Frankincense: The Magical Healing Resin
Origins & History
Frankincense is a magical product that has been traded since the ancient spice trade of the Arabian Peninsula some 6000 years ago. The resin of the frankincense tree (Boswellia) has an aroma that has long been the fragrance associated with sacred rituals. An ancient Egyptian tomb of the pharaoh King Tutankhamen contained a 3000-year-old ball of frankincense, and the substance appears in the ancient medicinal texts of the Egyptians and Tibetans. The Catholic Church currently consumes half of all frankincense production in the world, a further testament to its sacred properties. Today, Frankincense is traded as an incense, where the resinous tears are burnt to produce an aromatic smoke for religious and spiritual ceremonies.
Medicinal & Cosmetic Use
The medicinal properties of frankincense have always been known by herbalists and physicians. The early Islamic physician and philosopher Ibn Sina (aka Avicenna, ca. 980-1037 CE) used the resin for the treatment of various ailments and the continued use of frankincense in Ayurvedic medicine is testament to its healing properties. The essential oil has also become popular as a treatment in naturopathy and its inclusion in cosmetics is a growing trend.
There is a European Pharmacopoeia (PhEur) monograph that has been published on the use of frankincense in modern medicine. For those interested in the science, the standard of acceptance of active ingredients is a minimum of 1.0% 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid and a minimum of 1.0% acetyl-11keto-beta-boswellic acid in the dried herbal drug.
Where To Obtain Frankincense
Afrigetics is working with suppliers in Somalia and Oman to import a variety of grades of Frankincense so as to supply these different grades to our diverse network of customers around the world, from individual herbalists to corporations producing standardized extracts. We have made the frankincense available in R & D sized portions on our new 1kg online store for anyone wanting to get samples of this magical resin.
