Frankincense / Olibanum (Boswellia carterii)


Updated 16 January 2024

Other botanical names

  • Boswellia sacra, Boswellia frereana

Common names

  • Frankincense, Olibanum

Botanical characteristics

  • Kingdom: Plantae 
  • Division: Magnoliophyta 
  • Class: Magnoliopsida 
  • Order: Sapindales 
  • Family: Burseraceae 
  • Genus: Boswellia
  • Part used: Oil-resin gum
  • Country of origin: Somalia

Precautions for use

Caution! Olibanum essential oil is primarily used for the respiratory tract, although other routes of administration are permitted.

This essential oil is for use by adults and adolescents only and should not be used by pregnant women.

People with asthma and epilepsy should seek medical advice before using this essential oil.

Other precautions

Warning:

  • Consult a doctor before use in people with asthma and epilepsy (risk of epilepsy at high doses).

Cutaneous application:

  • Olibanum essential oil is irritating to the skin and should be diluted 20% in vegetable oil (20% essential oil with 80% vegetable oil) before application to the skin.

Ingestion:

  • This essential oil may be potentially nephrotoxic if ingested at high doses and over a long period of time.

Diffusion:

  • For pregnant women and babies, the use of Olibanum essential oil in air diffusion is possible.

Allergenic components:

Olibanum essential oil contains biochemical allergenic components:

  • limonene (2 to 16%)
  • citral (≤ 0.5%)
  • linalool (≤ 0.5%)
  • geraniol (≤ 0.2%)

Note: It is best to test the essential oil before use (two drops on the crease of the elbow for at least 24 hours to check for a reaction).

Authorised users

 Adults and adolescents

 Children under 6 years

  Pregnant and breastfeeding women

 Pregnant women younger than 3 months

 Infants under 3 years old

How to use

 Inhalation
 Cutaneous
 Oral
 Diffusion

Risks of use

 Cortisone-like
 Skin irritation
 Pure Dermocautic

Properties

  • Anti-catarrhal, expectorant, calms and frees the respiratory rhythm 
  • Healing 
  • Stimulates the immune system
  • Antidepressant 
  • Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, relieves physical rigidity 
  • Stimulates the functions of the urogenital tract and the kidneys

Indications

Directions for use/usual dosage

  • Apply topically, pure or combined with other essential oils in a vegetable oil, to areas where the body is stiff.
  • Pure EO can be used, but care must be taken not to use it on sensitive or fragile skin where the EO may be slightly aggressive.
  • 1 drop of frankincense essential oil in a beauty cream or vegetable oil helps to combat skin ageing and wrinkles.
  •  When diffused with other essential oils, it promotes meditation.

Cosmetic

  • Regenerating, firming, healing, anti-wrinkle, antiseptic
  • Mature skin repair
  • Care for damaged, tired, asphyxiated and inflamed skin
  • Wounds, ulcers, varicose ulcers, stretch marks

Interior use

  • Helps cleanse the atmosphere of old energies by diffusing them into rooms, cupboards and drawers when furnishing a new space.

Find out more

  • Like all gums, it is desclerosing and anti-degenerative. It restructures from within (physical, biological, immune, emotional and psychological action).
  • Its anti-tumour properties are being studied.