Monthly Archives: March 2010

Frankincense Oil – Fit for the Gods!

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Frankincense Oil and Cancer - A Quality Standard ApproachA ceremonial incense of divinity, the tree resin Boswellia serrata (frankincense) and its essential oil derivative have historically been used to ward off evil spirits and connect humans to divine spirits and realms.  It is primarily a popular incense and perfume, but is also used in cosmetics and skin treatments with some indication that it may fight cancerous cells – although this is a claim that has yet to be affirmatively and scientifically proven.

Frankincense Essential Oil

Background: Another name for frankincense is olibanum and this refers to the aromatic resin that is retrieved from trees of the genus Boswellia. Frankincense essential oil is derived from the Boswellia resin.  There are only four species that are known to produce what can be considered real frankincense resin, and the resin is produced by these trees in varying quality levels.  Adding to the romanticism of frankincense is the origin of its name, having evolved from the Old French “frank encens” – which is directly translated as “high quality incense” [6].

Frankincense is famously well-known, especially if you’ve grown up in a Christian, Christmas-celebrating household: in the bible frankincense is reported to have been carried to baby Jesus by the three wise men as a gift in honor of his birth [6].  In fact, frankincense has also historically been one of the most popular essential oils – having been used religiously or spiritually in ceremonies and celebrations throughout many ancient cultures. Additionally, frankincense is an incense consistently found throughout historical religious and meditational practices of the Western world. Just about every ancient western culture is known to have used frankincense ceremonially – particularly throughout Sumeria, Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, Greece and Rome [2].

It is believed to have come to these major social or cultural centers through trade with the Arabs, Somalis and Bedouins – who purportedly obtained the resin from small desert trees in Saudi Arabia and Somalia and had been doing so for thousands upon thousands of years [2].

Use: Traditionally, frankincense is probably most widely used as an incense – in fact the word was essentially synonymous with incense throughout Western cultures.   “It was the scent of purification”, burned to ward off evil and to open oneself to divine presences – enabling a connection with higher spirits and a level of contemplation necessary for these divine connections; frankincense represented a divine connection between heaven and earth [2].

This spiritual affiliation of frankincense with the world of divinity overlapped with its use as a perfume and its use in skin care regimens.  The ancients as well as people today have used frankincense widely within their hygiene practices, and in some cultures this is correlated with its use to ward off illness and bad energy. As a kind of aesthetic extension of its spiritually related purpose, the resin was also combined with kohl and used as black eyeliner to ward off “the evil eye” and was even used in a special concoction that removed unwanted hair [2]!

It has also been used in Asian, African and Ayurvedic traditional medicine to treat several digestive and skin-related health conditions as well as arthritis, wounds, female hormonal balance and air purification [6].

Frankincense Resin

Blending: Frankincense is a component of “kyphi” – a house incense within the temples of Heliopolis, burnt every sunset to honor the evening departure of the sun god.  Frankincense can also be found along with about 16 other ingredients in sacred incense recipes of the  Talmud.  One particular biblical recipe includes stacte (might be myrrh), onycha (musk), galbanum and frankincense [2].

Safety: While the resin of frankincense is reported to be edible [6] it is extremely important to consult with a physician before ever ingesting essential oils in any form.  Essential oils can be incredibly potent – and even if they yield benefits in small doses, too much can often be harmful and some aren’t supposed to be ingested at all.  If they are ingested it is often under the direct recommendation or oversight of a health practitioner that is specialized in the use of natural health remedies.

Additionally, although there are several studies linking Boswellia resin and essential oil to the termination of cancer cells, it has not yet been proven conclusively and it would be best to discuss such a topic with a health practitioner.

The online resource Pubmed perhaps says it best: “limited conclusions can be drawn from the preliminary findings of this laboratory study as it is yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. And some of the claims should not be taken at face value; in particular the press release’s claim that frankincense has no known side effects. Such claims would need rigorous scientific evaluation before they could be verified [5].”  However, it is worth noting that frankincense has since been discussed in peer-reviewed journals and other scientific platforms that were discussed briefly above.

All considered though, frankincense is clearly one of the most romantic and sensually elegant of the essential oils; with its divine history, frankincense essential oil is truly fit for the gods and the beautiful human spirits amongst us!

Sources:

1. Asian News International. “Frankincense could harbor breast cancer cure”. Al Bawaba (Middle East) Ltd. New Delhi, Nov 7, 2013.

2. Holmes, Peter. “Frankincense Oil: The Rainbow Bridge”. International Journal of Aromatherapy, Vol. 9 (4), January 1998: p. 156-161.

3. Howell, Jeremy. “Frankincense: Could it be a cure for cancer?”.  BBC World News, Feb 9, 2010: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8505251.stm

4. Ni, Xiao; Suhail, Mahmoud M; Yang, Qing, et al.“Frankincense essential oil prepared from hydrodistillation of Boswellia sacra gum resins induces human pancreatic cancer cell death in cultures and in a xenograft murine model”. BMC Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 12 (1), 2012: p. 253.

5. Pub Med Health. “Can frankincense really fight cancer?” Behind the Headlines, Health News from NHS Choices, Dec 23, 2013: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/behindtheheadlines/ news/2013-12-23-can-frankincense-really-fight-cancer/

6. Wikipedia. “Frankincense”. Last updated, Sept 22, 2014:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankincense#Perfume

Rosemary Oil and Its Ability to Enhance Memory

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Rosemary Oil and Its Ability to Enhance Memory

Rosemary essential oil is most famously known as a memory stimulant, but is also used as an antimicrobial and an antibacterial, to aid muscle tension, and to treat arthritic conditions. Additionally, the rosemary plant has also been traditionally used for its fragrant aroma and in cooking as a flavouring agent. Read all about the Scientific Evidence for Essential Oils elsewhere in this blog.

BACKGROUND:

The rosemary plant is scientifically named Rosmarinus officinalis and has a beautiful flower that is either pink, purple, blue or white.  The rosemary plant is part of the evergreen family with needles and a robust lifespan – making it one of the easier herbs to grow year round and in tough climates [6].

Buy Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary has a bit of a mythological origin: it played a role in the conception of Aphrodite – having been draped around her neck as she rose from the sea – and given that she is the goddess of love and beauty, this is very fitting for the beautiful flowering rosemary bush.  This mythological account tells us a bit about how it got the name rosemary as well, since “ros” means dew and “marinus” means sea, so that Rosmarinus means “dew of the sea”.  Aside from its mythological origins indicating its ancient use in Greece and other parts of the Mediterranean, it is noted that it was quite popular throughout ancient Egypt and is famously referenced in Shakespeare’s Hamlet [6].

USES:

As mentioned above, rosemary is famously and historically known for its ability to enhance the memory functions of our brains.  It is known that the Egyptians used the rosemary plant both physically and symbolically during weddings and funerals as a ceremonial plant meant to represent remembrance.   There has even been a series of studies and experiments that have proven rosemary’s link to memory enhancement – including one study out of Northumbria University that concluded that rosemary increases the functioning of long-term memory by up to 15% [2].  Additionally, rosemary is used more generally as a mental stimulant and students could and do use rosemary inhalants during exams to reap better results [1].

But, what could account for this enhancement of memory and mental clarity? There isn’t much literature circulating on the exact physiological reasons for rosemary’s ability to enhance memory and stimulate mental processes – but, there is one factor that might have something to do with it.  There is some indication that rosemary can increase the production of Nerve Growth Factor [6] – which is a secreted protein used by the body to aid in the growth, maintenance and survival of key nerve cells [5].  This enhanced growth of brain cells could of course offer some insight into how rosemary enhances memory, especially considering that the Northumbria study only found an increase in long-term memory and actually found no increase in short-term or working memory.

Other medicinal uses of rosemary essential oil include employing the oil as an antioxidant, antibacterial [4], and for its antimicrobial activity against certain harmful microbes – particularly with regard to its use in food packaging and natural preservative methods [3].   Additionally, it has many extra beneficial uses including possibly preventing hair loss and stimulating hair growth, treating jet lag, muscle tension and arthritic pain [1].

Of course, let us not forget rosemary’s use as a spice in many of our favourite dishes and the desirable aroma it exudes.  There is even some implication that it could aid in digestion, which gives us even more of a reason besides its great flavour to add it to our favourite dishes [1]!

BLENDS:

Because rosemary can be quite a strong essential oil, it is best to blend it with carrier oils when using it to massage muscles or to rub into your scalp as a hair growth aid.  For hair growth, jojoba oil is probably the best option as a carrier because it has similar properties to our natural skin oils that contribute to its easy absorption, allowing rosemary essential oil to penetrate tissues deeply.  Rosemary oil can also be blended with full fat milk into a warm tub of bathwater for a deeply soothing bath [1].

SAFETY:  

However, like most essential oils, rosemary essential oil can be quite strong and so when using as a massage or otherwise it is important to only use a few drops and to use along with carrier oils or other mixing agents that will dilute its strength [1].

Additionally, because rosemary essential oil is an incredibly stimulating oil, it should not be used by the elderly, pregnant women or by those who have high blood pressure [1].

As we know rosemary is a very popular spice used in many delicious and nutritious dishes – so, speaking relative to other oils, it is fairly benign and a good essential oil to begin your journey toward alternative medicine.   On a spectrum of fairly safe essential oils like lavender or spearmint, to very strong oils that can be potentially dangerous when used incorrectly, rosemary probably stands on the softer side of the spectrum — and given its memory stimulating qualities, who wouldn’t want to get started with rosemary essential oil!

REFERENCES:

1. Gulf Weekly, Manama. “Essential Benefits of Rosemary Oil”.  Al Bawaba (Middle East) Ltd, 02 May, 2010.

2. Nanaimo Daily News. “Tests Affirm Rosemary Aids Memory”.  Infomart, a division of Postmedia Network Inc., March 2002.

3. Sarikus G., A. C. Seydum. “Antimicrobial Activity of Whey Protein Based Edible Films Incorporated with Oregano, Rosemary and Garlic Essential Oils”.  Food Research International, June 2006: 39 (5), p. 639-644.

4. Van Baren, Catalina M. “New Insights into Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Rosemary Essential Oils and Their Main Components”.  Food Control, May 2013: 31(1).

5. Wikipedia. “Nerve Growth Factor”. Last Modified Aug, 2014: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerve_Growth_Factor

6. Wikipedia. “Rosemary”. Last Modified Aug. 2014: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary