Frankincense Tears (Boswellia serrata) 1 lb: C

This is Starwest's nitrogen-flushed double wall silverfoil pack. Grieve's classic 'A Modern Herbal': 'Its principal use now is in the manufacture of incense and pastilles. It is also used in plasters and might be substituted for Balsam of Peru or Balsam of Tolu.' 'The inhalation of steam laden with the volatile portion of the drug is said to relieve bronchitis and laryngitis.' 'The ceremonial incense of the Jews was compounded of four 'sweet scents,' of which pure Frankincense was one, pounded together in equal proportion. It is frequently mentioned in the Pentateuch.' King's 1898 Dispensatory: 'Olibanum is a stimulant, producing results similar to those from the tolu and Peru balsams; it is principally used as a fumigating article, and occasionally forms an ingredient of plasters. The dose, when used internally, is from 5 to 40 grains, in emulsion.' Frankincense has some remarkable properites, and has always been used internally in Ayurvedic medicine. To quote some recent research, cited below: 'An alcoholic extract of frankincense gum resin (AESG) was studied in rats and mice with induced localized inflammation and arthritis. AESG showed marked anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activity.' 'This is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of eighty patients with chronic bronchial asthma. Half were treated with a frankincense gum resin preparation for 6 weeks. The other half were treated with a placebo for six weeks. 70% of the gum resin group showed improvement, compared with 27% of patients in the control group. The researchers conclude that frankincense gum resin has a role in the treatment of bronchial asthma.' 'Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the colon. Boswellic acids have been shown to inhibit an enzyme that mediates this inflammation. In this study, patients with ulcerative colitis were given frankincense gum resin preparation orally for six weeks. They were than compared with patients receiving sulfasalazine, an appropriate prescription drug. 82% of patients receiving the frankincense preparation went into remission, compared with 75% on the sulfasalazine group.' http://www.herbmed.org/Herbs/Herb94.htm: Clinical Trials Bronchial asthma was reduced in 70% of 40 patients treated with gum resin at 300 mg thrice daily for 6 weeks in a double-blind trial Gupta 1998 Usage of NSAIDs declined 5.8% in the Boswellia group vs. 3.1% in the placebo group but no other benefit was noted in a study with 78 rheumatoid arthritis out-patients taking 9 tablets (3600 mg) Boswellia or placebo daily Sander 1998 Ulcerative colitis (where leukotrienes have been implicated) was put into remission for 82% of the Boswellia gum resin (350 mg thrice daily) group vs. 75% of the sulfasalazine (1 g thrice daily) group after 6 weeks Gupta 1997 Osteoarthritic pain and disability were reduced by a mixture of Withania somnifera roots, Boswellia serrata stem, Curcuma longa rhizomes and a zinc