✵The article records the herb Frankincense—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and its botanical sources: three plant species—(1) Boswellia carterii Birdw., (2) Boswellia bhawdajiana Birdw., and (3) Boswellia neglecta M. Moore—followed by a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these three species; the characteristics of the herb Frankincense; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Olibanum (Frankincense)
Pinyin Name: Rǔ Xiānɡ
English Name: Frankincense
Latin Name:Olibanum Properties and Flavor: Warm, pungent, bitter.
Brief Introduction: The herb Olibanum is the gum-resin obtained from Boswellia carterii Birdwood and possibly other Boswellia species. It is used to relieve pain and swelling in cases of traumatic injury by activating local blood circulation. The herb is commonly known as Olibanum, Frankincense, or Rǔ Xiānɡ.
Botanical Source: Common herbal classics define the herb Frankincense (Ru Xiang) as the oleo-gum-resin of plant species in the Burseraceae family—(1) Boswellia carterii Birdw., (2) Boswellia bhawdajiana Birdw., and (3) Boswellia neglecta M. Moore. These are species of the genus Boswellia, family Burseraceae (frankincense family), order Sapindales. The three commonly used species are introduced below:
(1) Boswellia carterii Birdw.
Botanical Description:Boswellia carterii Birdw. is a plant of the Burseraceae family (frankincense family) and the genus Boswellia. It is commonly known as Boswellia carterii, Boswellia sacra, or Ru Xiang Shu. A small tree, it grows up to 4–5 meters tall, and rarely up to 6 meters. Trunks are thick; the bark is smooth, pale brownish-yellow, and chartaceous (papery); the bark of thick branches is scaly and gradually exfoliates.
Imparipinnate leaves are alternate, 15–25 cm long, with 15–21 leaflets (foliolules). Basal leaflets are the smallest and gradually increase in size upward; they are ovate-oblong, up to 3.5 cm long; apical leaflets are up to 7.5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide; the apex is blunt; the base is circular (rounded), subcordate (nearly cordate), or truncated; the margin has irregular crenations or is nearly entire; both surfaces are covered with white hairs, or the upper surface is glabrous.
Flowers are small, arranged in sparse racemes; inflorescences are shorter than the leaves; bracts are ovate with an acute apex; the calyx is cyathiform (cup-shaped), 5-lobed, with triangular-ovate lobes; there are 5 petals, primrose yellow (pale yellow), oval (egg-shaped), alternating with the sepals, about twice the length of the sepals, with an acute apex; there are 10 stamens inserted on the outside of the floral disc; filaments are short, slightly longer than the floral disc; the floral disc is large, hypertrophic, disc-shaped, rose-red, with 5–10 blunt microdentations; the ovary is superior, grow on a receptacle, surrounded by a disc below the middle, 3–4-locular, with 2 erect ovules per locule; styles are slightly thicker and slightly surpass the stamens; the stigma is capitate and slightly 3-lobed.
Drupes (drupe fruits) are small, about 1 cm long, obovate, 3-ridged, with a blunt tip; the pericarp is pulpy and hypertrophic; each locule contains one seed. Its flowering period is in April.
The bark of the frankincense tree is paper-like, and latex is present beneath it. When resin exudes from incisions in the wood, it resembles an emulsion. Frankincense is produced from this exudate. When the bark is gently cut to make a small incision, latex (a creamy juice) flows out; upon exposure to air, it hardens into a yellowish-red, translucent, crystalline mass.
Ecological Environment:Boswellia carterii Birdw. grows in tropical coastal mountains.
Legend: Among the Greek mystical islands, there is an island called Chios. According to legend, the ancient poet Homer was born on this island. The beautiful island is covered with large frankincense trees. The precious frankincense resin was extracted from them. The local people called it “God’s tears.” When worship ceremonies on the island began, people always burned frankincense because they believed that the smoke carried their prayers to God; thus, happiness would come the following year.
Uses: In ancient times, people chewed gum-like substances to clean their mouths. In modern times, frankincense is used as an additive in foods and cosmetics.
It is obtained from the leafy forest tree Boswellia thurifera, which has deciduous, alternate leaves toward the tops of branches and unequally pinnate leaflets; leaflets occur in about ten pairs, with a terminal (odd) leaflet opposite the last pair; leaflets are oblong, obtuse, serrated, pubescent, and sometimes alternate; petioles are short. Flowers are white or pale pink, grow on short pedicels in single axillary racemes shorter than the leaves. The calyx is small, five-toothed, and persistent; the corolla has five obovate-oblong, widely spreading petals, pointed at the base and inserted beneath the margin of the disk; aestivation is slightly imbricate. There are 10 stamens, inserted beneath the disk and alternating in length; filaments are subulate and persistent. Anthers are caducous and oblong. The torus is a cyathiform (cotyloid) disk—succulent, larger than the calyx, and with a crenulated margin. The ovary is oblong and sessile. The style is single, caducous, and approximately as long as the stamens; the stigma is capitate and three-lobed. The fruit is capsular, three-angled and three-celled, three-valved, septicidal, and the valves are hard. Seeds are solitary in each cell and surrounded by a broad, membranaceous wing. Cotyledons are intricately folded and multifid.
The trees along the Somali coast grow without soil, emerging directly from polished marble rocks, to which they attach via a thick, oval mass of substance resembling a mixture of lime and mortar. Young trees yield the most valuable gum; older trees produce only a clear, glutinous fluid resembling copal varnish.
To obtain frankincense, a deep, longitudinal incision is made in the trunk of the tree, and below it, a narrow strip of bark—5 inches (12.7 cm) long—is removed. When the milky juice that exudes hardens upon exposure to air, the incision is deepened. After about three months, the resin attains the required consistency, hardening into yellowish “tears.” The large, clear globules are scraped into baskets, while the inferior-quality resin that runs down the trunk is collected separately. The harvesting season lasts from May until mid-September, when the first rainfall ends the harvest for that year.
As with all essential oils, do not use them undiluted. Do not ingest internally unless under the guidance of a qualified and experienced practitioner. Keep out of reach of children. Not recommended for individuals with epilepsy or a history of seizures. Always perform a skin patch test before applying any essential oil topically.
A dry gum resin obtained from Boswellia carterii Birdw., including its varieties, and several other Boswellia species.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb consists of nearly spherical or teardrop-shaped particles or irregular small blocks, 0.5–2 cm in length; some are agglutinated into lumps. It is pale yellow, sometimes with a slight aquamarine (blue-green) or reddish-brown tint, and translucent. The texture is firm and brittle, and the fracture surface is waxy. It has an aromatic odor; it tastes intensely bitter, and when chewed, the block softens into a gum-like mass.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects; (2) Promotion of wound healing; (3) Protection against gastric mucosal injury.
Medicinal Efficacy: Promotes blood circulation, relieves pain, regulates Qi flow, unblocks meridians, restores menstrual flow, reduces swelling, promotes tissue granulation, and expels toxins. It is indicated for chest pain and angina pectoris, epigastric pain, Qi and blood stagnation, abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), amenorrhea, postpartum blood stasis, postpartum stabbing pain due to blood stasis, abdominal masses with pain, rheumatic pain, carbuncles and sores, pyogenic infections, periappendiceal abscess (acute appendicitis complication), non-healing ulcers (e.g., ruptured abscesses resistant to healing), muscle spasm and contracture, and traumatic injuries.
Administration of Olibanum (Rǔ Xiānɡ):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Olibanum (Rǔ Xiānɡ)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 3–5 grams, as a water decoction, or prepared into pills or powder. External use: appropriate amount, ground into fine powder, mixed with a suitable medium (e.g., vinegar or honey), and applied as a paste. (2) Internally: water decoction, 1–3 qián (≈3–9 grams), or prepared into pills or powder. External use: ground into fine powder and applied as a paste. (3) Internally: water decoction, 3–10 grams, or prepared into pills or powder. External use: appropriate amount, ground into fine powder, mixed and applied as a paste.
Contraindications, Precautions, and Adverse Reactions: Olibanum should be used with caution during pregnancy and in cases of spleen-stomach deficiency. It is contraindicated during pregnancy. It is best avoided in cases of active ulceration or open sores with copious pus. It should not be used in individuals with marked spleen-stomach deficiency.
(2) Boswellia bhawdajiana Birdw.
Botanical Description:Boswellia bhawdajiana Birdw. is a plant of the Burseraceae family (frankincense family) and the genus Boswellia. It is commonly known as Boswellia bhawdajiana, Bao Da Ru Xiang Shu, or “Large Frankincense Tree.” It is a small tree; branches are covered with white pubescence or glabrous. Leaflets: 15–21, rectangular-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate or oblong, 2–4 cm long and 1–1.5 cm wide; base is rounded or truncate, margin is entire or serrate; both surfaces bearing white hairs, or gray tomentose only on the abaxial surface. Inflorescences are racemes; flowers are white or greenish, with shallowly campanulate, densely pilose floral discs that partially surround the ovary. Immature fruit is nearly clavate (club-shaped), with a narrowed, stalk-like base.
Ecological Environment:Boswellia bhawdajiana Birdw. grows in mountainous regions and on limestone rocky substrates.
(3) Boswellia neglecta M. Moore.
Botanical Description:Boswellia neglecta M. Moore is a plant of the Burseraceae family (frankincense family) and the genus Boswellia. It is commonly known as Boswellia neglecta, Wild Boswellia Tree, or Ye Ru Xiang Shu (“Wild Frankincense Tree”). A small tree reaching 5–6 m in height; bark gray. Leaflets: 17–21, coriaceous, rectangular or oblong, 1.5–4 cm long; apex is obtuse; surfaces are hirsute. Inflorescences are panicles; flowers are very small, with pale reddish perianths; outer surfaces are pilose; filaments are abruptly widened at the base into scale-like structures.
Ecological Environment:Boswellia neglecta M. Moore grows in mountainous regions and on limestone rocky substrates.
✵The article records the herb Frankincense—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and its botanical sources: three plant species—(1) Boswellia carterii Birdw., (2) Boswellia bhawdajiana Birdw., and (3) Boswellia neglecta M. Moore—followed by a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these three species; the characteristics of the herb Frankincense; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Rǔ Xiānɡ
Botanical Description: Boswellia carterii Birdw. is a plant of the Burseraceae family (frankincense family) and the genus Boswellia. It is commonly known as Boswellia carterii, Boswellia sacra, or Ru Xiang Shu. A small tree, it grows up to 4–5 meters tall, and rarely up to 6 meters. Trunks are thick; the bark is smooth, pale brownish-yellow, and chartaceous (papery); the bark of thick branches is scaly and gradually exfoliates.
Imparipinnate leaves are alternate, 15–25 cm long, with 15–21 leaflets (foliolules). Basal leaflets are the smallest and gradually increase in size upward; they are ovate-oblong, up to 3.5 cm long; apical leaflets are up to 7.5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide; the apex is blunt; the base is circular (rounded), subcordate (nearly cordate), or truncated; the margin has irregular crenations or is nearly entire; both surfaces are covered with white hairs, or the upper surface is glabrous.
Drupes (drupe fruits) are small, about 1 cm long, obovate, 3-ridged, with a blunt tip; the pericarp is pulpy and hypertrophic; each locule contains one seed. Its flowering period is in April.
Legend: Among the Greek mystical islands, there is an island called Chios. According to legend, the ancient poet Homer was born on this island. The beautiful island is covered with large frankincense trees. The precious frankincense resin was extracted from them. The local people called it “God’s tears.” When worship ceremonies on the island began, people always burned frankincense because they believed that the smoke carried their prayers to God; thus, happiness would come the following year.
It is obtained from the leafy forest tree Boswellia thurifera, which has deciduous, alternate leaves toward the tops of branches and unequally pinnate leaflets; leaflets occur in about ten pairs, with a terminal (odd) leaflet opposite the last pair; leaflets are oblong, obtuse, serrated, pubescent, and sometimes alternate; petioles are short. Flowers are white or pale pink, grow on short pedicels in single axillary racemes shorter than the leaves. The calyx is small, five-toothed, and persistent; the corolla has five obovate-oblong, widely spreading petals, pointed at the base and inserted beneath the margin of the disk; aestivation is slightly imbricate. There are 10 stamens, inserted beneath the disk and alternating in length; filaments are subulate and persistent. Anthers are caducous and oblong. The torus is a cyathiform (cotyloid) disk—succulent, larger than the calyx, and with a crenulated margin. The ovary is oblong and sessile. The style is single, caducous, and approximately as long as the stamens; the stigma is capitate and three-lobed. The fruit is capsular, three-angled and three-celled, three-valved, septicidal, and the valves are hard. Seeds are solitary in each cell and surrounded by a broad, membranaceous wing. Cotyledons are intricately folded and multifid.
To obtain frankincense, a deep, longitudinal incision is made in the trunk of the tree, and below it, a narrow strip of bark—5 inches (12.7 cm) long—is removed. When the milky juice that exudes hardens upon exposure to air, the incision is deepened. After about three months, the resin attains the required consistency, hardening into yellowish “tears.” The large, clear globules are scraped into baskets, while the inferior-quality resin that runs down the trunk is collected separately. The harvesting season lasts from May until mid-September, when the first rainfall ends the harvest for that year.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb consists of nearly spherical or teardrop-shaped particles or irregular small blocks, 0.5–2 cm in length; some are agglutinated into lumps. It is pale yellow, sometimes with a slight aquamarine (blue-green) or reddish-brown tint, and translucent. The texture is firm and brittle, and the fracture surface is waxy. It has an aromatic odor; it tastes intensely bitter, and when chewed, the block softens into a gum-like mass.
Botanical Description: Boswellia neglecta M. Moore is a plant of the Burseraceae family (frankincense family) and the genus Boswellia. It is commonly known as Boswellia neglecta, Wild Boswellia Tree, or Ye Ru Xiang Shu (“Wild Frankincense Tree”). A small tree reaching 5–6 m in height; bark gray. Leaflets: 17–21, coriaceous, rectangular or oblong, 1.5–4 cm long; apex is obtuse; surfaces are hirsute. Inflorescences are panicles; flowers are very small, with pale reddish perianths; outer surfaces are pilose; filaments are abruptly widened at the base into scale-like structures.
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