This product is the resin exuded from the bark of the small tree Boswellia carterii (Boswellia carterii Birdw) of the Olive family and its related species. It is mainly produced in Somalia, Ethiopia, and other regions of Africa. It can be harvested in both spring and summer. The bark of the tree trunk is sequentially cut from the bottom upwards, allowing the resin to exude and solidify after several days, after which it can be collected. It is often stir-fried for medicinal use.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Acrid and bitter, warm. act on liver, heart and spleen channels.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Invigorating blood and removing stagnation to relieve pain, resolving swelling to promote tissue regeneration.

bubble_chart Indications

1. Used for external traumatology, injuries from falls, sores, and ulcers. This product can both invigorate blood and resolve stasis to relieve pain, and invigorate blood to resolve carbuncles, dispelling putridity to promote tissue regeneration, making it an essential medicine in external traumatology. For treating injuries from falls with stagnant swelling and pain, it is often combined with myrrh, Dragon's Blood Resin, and other medicinal combinations, such as Seven-Li-Weight Powder; for treating initial stages of sores and ulcers with redness, swelling, heat, and pain, it is often combined with Lonicera, Dahurian Angelica, myrrh, and other medicinal combinations to clear heat and remove toxins, invigorate blood, and reduce swelling, such as Immortal Formula Life-Saving Decoction; if Yongju, scrofula, or subcutaneous nodules with hard masses that do not dissipate, it is combined with myrrh, musk, Realgar to remove toxins and dissipate carbuncles and nodules, adding Wake-Up Subsiding Pill; for treating sores and ulcers that have ruptured and do not heal for a long time, it is often mixed with myrrh and applied externally as a powder, such as Chuangyang Jingyan Quanshu's Haifu Powder; it can also be combined with Black Catechu, Dragon's Blood Resin, and others, such as Yizong Jinjian's Fujin Granulation-Promoting Powder.
2. Used for various pain syndromes caused by static blood obstruction. Such as heart and abdominal pain due to blood stasis, abdominal masses, and wind-dampness pain. This product is pungent and dispersing, warm and unblocking, able to invigorate blood and remove stagnation to relieve pain, and also to resolve stasis, extend tendons, and alleviate impediment, thus treating the aforementioned syndromes. For heart and abdominal pain due to blood stasis and abdominal masses, it is often combined with Chinese Angelica, Salvia, myrrh, such as Collaterals-Activating Efficacious Pill. For wind-cold-dampness impediment, limb pain, and numbness, it is often combined with Pubescent Angelica, Gentian, and others, such as Yixue Xinwu's Impediment-Alleviating Decoction.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Bielu: "Treats wind edema, toxic swelling, and removes malign qi." "Treats rubella rash itching and toxicity."
2. Rihuazi Bencao: "Stops cholera... heart abdominal pain, zhu qi, soft extract relieves pain and promotes flesh growth. When used in pills or powders, slightly frying it can kill toxins, making it non-sticky."
3. Bencao Gangmu: "Dissolves various toxins in Yongju, expels toxins to protect the heart, activates blood to stabilize pain and stretch tendons, treats women's difficult delivery, and fractures."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct 3-10g, preferably stir-fried to remove oil. For external use, apply an appropriate amount, either raw or stir-fried, and grind into powder for topical application.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

Pregnant women and those without blood stasis should avoid use; this product has a turbid qi and bitter taste, which can easily cause nausea and vomiting, so it should not be taken orally in large amounts; those with weak stomachs should use with caution.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

This product contains resin (mainly free α, β-frankincense acid, bound frankincense acid, frankincense resin hydrocarbons), gum (primarily calcium and magnesium salts of arabic acid, astragalus gum mucilage), volatile oils, and a small amount of bitter principles. It has analgesic effects.