Frankincense has a significant meaning in Christianity, and is
believed to be one of the gifts offered by the three wise men to the
newborn Jesus. Today, this fragrant resin is transformed into an
essential oil that’s valued not only in religious practice, but also in
aromatherapy and natural health. Read on to learn more about
frankincense oil.
What Is Frankincense Oil?
Frankincense, also known as olibanum,1 comes from the Boswellia genustrees, particularly Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carteri.
The milky white sap is extracted from the tree bark, allowed to harden
into a gum resin for several days, and then scraped off in tear-shaped
droplets.2
Boswellia trees grow in African and Arabian regions, including Yemen, Oman, Somalia, and Ethiopia.3
Oman is the best known and most ancient source of frankincense, where
it’s been traded and shipped to other places like the Mediterranean,
India, and China for thousands of years.4
The highest-quality frankincense is clear and silvery, but with a slight
green tinge. Brown-yellow varieties are the cheapest and most readily
available. In Oman, the best frankincense is usually reserved for the
sultan and is rarely shipped out of the country.5
Frankincense is traditionally burned as incense, and was charred and
ground into a powder to produce the heavy kohl eyeliner used by Egyptian
women. Today, this resin is steam-distilled to produce an aromatic
essential oil with many benefits.
Frankincense oil has a woody, earthy, spicy, and slightly fruity aroma,
which is calming and relaxing. It’s said to be sweeter, fresher, and
cleaner than frankincense resin.6
Uses of Frankincense Oil
Frankincense oil has long been revered in the Middle East, where it’s
been used in religious ceremonies as an anointing oil for thousands of
years. It is also a popular ingredient in cosmetics, and has even been
found in the remains of Anglo-Saxons and ancient Egyptians.7
I believe that frankincense oil is one of the top essential oils
you can use for your health. It’s known for its comforting properties,
and is useful for visualizing, improving one’s spiritual connection, and
helping overcome stress and despair.8
In aromatherapy, frankincense oil is either inhaled or diffused via a
vaporizer – a very effective sedative that induces a feeling of mental
peace, relaxation, and satisfaction, and helps relieve anxiety, anger,
and stress.9
Frankincense oil promotes healthy cell regeneration and keeps existing
cells and tissues healthy. It’s useful for skin health, and can help
treat dry skin, reverse signs of aging, and reduce the appearance of
stretch marks and scars.10 Frankincense oil’s astringent properties help:11
Strengthen gums and hair roots
Stop wounds from bleeding
Speed up the healing of cuts, acne, insect bites, and boils
Composition of Frankincense Oil
The main components of frankincense oil are ketonic alcohol (olibanol),
resinous matters (30 to 60 percent) and terpenes such as a-and p-pinene,
camphene, dipentene, and phellandrene.12 It also contains alpha pinene, actanol, bornyl acetate, linalool, octyl acetate, incensole, and incensyl acetate.13
The monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes are the most valuable elements of frankincense oil. According to the book Reference Guide for Essential Oils
by Connie and Alan Higley, monoterpenes help prevent and discharge
toxins from your liver and kidneys, and have antiseptic, antibacterial,
stimulating, analgesic (weak), and expectorant properties.14
Meanwhile, sesquiterpenes can go beyond the blood-brain barrier and
simulate the limbic system of your brain, as well as your hypothalamus,
and pineal and pituitary glands.15
Benefits of Frankincense Oil
The health benefits of frankincense oil are mostly attributed to its
anti-inflammatory, astringent, antiseptic, disinfectant, digestive,
diuretic, and expectorant properties. It also has cicatrisant,
carminative, cytophylactic, emenagogue, uterine, and vulnerary effects.
Frankincense oil is considered a tonic, as it benefits all the systems
operating in the body, including the digestive, respiratory, nervous,
and excretory systems. It also aids the absorption of nutrients and
strengthens your immune system.16 Frankincense oil has been found useful for certain health conditions, such as:
Arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – Research
by Cardiff University scientists found that frankincense can inhibit the
production of key inflammatory molecules, helping prevent the breakdown
of the cartilage tissue that causes these conditions.17
In addition, Indian frankincense or boswellin, also a member of the Boswellia genus, has been found to significantly reduce inflammation
in animal studies. It is actually one of my personal favorites, as I
have seen it work well as a natural painkiller for many of my former rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
Colds and respiratory disorders – Frankincense oil
can break up phlegm deposits in your respiratory tract and lungs, and
can relieve bronchitis-related congestion.18
Oral health problems – The antiseptic qualities of this oil can help prevent bad breath, cavities, toothaches, mouth sores, and other infections.19
Digestive disorders – Frankincense oil speeds up
the secretion of gastric juices, bile, and acids, and stimulates
peristaltic motion to allow food to move properly through your
intestines.20
Uterine health – Frankincense oil regulates
estrogen production in women and reduces the risk of post-menopause
tumor or cyst formation in the uterus (uterine cancer). It also
regulates the menstrual cycle of premenopausal women.21
Frankincense is also being studied for its potential to treat cancer.
Scientists have observed that there’s an agent in this oil that not
only stops cancer from spreading, but also induces cancerous cells to
close themselves down.22
How to Make Frankincense Oil
Frankincense oil is made by steam-distilling the raw resin. When
buying frankincense oil, make sure that you only choose 100 percent pure
essential oil of the highest quality.
Also, do not confuse frankincense essential oil with fragrance oil.
Essential oils come from plants, while fragrance oils are usually
artificially created and often contain synthetic chemicals. Although
they smell good and are typically less expensive, fragrance oils do not
give you the therapeutic benefits of organic essential oils.23
How Does Frankincense Oil Work?
The effects and benefits of frankincense oil can be acquired by applying
it topically, inhaling it using a diffuser or vaporizer, or ingesting
it in very small amounts.24
For pain relief, simply massage the oil onto the affected areas.
Meanwhile, using a diffuser or inhaler works for treating colds and
clearing up respiratory blockages. You can also sprinkle a few drops on a
clean cloth and inhale the scent, or add it to your bathwater for a
rejuvenating soak.25
Frankincense oil can be directly applied to the skin or blended with
other carrier oils such as jojoba, sweet almond, avocado, patchouli,
rosemary, clary sage, citrus, and basil oils.
Is Frankincense Oil Safe?
Yes, frankincense is generally safe. However, I advise doing a spot
test first, to check if you have any sensitivity to this oil.
When taking frankincense oil internally, it’s best to dilute a drop in
an edible carrier oil (like coconut oil), a teaspoon of honey, or a
glass of purified water or any non-acidic, non-dairy beverage.26 You can also put a drop or two under your tongue.27
However, ingesting this oil is not recommended for children ages six
and below. Older children and teens may also require higher dilutions.
Side Effects of Frankincense Oil
There are no reported severe side effects of using this oil.28
However, in some rare cases, frankincense oil can cause skin rashes,
gastrointestinal distress, such as nausea, stomach pain, and
hyperacidity. It also has blood thinning effects, and may increase the
risk of abnormal bleeding in people with a bleeding disorder or taking
anticoagulant medications.29
Frankincense essential oil is also not recommended for pregnant women
and nursing moms, as it acts as an emenagogue and may induce
menstruation, which may be dangerous for an unborn fetus.30
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