Olibanum, Frankincense

Olibanum, Frankincense, Ru Xiang 乳香 Also called Thus, Libanos Ru Xiang (TCM) Shallaki (Ayurveda) Kundur (Unani) Spos dkar  སྤོས་དཀར  (Tibetan)

Left: Olibanum; Right: Thus
Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Boswellia Serrata
Medical Botany, Stephenson and Churchill, 1836

Frankincense tree (Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum, 1640)

Herbarium, Matthioli (Polish), 1596

Frankincense (Adam, 2016)

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Classifications:

2D ATTENUATERS OF CONGEALED BLOOD.  2G. CLEANSING.  2O. ASTRINGENT.  2P. HEMOSTATIC.  2Q. ANODYNE.  2T. GLUTINATE. 
2U. SUPPURATIVE.  2W. SARCOTIC.  2X. INCARNATIVE
3B. FEBRIFUGE & ANTIPYRETIC.  3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS.  3G. EMMENAGOGUE.  3I. APHRODISIAC.  3L. ANTI-TUSSIVE. 
3M. ARTHRITICS
4c. CARDIAC.  4e. STOMACHIC

Uses:

1. Moves the Blood, Promotes Healing, Eases Pain (TCM, Ayurveda, West):
-Bruising, pain from Trauma;
-chest and abdominal pain from congealed and sluggish blood flow.
-strengthens the Heart and circulation

2. Clears the Circulation, Relaxes the Tendons and Ligaments (TCM, Ayurveda, West):
-chronic pain from wind/cold/damp, which is especially seen in the joints.
-Rigidity; Spasms; stiffness of the sinews and ligaments.
-relaxes the tendons to improve flexibility

3. Clears Phlegm, Benefits the Brain and Senses:
-‘Strengthens the Memory exceedingly, comforts the Heart, expels Sadness and Melancholy.’ (Culpeper)

4. Clears Phlegm and Damp:
-clears Cholesterol and Arteriosclerosis
-helps clear Phlegm from the Lungs; stops Cough

5. Benefits the Stomach:
-“stops Vomiting and even Vomiting of Blood” (Avicenna)
-“strengthens the Stomach and restore its normal tone”. (Avicenna)
-“highly warming for the Stomach and facilitates Digestion”. (Avicenna)

6. Externally (TCM, Ayurveda, West):
-Bruising, Trauma
-topically for swelling and pain, to promote healing and the generation of flesh in Wounds and Ulcers.
-powder can be sprinkled on to stop bleeding
-sores, carbuncles, and trauma.
-sores and infections of the skin which are not healing.
-redness, swelling and pain of the mouth, gums, and throat.
-chewed to relieve foul breath
-It ‘stayeth all corruptions of Blood, although it fall from the Head’ (Gerard).
–‘Helps green wounds, and fills hollow ulcers with flesh, stops the bleeding of wounds, though the arteries be cut’ (Culpeper).
-“heals the ulcers caused by Burns”. (Avicenna)
-more recently been used in wrinkle creams. (Raw Frankincense is used externally)
-mixed in coconut oil to promote hair growth (Unani)
-applied to Inflammations, Swellings and Tumors
-Breast Swelling in breastfeeding women (Matthiolus)
-stiffness of the Sinews, Cramping and Spasms
-burned to purify the air during infectious and epidemic diseases and to ‘repel all Evil’

Dose:

Powders: 300mg–2 grams
Decoction: 3–9 grams

Preparation:

… available in PRO version

Correctives:

… available in PRO version

Substitutes:

… available in PRO version

Main Combinations:

Myrrh & Frankincense
1. Frankincense is often used with Myrrh. Combined for all types of pain from Blood stagnation; Trauma, Angina Pectoris, chronic Joint disease, Gynecological disorders associated with Blood stagnation, and for masses and Tumors. Commonly used internally and externally.
2. Internal Trauma with fixed pain, Blood stagnation, Bruising:
i. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
ii. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
iii. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
iv. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
3. Cough, Frankincense  … available in PRO version
4. Pleurisy, Lung Abscess, Frankincense with … available in PRO version
5. To increase Memory:
i. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
ii. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
iii. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
iv. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
6. Strengthen Brain and Heart, benefit Memory, Frankincense  … available in PRO version
7. Urinary Incontinence:
i. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
ii. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
iii. Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
8. Diabetes, Frankincense  … available in PRO version
9. Joint Pain, Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
10. Topically for Wounds and Bleeding, apply powdered Frankincense with  … available in PRO version
11. Topically for Cancer, Frankincense  … available in PRO version
12. To heal old or new Wounds, Headache, stiffness of the Sinews, aches and pain … available in PRO version
13. Vaginal suppositories in abscess, adnexitis, and salpingitis, Frankincense  … available in PRO version
14. Topically for Toothache, Frankincense  … available in PRO version

Major Formulas

Electuary of Frankincense (Zenon)
Electuary of Frankincense (Wirtzung)
Electuary of Frankincense (Unani)
Electuary for Amnesia (Unani)
Powder for Diabetes (Wirtzung)
Powder to Move Blood (Wirtzung)
Powder of Frankincense and Pepper (Wirtzung)
Powder for Incontinence (Rhasis)
Powder for Incontinence (Alexander Benedictus)
Powder for Hollow Wounds (Wecker)
Troches of Winter Cherry (Trochisci Alkekengi) (Mesue)
Electuary for Back Pain (Galen)
Pills for Excess Menstruation (Gabelhover)
Pills of Storax (Mesue)
Plaster of Bayberries (Mesue)
Su He Xiang Wan
Feng Shi Ma Qian Pian
Xiao Huo Luo Wan
Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan
Qi Li San
Xi Huang Wan
Shi Xiang Fan Sheng Wan
Jiu Fen San
Die Da Wan
Frankincense 10 (Spos dkar 10) (Tibetan Medicine)
Bi Ma La (Tibetan Medicine)