Ancient Healing Benefits of Frankincense

Tradition tells us that, in Babylon, nearly 60,000 pounds of frankincense burned annually for its aromatics and its role in rituals. Later, we see the Magi bringing frankincense along with gold and myrrh to the infant Jesus. More than a costly, fragrant gift, the ancient healing benefits of frankincense are well documented and have made this tree resin famous today.

Ayurvedic medicine, in practice for centuries, uses frankincense (referred to as “dhoop” and it use as “dhoopan”) for wound healing, female hormonal issues, arthritis, and air purification. In many cultures – including Somali, Ethiopian, Arabian, and Indian – frankincense has daily uses. Burning it in the house is said to bring good health, and burning it in the evening is meant to purify the home and the residents’ clothing.
Properties of Frankincense

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii, Boswellia serrata, and the other Boswellia species), as with all plants and their essential oils, carries many different molecules with different purposes. Some stand out as prominent in certain substances, as is the case with boswellic acids (BAs) in frankincense. Although there is some debate whether or not BA is too large a compound to survive conventional essential oil filtration systems, there are studies in the literature that claim they are indeed part of frankincense oil

Nonetheless, the healing benefits of frankincense have traditionally centered on disease prevention and anti-inflammatory properties, and researchers have been able to confirm that boswellic acids contain a potent ability to modify the immune system as well. Part of having a more efficient immune system is the regulation of inflammation, as well, which can have effects topically or systemically.

Another promising property is the proposed frankincense cancer cure that we’ve read so much about in the past few years. In several studies, frankincense has demonstrated anti-cancer properties and the ability to mitigate many different kinds of cancer cells. As more studies are conducted, the implications of this ability will be exciting to watch unfold!

The jury is still out as to the exact mechanism(s) explaining why frankincense essential oil is so beneficial to cancer patients. However, advances in recent research suggest that Beta-elemene – a cancer fighting terpene found in frankincense and myrrh with the ability to cross the blood brain barrier – may be partly responsible.

As stated by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center,

“Beta-elemene is a compound found in plants such as celery, mint, and in many others used in traditional medicine. Although the pure form is not used as dietary supplement, some cancer patients use herbs high in beta-elemene as treatment. Beta-elemene was shown to prevent growth of cancer cells in laboratory cells by different mechanisms. A few poorly designed studies done in humans showed that it may improve quality of life in cancer patients. It is unclear if raw herbs containing beta-elemene have the same effects in humans. More research is needed.”

Some even suggest that the amount of β-elemene that frankincense and myrrh contain could very well explain why so many people claim that both oils have been instrumental to them beating cancer God’s way.

At the end of the day, once we know the basic properties of an herb, root and resin we are able to determine the best ways to utilize it. Let’s take a closer look at what the components of frankincense mean for our daily lives…
1. Boosting the Immune System

The immune system is intricate and amazing, interacting with every system of the body to prevent and fight disease. One of the primary mechanisms of the immune system is the influx of white blood cells, or lymphocytes, the main defense method that the body has. Inflammation is another component of the immune system, but in an unhealthy body, it goes overboard and becomes problematic.

By studying the way that frankincense affects the immune system in mice, we have an idea of its interaction with our own immune response. In Phytotherapy Research, the results of this study were noted to include:

Cytokine production
Slowed hypersensitivity
Increased immunoglobins
Improved T-cell interactions

The bottom line is that multiple areas of the immune system are regulated under the influence of frankincense.
2. Fighting Pain and Inflammation

The beauty of immunomodulators is that they can stimulate an under-productive immune system that allows illness to creep in, while also relaxing an over-productive immune system that attacks itself or benign substances with inflammation, often becoming painful, chronic, and debilitating.

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