
Botanical
Boswellia SerrataFamily
BurseraceaeKnown as
Olibanum, Weihrauch, Salai, Boswellia carteri, frankincenseOld Use
medicinal; culinaryParts Used
resinAroma
earthy, smoky, woodyMedicinal
asthma, bronchitis, bronchitis, digestion, gastrointestinal, infections, osteoarthritisMuscle & Joints
arthritis, back pain, bone weakness, joint inflammation, joint pain, knee pain, rheumatism, osteoarthritisRespiratory System
asthma, bronchitisStomach & Intestinal
abdominal pain, cancer, cancer prevention, digestion, gastrointestinal, gastric inflammation, intestinal inflammationProperties
antibacterial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antirheumatic, anti inflammatory, digestive, expectorantNote
baseExtraction
steam distillationDescription
Obtained from the leafy forest tree Boswellia Thurifera, with leaves deciduous, alternate towards the tops of branches, unequally pinnated; leaflets in about ten pairs with an odd one opposite, oblong, obtuse, serrated, pubescent, sometimes alternate; petioles short.
Flowers, white or pale rose on short pedicels in single axillary racemes shorter than the leaves. Calyx, small five-toothed, persistent; corolla with five obovate-oblong, very patent petals, acute at the base, inserted under the margin of the disk, acstivation slightly imbricative. Stamens, ten, inserted under the disk, alternately shorter; filaments subulate, persistent.
Anthers, caducous, oblong. Torus a cupshaped disk, fleshy, larger than calyx, crenulated margin. Ovary, oblong, sessile. Style, one caducous, the length of the stamens; stigma capitate, three-lobed. Fruit capsular, three-angled three-celled, three-valved, septicidal, valves hard. Seeds, solitary in each cell surrounded by a broad membranaceous wing. Cotyledons intricately folded multifid.
The trees on the Somali coast grow, without soil, out of polished marble rocks, to which they are attached by a thick oval mass of substances resembling a mixture of lime and mortar. The young trees furnish the most valuable gum, the older yielding merely a clear, glutinous fluid, resembling coral varnish.
Properties & Uses
Studies show that boswellia may reduce inflammation and may be useful in treating:
osteoarthritis
rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
asthma
inflammatory bowel disease
Besides being an effective anti-inflammatory, boswellia can be an effective painkiller and may prevent the loss of cartilage. Some studies have found that it may even be useful in treating certain cancers, such as leukemia and breast cancer.
Cautions
Avoid use during pregnancy.
Distribution
Arabia, Somaliland.
Constituents
Resins 65 per cent, volatile oil 6 per cent, water-soluble gum 20 per cent, bassorin 6 to 8 per cent, plant residue 2 to 4 per cent; the resins are composed of boswellic acid and alibanoresin.