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Frankincense proves to be a natural medicine for arthritis and gout
An ancient substance could offer new hope to patients with inflammatory arthritis and the more common osteoarthritis. This substance is frankincense, a resin extracted from the sturdy Boswellia tree. Frankincense has been traded for over 5,000 years and is best known for its aroma. It is commonly used in incense and perfumes. Frankincense is also commonly used in various religious rites and, along with gold and myrrh (a similar reddish resin), is said to be among the gifts given to the infant Jesus by the biblical magicians or wise men. Incense is still burned in the Roman Catholic Church. Frankincense has long been...
Frankincense proves to be a natural medicine for arthritis and gout
An ancient substance could offer new hope to patients with inflammatory arthritis and the more common osteoarthritis. This substance is frankincense, a resin extracted from the sturdy Boswellia tree. Frankincense has been traded for over 5,000 years and is best known for its aroma. It is commonly used in incense and perfumes.
Frankincense is also commonly used in various religious rites and, along with gold and myrrh (a similar reddish resin), is said to be among the gifts given to the infant Jesus by the biblical magicians or wise men. Incense is still burned in the Roman Catholic Church.
Frankincense has also long been valued for its medicinal properties. The resin is edible and used in traditional Asian medicine to aid digestion and promote healthy skin. Frankincense has also been used in Ayurvedic (traditional Indian) medicine for hundreds of years and is called dhoop. Dhoop is used to treat arthritis, heal wounds, strengthen the female hormonal system and fight germs and mosquitoes.
Scientists have studied frankincense as a treatment for chronic inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, asthma, cancer, and rheumatism and osteoarthritis that relieved depression and anxiety in mice.
In another study from the University of California in 2008, 70 osteoarthritis patients who took a frankincense extract showed significant improvement in their condition in less than seven days without any major side effects. The extract was a proprietary product developed by Laila Nutraceuticals.
Recently, scientists at Cardiff University in Wales began laboratory research into the use of frankincense in the local Somali community as a traditional herbal remedy for arthritis. Her research focused on whether and how frankincense extracts might help reduce arthritic inflammation and relieve pain.
They were able to show that an extract of a rare species of frankincense, Boswellia frereana, inhibits the production of important inflammatory molecules, thereby preventing the painful breakdown of cartilage that is characteristic of arthritis and gouty arthritis.
“Our research has managed to determine the active ingredient in frankincense using innovative chemical extraction techniques,” explains Dr. Ahmed Ali. “We are now able to further characterize the chemical entity and compare its success with other anti-inflammatory drugs for treating the disease.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), arthritis is the most common form of disability in the United States, affecting nearly 21 million adults. Arthritis can be classified as either inflammatory or non-inflammatory. Inflammatory arthritis is characterized by the presence of inflammatory white blood cells in the synovial fluid.
Gout is an inflammatory form of arthritis, just like rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a non-inflammatory form of the disease. Both forms are incurable but can be treated with lifestyle changes and medications for arthritis or gout.
Inspired by Alexa Ray