Frankincense/Olibanum essential oil has a warm woody and spicy aroma. It is a calming oil that can calm anxiety, bring peace and balance, and encourage a meditative state. It is also a rejuvenating oil, beneficial in improving skin tone and healing damaged and infected skin.
- Latin Name
- Boswellia Carteri
- Family
- Burseraceae
- Note
- Base
- Extraction
- Essential oil by distillation from oleo gum resin and yields about 3 -10% An absolute is also produced, but is mainly used as a fixative.
- Constituents
- Monoterpene hydrocarbons, pinene, dipentene, limonene, thujene, phellandrene, cymene, myrcene, terpinene, octyl acetate, octanol, incensole among others.
- Origin
- Somalia
Small tree or shrub with an abundance of pinnacle leaves with white or pinkish flowers. The oleo gum resin is obtained by scraping the bark and allowing the milky-white liquid to bleed out, it then solidifies to a teardrop-shape the size of a walnut and turns a browny-orange colour.
History
It has been used medicinally in the east and west for syphilis, rheumatism, respiratory and urinary tract infections, skin diseases, digestive and nervous complaints. The ancient Egyptians used it to fumigate the sick, in order to banish evil spirits.
