an excellent treatment for herpes and a means of preventing the spread of the herpes virus, which can negatively affect the skin and genital organs.

3. Boosts Immune Function

In 1989, Sharma and Singh conducted a study that demonstrated how consuming an alcoholic extract of Boswellia or frankincense can boost immunity, increase the level of leukocytes, and increase antibody production, all of which contribute to a slightly improved immune modulator response. Because these benefits have been demonstrated, people have known about frankincense as the finest medicine that can prevent several diseases for a long time.

4. Treats Inflammatory Bowel Disease

According to Krielgstein (2001), the gum resin extract from Boswellia has been reported to have positive therapeutic effects in inflammatory bowel disease, despite the fact that numerous studies are still needed to better understand the mechanism of these benefits. According to the findings of yet another clinical investigation, frankincense has the potential to reduce inflammation that occurs in the digestive tract (Gehardt et al., 2001).

5. Stops Progression Of Tumors

In a study conducted in the year 2000 by Huan and colleagues, the researchers found that frankincense has an active ingredient known as boswellic acid, which exhibits anti-tumor and antihyperlipidemic effects. This substance can stop the proliferation of cells and eliminate any cancerous growths that have already occurred in the body’s tissues.

6. Alleviates Symptoms Of Arthritis

It has also been discovered that the sap of the Boswellia tree, popularly known as frankincense, can block human leukocyte elastase. This enzyme has been linked to the development of arthritis symptoms. The anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory effects of the components found in frankincense are responsible for delivering these benefits.

A study that was carried out by Badria et al. in 2004 demonstrated that after one month of treatment with frankincense oil, there was a significant reduction in the amount of pain in the muscle and joint active movement, passive movement, tenderness, and nocturnal pain in arthritis patients, and a significant improvement in the amount of time that patients were able to walk without experiencing any pain.

7. Maintains Healthy Blood Pressure

In high doses, frankincense can reduce a patient’s blood pressure, which is especially helpful in the treatment of hypertension patients. Its non-acidic components are found in the gum, where it also possesses pain-relieving and sedative properties. One of the major backers of heart disease, also known as the leading cause of death worldwide, is hypertension, or high blood pressure.

8. Relieves Pain

Due to the anti-inflammatory properties that frankincense oil possesses, it has the ability to significantly reduce and relieve pain. It has the potential to alleviate pain and provide a more comfortable feeling overall.

9. Gets Bronchial Asthma Under Control

According to research conducted by Badria et al. in 2002 and Gupta et al. in 1998, frankincense may be effective in treating bronchial asthma in some patients. According to the findings of the study, the participants in the treatment program took frankincense on a consistent basis during the first six weeks of the treatment, after which they saw a substantial benefit.

People who have bronchial asthma and take treatments containing boswellic acid or frankincense experience fewer asthmatic effects than those with the same condition who do not take the treatments.

10. Treats Hepatitis C

According to the determinations of a study carried out in Egypt, HCV patients who took frankincense as a daily supplement for treating their infection for 18 months saw a significant improvement in their disease.

11. Delays Aging of Skin

Some anti-aging products include frankincense as an ingredient because it has been demonstrated to stimulate the creation of collagen and rejuvenate new skin cells, both of which may contribute to the appearance of more youthful and firmer skin.