Frankincense, also known as olibanum (/oʊˈlɪbənəm/),[1] is an
aromaticresin used in
incense and
perfumes, obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia in the
familyBurseraceae. The word is from
Old Frenchfranc encens ('high-quality incense').[2] There are several
species of Boswellia that produce true frankincense:[3]Boswellia sacra (
syn.B. bhaw-dajiana, syn. B. carteri), B. frereana, B. serrata (B. thurifera, Indian frankincense), and B. papyrifera. Resin from each is available in various grades, which depends on the time of harvesting. The resin is hand-sorted for quality.
Etymology
The English word frankincense derives from the
Old French expression franc encens, meaning 'true
incense', maybe with the sense of 'high quality
incense'.[4][2] The adjective franc in Old French meant 'noble, true', in this case perhaps 'pure'; although franc is ultimately derived from the tribal name of the
Franks, it is not a direct reference to them in the word francincense.[5]
The word for frankincense in the
Koine Greek of the New Testament, λίβανος, líbanos (or λιβανωτός, libanōtós), is
cognate with the name of
Lebanon (Greek: Λίβανος); the same can be said with regard to Arabic, Phoenician, Hebrew,[6] and
Vulgar Latin: lĭbănus.[7] This is postulated to be because they both derive from the word for 'white' and that the
spice route went via
Mount Lebanon (Koinē Greek: Λίβανος, romanized: Libanos).[6]Medieval Latin: olibanum derived from λίβανος or libanus. The leading "o" may have come from
Latin: oleum,
lit. 'oil', or from the Greek
articleo- or Arabic article al-.[8] Other names include
Arabic: اللبان,
romanized: al-lubān,
Persian: کندر,
romanized: kondor,
Syriac: בוּסמִין,
romanized: busmin,
Hebrew: לבונה,
romanized: ləvonā,
Bengali: লোবান, ধুনো,
romanized: lōban, dhunō,
Somali: foox,
Classical Latin: tūs.[9]
Description
The trees start producing
resin at about eight to 10 years old.[10] Tapping is done two to three times per year with the final taps producing the best tears because of their higher aromatic
terpene,
sesquiterpene and
diterpene content. Generally speaking, the more opaque resins are the best quality. Cheap resin is produced in the
Horn of Africa, which is the
Roman Catholic Church's major source.[11]
Boswellia bhaw-dajiana (older spelling Boswellia bhau-dajiana): Horn of Africa.[13]: 487 It is a
synonym of Boswellia sacra
Boswellia carteri (older spelling Boswellia carterii): Horn of Africa, Nubia.[12]: 10 It was long considered an independent species,[14]: 138 but in the 1980s it was determined to be a synonym of Boswellia sacra.[15][13]
Boswellia serrata (synonym Boswellia thurifera, Indian frankincense): India.[12]: 10
Boswellia frereana: Horn of Africa.[12]: 10 The resin is less bitter and the fragrance of incense is less "heavy" than Boswellia sacra.[13]: 497 Contains no boswellic acids.[12]: 19
Other notable species:
Boswellia occulta:[16] Horn of Africa. In 2019, it was discovered that Somali harvesters considered Boswellia occulta to be the same species with Boswellia carteri even though their shapes are different, and sold resins from both species as the same thing. However, the chemical compositions of their essential oils are completely different.[17]
Recent studies indicate that frankincense tree populations are declining, partly from
overexploitation.[18][19] Heavily tapped trees produce seeds that germinate at only 16% while seeds of trees that had not been tapped germinate at more than 80%. In addition, burning, grazing, and attacks by the
longhorn beetle have reduced the tree population.[20] Conversion (clearing) of frankincense woodlands to agriculture is also a major threat.[21]
Chemical composition
These are some of the chemical compounds present in frankincense:
acid resin (6%), soluble in alcohol and having the formula C20H32O4[22]
Among various plants in the genus Boswellia, only Boswellia sacra, Boswellia serrata and Boswellia papyrifera have been confirmed to contain significant amounts of boswellic acids.[12]: 10 [12][26]
History
Frankincense has been traded on the
Arabian Peninsula for more than 5,000 years.[26]: 5 Frankincense was also traded from the Horn of Africa during the
Silk Road era.[27]Greek historian
Herodotus wrote in The History that frankincense was harvested from trees in southern Arabia. He reported that the gum was dangerous to harvest because of winged snakes[28] that guard the trees and that the smoke from burning
storax would drive the snakes away.[29][30]Pliny the Elder also mentioned frankincense in his Naturalis Historia.[31][32]
Frankincense was reintroduced to
Western Europe by Frankish
Crusaders,[citation needed] and other Western Europeans on their journeys to the
Eastern Roman Empire where it was commonly used in church services. Although named frankincense, the name refers to the quality of incense brought to Western Europe, not to the
Franks themselves.[2]
Southern Arabia was an exporter of frankincense in antiquity, with some of it being traded as far as China. The 13th-century Chinese writer and customs inspector
Zhao Rugua wrote that Ruxiang or xunluxiang (
Chinese: 乳香rǔ xiāng/ 薰陸香xūn lù xiāng) comes from the three Dashi states (Chinese: 大食dàshí -
Caliphate (Arab Muslims)) of Maloba (
Murbat), Shihe (
Shihr), and Nufa (
Dhofar), from the depths of the remotest mountains;[33] the trunk of the tree is notched with a hatchet, upon which the resin flows out, and, when hardened, turns into incense, which is gathered and made into lumps; it is transported on elephants to the Dashi ports, then on ship to
Sanfoqi; which is why it was known as a product of Sanfoqi.[34]
Thousands of tons of frankincense are traded every year to be used in religious ceremonies as incense in
thuribles and by makers of perfumes, natural medicines, and
essential oils. It can be inhaled or applied to the skin for its supposed health benefits. In the Horn of Africa, frankincense is harvested in the
Bari and
Sanaag regions: mountains lying at the northwest of
Erigavo;
El Afweyn District;
Cal Madow mountain range, a westerly escarpment that runs parallel to the coast; Cal Miskeed, including
Hantaara and Habeeno plateau and a middle segment of the frankincense-growing escarpment;
Karkaar mountains or eastern escarpment, which lies at the eastern fringe of the frankinscence escarpment.[36][19] In
Dhofar,
Oman, frankincense species grow north of
Salalah and were traded in the ancient coastal city of Sumhuram, now
Khor Rori.[37]
Ecological status
In 1998, the
International Union for Conservation of Nature warned that one of the primary frankincense species, Boswellia sacra, is "near threatened". Frankincense trees are not covered by the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, but experts argue that Boswellia species meet the criteria for protection. In a 2006 study, an ecologist at
Wageningen University & Research claimed that, by the late-1990s, Boswellia papyrifera trees in Eritrea were becoming hard to find. In 2019, a new paper predicted a 50% reduction in Boswellia papyrifera within the next two decades. This species, found mainly in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan, accounts for about two-thirds of global frankincense production. The paper warns that all Boswellia species are threatened by habitat loss and overexploitation. Most Boswellia grow in harsh, arid regions beset by poverty and conflict. Harvesting and selling the tree's resin is one of the only sources of income for the inhabitants, resulting in overtapping.[3]
Health benefits
The use of Boswellia resin for spiritual and medicinal purposes dates back to ancient civilizations. Numerous compounds of different chemical categories are identified in the resin; the pharmacological actions of Boswellia resin are attributed to the complementary effects exerted by these compounds. Some clinical studies have weakly demonstrated the effectiveness of frankincense resin in some disease conditions like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases, osteoarthritis and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, however more studies are necessary.[38][39] The essential oil obtained from the oleogum resin of Boswellia serrata showed antimicrobial activities.[40][41] A 2022 study[42] stated that "frankincense oil has a weak inhibitory effect against MRSA and MDR-P. aeruginosa"; and in vivo studies on animals revealed that frankincense oleogum resin exhibits neuroprotective activity.[43][44]
Uses
The Egyptians cleansed body cavities in the
mummification process with frankincense and
natron. In
Persian medicine, it is used for diabetes, gastritis and stomach ulcer.[45] The oil is used in
Abrahamic religions to cleanse a house or building of bad or evil energy—including used in exorcisms and to bless one's being (like the
bakhoor commonly found in
Persian Gulf cultures by spreading the fumes towards the body).
The
incense offering occupied a prominent position in the sacrificial legislation of the ancient Hebrews.[46] The
Book of Exodus (30:34–38) prescribes frankincense, blended with equal amounts of three aromatic spices, to be ground and burnt in the sacred altar before the
Ark of the Covenant in the wilderness
Tabernacle, where it was meant to be a holy offering—not to be enjoyed for its fragrance. Scholars have identified frankincense as what the
Book of Jeremiah (6:20) relates was imported from
Sheba during the 6th century BC
Babylonian captivity.[47] Frankincense is mentioned in the
New Testament as one of the three gifts (with
gold and
myrrh) that the
magi "from the East" presented to the
Christ Child (
Matthew 2:11).
In
traditional Chinese medicine, frankincense (
Chinese: 乳香rǔ xiāng) along with myrrh (沒藥mò yào) are considered to have anti-bacterial properties and blood-moving uses.[citation needed] It can be used topically or orally, also used in surgical and internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine. It is used to relieve pain, remove blood stasis, promote blood circulation and treat deafness, stroke, locked jaw, and abnormalities in women's
menstruation.
Essential oil
The
essential oil of frankincense is produced by
steam distillation of the tree resin. The oil's chemical components are 75%
monoterpenes,
sesquiterpenes, and
ketones. Contrary to some commercial claims, steam distilled frankincense oils do not contain the insufficiently volatile boswellic acids (triterpenoids), although they may be present in solvent extractions. The chemistry of the essential oil is mainly monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, such as alpha-pinene, Limonene, alpha-Thujene, and beta-Pinene with small amounts of
diterpenoid components being the upper limit in terms of molecular weight.[48][49][50][51]
Essential oils can be diluted and applied to skin or the fragrance can be inhaled.[52]
^Pliny the Elder.
"Chapters 30–32". THE TREES THAT BEAR FRANKINCENSE. The Natural History. Vol. XII. Translated by Bostock J. Retrieved 2021-07-15 – via Perseus digital library, Tufts University.
^Kauz R (2010).
Aspects of the Maritime Silk Road: From the Persian Gulf to the East China Sea. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 130.
ISBN978-3-447-06103-2. Retrieved December 26, 2011. The frankincense was first collected in the
Hadhramaut ports of Mirbat, Shihr, and Zufar whence Arab merchant vessels shipped it to Srivijaya, before it was then reexported to China. The term "xunluxiang" derives from the Arab word "kundur". . . According to Li Xun, frankincense originally came from Persia. Laufer refers to the Xiangpu 香譜 by Hong Chu . . . Zhao Rugua notes: Ruxiang or xunluxiang comes from the three Dashi countries of Murbat (Maloba), Shihr (Shihe), and Dhofar (Nufa), from the depths of the remotest mountains. The tree which yields this drug may generally be compared to the pine tree. Its trunk is notched with a hatchet, upon which the
^Kauz R (2010). Ralph Kauz (ed.).
Aspects of the Maritime Silk Road: From the Persian Gulf to the East China Sea. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 131.
ISBN978-3-447-06103-2. Retrieved December 26, 2011. resin flows out, and, when hardened, turns into incense, which is gathered and made into lumps. It is transported on elephants to the Dashi (on the coast), who then load it upon their ships to exchange it for other commodities in Sanfoqi. This is the reason why it is commonly collected at and known as a product of Sanfoqi.
^"Biblical Magi". nga.gov. National Gallery of Art. Retrieved 20 February 2024. The Gospel of Matthew (2:1–12) speaks of Magi, or wise men, who followed a star from the East to Bethlehem in search of a newborn king. There they found Mary and the baby Jesus and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
^Coppi A, Cecchi L, Selvi F, Raffaelli M (2010-03-18). "The Frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra, Burseraceae) from Oman: ITS and ISSR analyses of genetic diversity and implications for conservation". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 57 (7): 1041–1052.
doi:
10.1007/s10722-010-9546-8.
ISSN0925-9864.
S2CID11915388.
^Sadhasivam S, Palanivel S, Ghosh S (December 2016). "Synergistic antimicrobial activity of Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Colebr. (Burseraceae) essential oil with various azoles against pathogens associated with skin, scalp and nail infections". Letters in Applied Microbiology. 63 (6): 495–501.
doi:
10.1111/lam.12683.
PMID27730658.
S2CID3375723.
^Ameen AM, Elkazaz AY, Mohammad HM, Barakat BM (July 2017). "Anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activity of boswellic acids in rotenone parkinsonian rats". Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 95 (7): 819–829.
doi:
10.1139/cjpp-2016-0158.
PMID28249117.
^Verghese J, Joy MT, Retamar JA, Malinskas GG, Catalan CA, Gros EG (1987). "A Fresh Look at the Constituents of Indian Olibanum Oil". Flavour Fragr. J. 2 (3): 99–102.
doi:
10.1002/ffj.2730020304.
^Hayashi S, Amemori H, Kameoka H, Hanafusa M, Furukawa K (1998). "Comparison of Volatile Compounds from Olibanum from Various Countries". J. Essent. Oil Res. 10: 25–30.
doi:
10.1080/10412905.1998.9700833.
^Basar S, Koch A, König WA (September 2001). "A verticillane-type diterpene from Boswellia carterii essential oil". Flavour and Fragrance Journal. 16 (5): 315–8.
doi:
10.1002/ffj.992.
^Frank A, Unger M (April 2006). "Analysis of frankincense from various Boswellia species with inhibitory activity on human drug metabolising cytochrome P450 enzymes using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry after automated on-line extraction". Journal of Chromatography A. 1112 (1–2): 255–62.
doi:
10.1016/j.chroma.2005.11.116.
PMID16364338.
Woolley CL, Suhail MM, Smith BL, Boren KE, Taylor LC, Schreuder MF, et al. (October 2012). "Chemical differentiation of Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carterii essential oils by gas chromatography and chiral gas chromatography-mass spectrometry". Journal of Chromatography A. 1261: 158–63.
doi:
10.1016/j.chroma.2012.06.073.
PMID22835693.
Müller WW (1978). "Weihrauch: Ein arabisches Produkt und seine Bedeutung in der Antike". Pauly-Wissowas Realencyclopädie der klassischen Altertumswissenschaft (15). Munich: Alfred Druckenmüller Verlag: 700–777.
Groom N (1981). Frankincense & Myrrh: A Study of the Arabian Incense Trade. International Book Centre, Incorporated.
ISBN0-86685-593-9.
Maloney GA (1997). Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh: An Introduction to Eastern Christian Spirituality. Crossroads Publishing Company.
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External links
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