
Frankincense Essential Oil Its Uses And What It Is
Frankincense Essential Oil comes from the aromatic resin produced by the Boswellia genus of trees. The English name is derived from the French "franc encens" which translates as "high quality incense". The resin has a rich history, largely in a spiritual context, and has always been highly valued. It is mentioned in the Bible as one of the three gifts given to Jesus as a baby. It was used, and traded, by the ancient Egyptians, and is one of the consecrated incenses described in the Hebrew Bible. Used often for cleansing during spiritual and religious ceremonies, it also relaxes the respiratory system and deepens breathing, something of use to those with Asthma. You can find more on Frankincense Essential Oil Uses further below.
Plant
The Boswellia genus of trees is believed to be native to the Arabian peninsula and Northern Africa, there are numerous species throughout the tropical regions of Africa and Asia now though. They can grow up to 8 meters in height with a paper like textured bark and darkish green leaves. Their fruit is shaped like small capsules which are around 1 centimeter in length.
Essential Oil Characteristics
The oil is gained via steam distillation from the resin of the tree. The trees only begin producing the resin itself when they are between eight and ten years old. From that point it is tapped from the tree two or three times a year. The resin is then sorted, usually by hand in order to get the best quality. The oil itself is a pale yellowy green in colour and clear in nature, with a medium viscosity. The aroma has a base note, with a sweet, warm, spicy and very distinctive character.
Constituents
The principle constituents that give the qualities experienced with this oil are a-pinene, limonene, actanol, linalool, farnesol, borneol, octyl acetate, bornyl acetate, phellandrene, myrcene, incensole and incensyl acetateThe principle constituents that give the qualities experienced with this oil are a-pinene, limonene, actanol, linalool, farnesol, borneol, octyl acetate, bornyl acetate, phellandrene, myrcene, incensole and incensyl acetate
Safety Note For Frankincense Essential Oil
Generally considered a safe and gentle oil to use, no special safety notes.
Boswellia frereana (frankincense) suppresses cytokine-induced matrix metalloproteinase expression and production of pro-inflammatory molecules in articular cartilage.
"This is the first report on the novel anti-inflammatory properties of Boswellia frereana in an in vitro model of cartilage degradation. We have demonstrated that B. frereana prevents collagen degradation, and inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and MMPs. Due to its efficacy we propose that B. frereana should be examined further as a potential therapeutic agent for treating inflammatory symptoms associated with arthritis."
Blain EJ, Ali AY, Duance VC.
Phytother Res. 2010 Jun;24(6):905-12. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3055.
© 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19943332
Frankincense Essential Oil Uses
Frankincense essential oil uses have been greatly associated with spiritual ceremonies over the ages, the belief being that it is a powerful cleanser on an energetic and spiritual level. It is also incredibly useful as an aid to deepening meditation, one of the factors that influences this is its deepening effect on the breath. This calming and deepening effect on the respiratory system has positive benefits with a number of conditions, especially when combined with some of its other therapeutic properties. It has also been used effectively in aiding people heal from cancer and the therapies associated with it.
The Therapeutic Effects Of Frankincense Essential Oil
Astringent
Anti-Catarrhal
Anti-Depressant
Anti-Infectious
Anti-Tumoral
Antiseptic
Carminative
Cicatrisant
Cytophylactic
Digestive
Diuretic
Emmenagogue
Expectorant
Immune-Stimulant
Muscle Relaxant
Sedative
Tonic
Uterine
Vulnerary
The sedative and muscle relaxant effects are very notable with frankincense, when you first smell the aroma you will note distinct changes within yourself in both these respects. This leads to a strong calming effect which is beneficial to meditation and also helps it to be a good anti-depressant. These things combined with its Cicatrisant and Cytophylactic properties could well be what has lead people to gain positive results in terms of using it in conjunction with cancer therapies.
Conditions That It Helps With
Arthritis And Rheumatism
Asthma
Anxiety
Bronchitis
Cancer
Coughs And Colds
Cuts And Wounds
Depression
Heavy Periods
Infections (Pneumonia, Respiratory, Staph, Strep)
Immune Stimulant
Labor Problems
Muscles
Nervous Conditions
Obsessiveness (with The Past)
Respiratory Issues (clearing Lungs, Shortness Of Breath)
Skin Issues (inflammation, Sores, Carbuncles, Scars)
Skin Rejuvenation
Supports The Nervous System
Stress
Ulcers
Urinary Tract
Vertigo
Also as has been mentioned it brings benefit to Meditation, though in more ways than just calming and deepening the breathing. This oil has a very spiritual influence on the mind.
Its effect on cuts and wounds is noteworthy. For centuries it has been used to help cleanse wounds and cuts, for which its anti-infectious qualities are useful, though it also helps to speed up the healing process once the cleansing has been done. Nervous conditions of varying types, along with anxiety and stress all benefit from the calming effects that also make it beneficial as an aid in meditations, in fact when combining the use of Frankincense with meditative practice a strong effect is noted in those conditions. It has also been noted as being effective in blends for sunburn treatment.
Points To Note On Frankincense Essential Oil Uses
It is generally a very gentle oil in nature, with a nurturing and smooth uplifting quality to it. Regardless of what you are using it to aid you with this is something that will come through. Bringing you a deeper sense of mental relief, inner peace and calm and a rising sense that things will be good. Something which benefits your healing in turn.
If you wish to really access the various Frankincense essential oil uses properly it is well worth getting a good quality source. There are many sources out there which purport to be Frankincense yet lack the depth of therapeutic properties that a good quality source yields. You can find a good source for Frankincense essnential oil here, and discover more on essential oils here.