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Both Myrhh and Frankincense are renowned as an anti inflammatories and essential ingredients in anti aging skincare creams.
The essential oil of frankincense known also as olibanum occupied the shelves of the 16th century pharmacies as “oleum thuris”.
The first investigation on its chemical composition was performed in 1788 by
Johann Ernst Baer at the University of Erlangen. One difficulty in studies of composition (and in supplying the oil!) is to be sure where the resin which is hydrodistilled originated. Differant resins of the Boswellia species give rise to differant results in the essential oil.
The oils of B. Carterii, B. Sacra and B. Frereana have a terpene content of some 90% so could be expected to have similar properties in use. For more information on the uses of frankincense and other essential oils in use in skin cancer treatment see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqlMUeVzKkI
1. Today the frankincense oil of commerce is Boswellia Carterii (closely related to Boswellia Frereana) from Somaliland (both alpha-pinene 60%) and Boswellia Serrata from India (alpha-thujene 13%, methyl chavicol 13%). An important frankincense oil is derived from Ethiopia (octyl acetate 60%).
2. Shirley Price Aromatherapy supply Boswellia carterii and Boswellia Serrata oils and when available oil from Ethiopia. Product quality is carefully monitored and over the years Shirley Price Frankincense oil has been consistently well regarded by professional aromatherapists and their clients. Sp work with distillers in the UK, France and Dubai. Oils are available both as organic certified and non organic certified.
3. Frankincense gum is obtained from Somaliland and India and ideally hydrodistilled in a 12 hour distillation to ensure the heavier molecules like incensole acetate (Molecular weight 334, research confirms anxiety reducing properties) come across.
4. Composition of B. Sacra, Carterii, Frereana. Monoterpenes (80%) dominate frankincense oils. In a typical batch of somaliland hydrodistilled Boswellia carterii, you will find alpha pinene 57%, myrcene 1%, d-limonene 13%, alpha phellandrene 1.5. The carterii composition is not too differant from Omani Boswellia Sacra.
5. Boswellia frereana you will find some differences in the monoterpenes. α-thujene (8.1%), α-pinene (38%), p-cymene (11%), limonene (2.4%), sabinene (2.6%), trans-verbenol (4.2%) and bornylacetate (2.8%). Ref Baser
I questioned whether if B. Frereana is harvested in Somaliland why the B. Carterii is the oil of commerce? Some 80% of the B. Frereana resin is apparently bought by the Saudis for the Haj pilgrims and B. Carterii yields the superior oil in that it can contain incensole acetate. Research confirms antianxiety effects of diterpenes like incensole acetate. These are not found in the Frereana.
6. Composition of Boswellia serrata. alpha-thujene 13%, alpha pinene 8%, myrcene 38% [2] and methyl chavicol (13%).
7. We do not supply as yet a Frankincense Co2 extraction but we do have plans to list Co2 extracted frankincense and spice oils as these do justify a premium price in terms of a more complete aroma. Once demand from our alumni and customers reaches a level that is commercially viable for Sp to apply our quality control processes we will add these items to our catalog.
8. This is a useful paper on composition of B. papyrifera from Ethiopia. In particular B. papyrifera is distinguished by some 60% of the ester octyl acetate, 15% octanol.
9. For medical purposes enriched Boswellic acid extracts are used but these are not to be found in the hydrodistilled essential oil. They have a molecular weight of over 400 and are not volatile. The relatively heavy component caryophyllene
oxide in the analysis below has a molecular weight of 220. Frankincense essential oils cannot therefore be a source of Boswellic acid.
10. Traditional use has involved burning of the resin. Considerable research exists into the anxiety relieving properties of Frankincense essential oil.
Botany
Boswellia serrata (Salai/Salai guggul) (Family: Burseraceae; Genus: Boswellia)
is a moderate to large sized branching tree that grows in dry
mountainous regions of India, Northern Africa and the Middle East.
The family of Burseraceae is represented in the plant kingdom with 17
genera and 600 species wide-spread in all tropical regions. There are
about 25 known species belonging to Genus Boswellia, most of
them occur in Arabia, northeastern coast of Africa and India. Since
ancient times, three of these species have been considered as ‘true
Frankincense’ producing trees.
Boswellia sacra Flueck, the first species, grows in South Arabia and is known amongst Arabians as ‘maghrayt d’ sheehaz’ and the resin produced is known as ‘luban dhakar’. Boswellia carterii Birdw, grows in Somalia and in the native language it is called ‘moxor’ and the resin produced is known as ‘luban dhakar’. Boswellia frereana Birdw., is also a Somalian species and in the native language it is called ‘jagcaar’ and the resin produced is known as ‘loban majdi’ or ‘maydi’. This is the most expensive brand of resin in the market. Another resin producing species is Boswellia serrata Roxb., known as ‘Indian olibanum’, ‘Indian frankincense’, ‘dhup’ and ‘salai’ or ‘salai guggul’ is found in the middle and northern parts of Eastern India.[1]
Boswellia Sacra from Oman provides an oil similar in composition.
An essential oil is hydrodistilled from Frankincense resin. The article below appends at the bottom of the page a GC analysis of the hydrodistilled oil and notes a 12 hour distillation
you will find alpha pinene 59.4%, myrcene 5.36%, limonene 8.99% , alpha phellandrene 1.3% with retention index upto 1593
the resin used is Omani Hougari grade resins
Frankincense was the basis of the economy of Oman's Dhofar province for over
2,000 years, peaking in the first and second century AD the
port of Sumhuram was built. In Oman there are the remains of a once mighty frankincense trade which the Young Living company is making commendable efforts to support by establishing a hydrodistillation plant at the omani town of Salalah. Collection of frankincense resin is a fraction of what it was in 1946 when 2800 tonnes of gums and resin of all sorts were exported by the merchants of Aden. The frankincense trees are still there in the plateau above the town of Salalah with collection said to be in tribal hands. Pilot guide
Frankincense collection - which begins in winter, peaks in spring and
ends with the summer monsoons - starts with shaving strips of bark from
the trunk. The collectors use an instrument like a putty knife called a mingaf. From these wounds the frankincense resin, or luban,
oozes out and hardens into crystals, which are scraped off the tree and
collected in two-handled baskets of woven palm leaves. Even better
frankincense - light and clean in color - can be obtained by simply
waiting and collecting it from the ground after it has fallen from the
tree and dried naturally.
