frankincense

Frankincense is a natural resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, primarily Boswellia serrata and Boswellia carterii. It has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine systems such as Chinese (where it is called 乳香), Indian (Ayurveda), and Middle Eastern medicine. Frankincense contains bioactive compounds including boswellic acids and terpenes that are believed to be responsible for its pharmacological effects. Mechanistically, frankincense exhibits anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase and preventing the release of leukotrienes—key mediators in inflammatory processes[4][2]. It also demonstrates analgesic (pain-relieving), antimicrobial, immune-modulating, anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), expectorant, antiseptic, antiproliferative (anti-tumor), and wound-healing properties[1][4][5]. In vitro studies suggest boswellic acids may inhibit topoisomerase I/II-alpha enzymes and induce apoptosis in certain cancer cell lines[4]. Clinically or traditionally it has been used to manage arthritis (osteoarthritis/rheumatoid arthritis)[2], asthma[6], skin conditions including aging-related changes[1][3], gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome[4], oral health issues like gingivitis or mouth sores[1][8], pain relief for musculoskeletal complaints,[7] wound healing,[5] menstrual abnormalities,[6] anxiety/depression symptoms,[7] and as an adjunctive therapy in some cancer settings though human evidence remains limited. Frankincense can be administered orally as a supplement/extract/resin or applied topically; essential oil forms are also inhaled aromatically but do not contain significant amounts of boswellic acids compared to the raw resin/extracts[3][6].

Brand names

5-LOXIN

Other names

olibanumBoswellia resin乳香rǔ xiāng