Registered Charity Number 1189779

Frankincense (Boswellia serrata)

Last December I wrote about one of the gifts of the magi  - myrrh – this December is about another offering - frankincense.

It was and still is a very sought–after valuable aromatic tree resin grown primarily in India, Somalia and Oman, over many centuries frankincense was said be worth more than its weight in gold.

Historically it was burnt to create a permeating scent during rites of passage such as weddings, childbirth, and funerals. It even accompanied Egyptian pharaohs on their journey into the hereafter, used both to embalm their bodies and perfume the chambers in which they were laid to rest. It was used to oil hair, sweeten the breath and smoke from it as eye makeup and in tattoos, as well as to mend cracked pots and the bark from its tree as a dye.

In the early years of Christianity, incense was expressly forbidden because of its associations with pagan worship;   Later, the Catholic Church, would incorporate the burning of frankincense, myrrh and other aromatic items into specific rites.  When you think about it - the burning frankincense is infinitely sensible where the chances of infection and the odours emanating from the ‘great unwashed’ masses would be countered by the antiseptic and sweet smelling smoke.

Dioscorides and others mentioned the therapeutic use of the resin in the treatment of skin disorders, in ophthalmology, haemorrhages and pneumonia. Pliny the Elder mentions it as antidote to hemlock. The Iranian physician Avicenna in his book "El-Kanon Fi El-Tibb" thought that frankincense was useful in many disorders and diseases including fevers, gastric disorders and tumours. In China it is used for “almost everything”. 

Today, vast amounts of research are underway, many of which are confirming the traditional uses but identifying novel uses also.  Frankincense is strongly anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, anti-fungal and toning for the skin, bladder, lungs, and digestive tract.

Its use for pain management in inflammatory conditions such as joint issues, inflammatory bowel disease and skin conditions is comparable to several conventional treatments; Joint conditions benefit greatly particularly when frankincense is used with turmeric.  Other traditional application for respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and fevers are also showing interesting results.  Taken with liquorice frankincense has been found to be protective and healing of the liver. 

Much interest is growing around the ways frankincense can affect certain parts of the immune system, affecting tumour growth, leukaemia development and more. 

Caution – As with most herbs with high oil content frankincense should not be used during pregnancy.

Please remember because we are all unique, we can have different responses – always ask a qualified health professional.

Wishing A happy & healthy Christmas to one and all!