What are the effects and functions of frankincense

Friends who have heard of frankincense for the first time may be a little unfamiliar with it. You may think frankincense is a kind of food. Of course not. In fact, medically speaking, frankincense is a traditional Chinese medicine. This traditional Chinese medicine is mainly used to treat irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and gynecological diseases after childbirth. Its main effects are to relieve pain, promote blood circulation, and remove blood stasis. Let’s take a look at the specific effects and functions of frankincense.

1. Analgesic effect: The hot plate method was used on mice to prove that frankincense volatile oil has analgesic effect, and the residue after extracting the volatile oil is ineffective. The analgesic in the volatile oil is mainly n-octyl acetate.

2. Pain caused by qi stagnation and blood stasis. This product is pungent and dispersing, bitter and laxative, and enters both the blood and qi. It can relieve stagnant qi in the blood, resolve blood stasis and relieve pain. It can promote the flow of qi and blood in the viscera internally and penetrate the meridians externally. It can be used for all pain syndromes caused by qi stagnation and blood stasis.

3. Frankincense contains 60-70% resin, 27-35% gum, and 3-8% volatile oil. The main components of the resin are 33% free α, β-boswellic acid, 1.5% combined boswellic acid, and 33% boswellic resin hydrocarbons. The gum is 20% calcium and magnesium salts of arabinonic acid and 6% astragalin; in addition, it contains 0.5% bitter substances. The volatile oil is light yellow and aromatic, containing pinene, racemic-limonene and α, β-phellandrene. Its main aromatic components are unknown.

4. Traumatic injuries, sores, carbuncles and swellings. Frankincense has a spicy aroma and enters the heart and liver meridians. It tastes bitter and can clear the blood. It can not only disperse blood stasis and relieve pain, but also promote blood circulation, eliminate carbuncle, remove dead tissue and regenerate new tissue. It is an important medicine in traumatology. For the treatment of injuries from falls, it is often used together with myrrh, blood clotting, safflower and other medicines.

The above are the effects of frankincense. Although frankincense has many effects, everyone must pay attention to the fact that pregnant women are strictly prohibited from taking frankincense, and patients with weak stomach function should not take it. The dosage should also be paid attention to when taking it. Overdose will cause the patient to vomit continuously. As a traditional Chinese medicine, frankincense should be taken with caution and must follow the doctor's advice.