Olibanum, Frankincense, Ru Xiang 乳香
Also called Thus, Libanos
Ru Xiang (TCM)
Shallaki (Ayurveda)
Kundur (Unani)
Spos dkar སྤོས་དཀར (Tibetan)
Left: Olibanum; Right: Thus
Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491
Boswellia Serrata
Medical Botany, Stephenson and Churchill, 1836
Frankincense tree (Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum, 1640)
Herbarium, Matthioli (Polish), 1596
Botanical name:
Boswellia thurifera, B. carterii, B. serrata (Indian Frankincense)
‘Male’ and ‘Female’ types were differentiated, the former being called Olibanum, the latter, Thus.
Parts used:
Gum
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, dry. Pungent, sweet, bitter.
Classifications:
2D ATTENUATERS OF CONGEALED BLOOD. 2G. CLEANSING. 2O. ASTRINGENT. 2P. HEMOSTATIC. 2Q. ANODYNE. 2T. GLUTINATE.
2U. SUPPURATIVE. 2W. SARCOTIC. 2X. INCARNATIVE
3B. FEBRIFUGE & ANTIPYRETIC. 3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS. 3G. EMMENAGOGUE. 3I. APHRODISIAC. 3L. ANTI-TUSSIVE.
3M. ARTHRITICS
4c. CARDIAC. 4e. STOMACHIC
Uses:
1. Moves the Blood, Promotes Healing, Eases Pain (TCM, Ayurveda, West):
-Bruising, pain from Trauma;
-chest and abdominal pain from congealed and sluggish blood flow.
-early stages of carbuncles, sores, and swellings.
-strengthens Heart and Circulation
2. Clears the Circulation, Relaxes the Tendons and Ligaments (TCM, Ayurveda, West):
-chronic pain from wind/cold/damp, which is especially seen in the joints.
-Rigidity; Spasms; stiffness of the sinews and ligaments.
-relaxes the tendons to improve flexibility
3. Clears Phlegm, Benefits the Brain and Senses:
-‘Strengthens the Memory exceedingly, comforts the Heart, expels Sadness and Melancholy.’ (Culpeper)
4. Clears Phlegm and Damp:
-clears Cholesterol and Arteriosclerosis
-helps clear Phlegm from the Lungs; stops Cough
5. Benefits the Stomach:
-“stops Vomiting and even Vomiting of Blood” (Avicenna)
-“strengthens the Stomach and restore its normal tone”. (Avicenna)
-“highly warming for the Stomach and facilitates Digestion”. (Avicenna)
6. Externally (TCM, Ayurveda, West):
-Bruising, Trauma
-topically for swelling and pain, to promote healing and the generation of flesh in Wounds and Ulcers.
-powder can be sprinkled on to stop bleeding
-sores, carbuncles, and trauma.
-sores and infections of the skin which are not healing.
-redness, swelling and pain of the mouth, gums, and throat.
-chewed to relieve foul breath
-It ‘stayeth all corruptions of Blood, although it fall from the Head’ (Gerard).
–‘Helps green wounds, and fills hollow ulcers with flesh, stops the bleeding of wounds, though the arteries be cut’ (Culpeper).
-“heals the ulcers caused by Burns”. (Avicenna)
-more recently been used in wrinkle creams. (Raw Frankincense is used externally)
-mixed in coconut oil to promote hair growth (Unani)
-applied to Inflammations, Swellings and Tumors
-Breast Swelling in breastfeeding women (Matthiolus)
-stiffness of the Sinews, Cramping and Spasms
-burned to purify the air during infectious and epidemic diseases and to ‘repel all Evil’
Dose:
Powders: 300mg–2 grams
Decoction: 3–9 grams
Preparation:
Correctives:
Substitutes:
Main Combinations:
1. Frankincense is often used with Myrrh. Combined for all types of pain from Blood stagnation; Trauma, Angina Pectoris, chronic Joint disease, Gynecological disorders associated with Blood stagnation, and for masses and Tumors. Commonly used internally and externally.
2. Internal Trauma with fixed pain, Blood stagnation, Bruising:
i. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
ii. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
iii. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
iv. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
3. Cough, Frankincense … available in PRO version
4. Pleurisy, Lung Abscess, Frankincense with … available in PRO version
5. To increase Memory:
i. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
ii. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
iii. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
iv. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
6. Strengthen Brain and Heart, benefit Memory, Frankincense … available in PRO version
7. Urinary Incontinence:
i. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
ii. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
iii. Frankincense with … available in PRO version
8. Diabetes, Frankincense … available in PRO version
9. Joint Pain, Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Frankincense with … available in PRO version
10. Topically for Wounds and Bleeding, apply powdered Frankincense with … available in PRO version
11. Topically for Cancer, Frankincense … available in PRO version
12. To heal old or new Wounds, Headache, stiffness of the Sinews, aches and pain … available in PRO version
13. Vaginal suppositories in abscess, adnexitis, and salpingitis, Frankincense … available in PRO version
14. Topically for Toothache, Frankincense … available in PRO version
Major Formulas
Electuary of Frankincense (Zenon)
Electuary of Frankincense (Wirtzung)
Electuary of Frankincense (Unani)
Electuary for Amnesia (Unani)
Powder for Diabetes (Wirtzung)
Powder to Move Blood (Wirtzung)
Powder of Frankincense and Pepper (Wirtzung)
Powder for Incontinence (Rhasis)
Powder for Incontinence (Alexander Benedictus)
Powder for Hollow Wounds (Wecker)
Troches of Winter Cherry (Trochisci Alkekengi) (Mesue)
Electuary for Back Pain (Galen)
Pills for Excess Menstruation (Gabelhover)
Pills of Storax (Mesue)
Plaster of Bayberries (Mesue)
Su He Xiang Wan
Feng Shi Ma Qian Pian
Xiao Huo Luo Wan
Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan
Qi Li San
Xi Huang Wan
Shi Xiang Fan Sheng Wan
Jiu Fen San
Die Da Wan
Frankincense 10 (Spos dkar 10) (Tibetan Medicine)
Bi Ma La (Tibetan Medicine)
Cautions:
1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Not used for Suppurating Boils
Main Preparations used:
GENERAL / REVIEW:
–Triterpenoid resinous metabolites from the genus Boswellia: pharmacological activities and potential species-identifying properties
–Frankincense: systematic review
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY:
–Frankincense and myrrh suppress inflammation via regulation of the metabolic profiling and the MAPK signaling pathway
–Triterpenoid resinous metabolites from the genus Boswellia: pharmacological activities and potential species-identifying properties
–Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory Activities of a Triterpene β-Elemonic Acid in Frankincense In Vivo and In Vitro
–Corrigendum: Frankincense and myrrh suppress inflammation via regulation of the metabolic profiling and the MAPK signaling pathway
–Boswellia Serrata, A Potential Antiinflammatory Agent: An Overview
–Inhibition of microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 as a molecular basis for the anti-inflammatory actions of boswellic acids from frankincense
–Natural anti-inflammatory agents for pain relief
ANTI-OXIDANT:
–A Randomized Clinical Trial Study: Anti-Oxidant, Anti-hyperglycemic and Anti-Hyperlipidemic Effects of Olibanum Gum in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
–Antioxidant and Ex Vivo Immune System Regulatory Properties of Boswellia serrata Extracts
ANALGESIC:
–A Combined Water Extract of Frankincense and Myrrh Alleviates Neuropathic Pain in Mice via Modulation of TRPV1
–Natural anti-inflammatory agents for pain relief
ANTI-HYPERGLYCEMIC:
–A Randomized Clinical Trial Study: Anti-Oxidant, Anti-hyperglycemic and Anti-Hyperlipidemic Effects of Olibanum Gum in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
ANTI-HYPERLIPIDEMIC:
–A Randomized Clinical Trial Study: Anti-Oxidant, Anti-hyperglycemic and Anti-Hyperlipidemic Effects of Olibanum Gum in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
ANTI-DIABETES / HYPOGLYCEMIC:
–A Randomized Clinical Trial Study: Anti-Oxidant, Anti-hyperglycemic and Anti-Hyperlipidemic Effects of Olibanum Gum in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
–Silymarin, Olibanum, and Nettle, A Mixed Herbal Formulation in the Treatment of Type II Diabetes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial
LEARNING DEFICIT / COGNITION:
–The Therapeutic Effect of the Aqueous Extract of Boswellia Serrata on the Learning Deficit in Kindled Rats
–The effects of aqueous extract of Boswellia Serrata on hippocampal region CA1 and learning deficit in kindled rats
–Boswellic Acid Improves Cognitive Function in a Rat Model Through Its Antioxidant Activity: – Neuroprotective effect of Boswellic acid
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE:
–Therapeutic effect of frankincense in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease
NERVE RECOVERY / NEURO-REGENERATIVE:
–Effect of Frankincense Extract on Nerve Recovery in the Rat Sciatic Nerve Damage Model
ARTHRITIS:
–Efficacy and safety of curcumin and its combination with boswellic acid in osteoarthritis: a comparative, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
ANTI-TUMOR:
–Triterpenoid resinous metabolites from the genus Boswellia: pharmacological activities and potential species-identifying properties
–Molecular Determinants of the Response of Tumor Cells to Boswellic Acids
–In Vitro Screening for the Tumoricidal Properties of International Medicinal Herbs
ANTI-CANCER:
–Composition and potential anticancer activities of essential oils obtained from myrrh and frankincense
–Review on the Applications and Molecular Mechanisms of Xihuang Pill in Tumor Treatment
BREAST:
–Frankincense, pine needle and geranium essential oils suppress tumor progression through the regulation of the AMPK/mTOR pathway in breast cancer
–Boswellia frereana suppresses HGF-mediated breast cancer cell invasion and migration through inhibition of c-Met signalling
BLADDER:
–Differential effects of selective frankincense (Ru Xiang) essential oil versus non-selective sandalwood (Tan Xiang) essential oil on cultured bladder cancer cells: a microarray and bioinformatics study
–Cancer Chemopreventive Effects of Boswellia sacra Gum Resin Hydrodistillates on Invasive Urothelial Cell Carcinoma: Report of a Cas
–Frankincense oil derived from Boswellia carteri induces tumor cell specific cytotoxicity
LIVER:
–CD8+ T cells mediate the antitumor activity of frankincense and myrrh in hepatocellular carcinoma
PANCREAS:
–Frankincense essential oil prepared from hydrodistillation of Boswellia sacra gum resins induces human pancreatic cancer cell death in cultures and in a xenograft murine model
GINGIVITIS:
–Boswellia Serrata, A Potential Antiinflammatory Agent: An Overview
