Frankincense
乳香 · Rǔ Xiāng
Eases stuck pain from injury, joints, and cycles
Properties
WarmingWarming botanicalPungent, Bitter
What it does
Frankincense moves stuck blood and stops sharp, fixed pain. In TCM, it's used for traumatic injuries, rheumatic joint pain, painful periods, and stubborn ulcers. The aromatic resin disperses swellings and supports tissue regeneration. Modern research has explored boswellic acids for chronic inflammation, with four clinical trials on osteoarthritis and IBD.
How to take it
Take 3–9g of frankincense resin in capsule or decoct in water with myrrh and other blood-movers. Standardized boswellia extracts (300–400mg) are common for joints.
Try a standardized boswellia capsule for chronic joint inflammation
Safety
- Generally well tolerated short-term
- Skip during pregnancy. Strong blood-moving action
- May cause mild stomach upset on empty stomach
- Topical resin can sensitize some skin types. Test first
- Talk to your doctor before starting, especially if you take medication
Where it comes from
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) comes from resin tapped from trees native to Yemen, Somalia, Oman, and Ethiopia. The same resin was central to ancient Egyptian, Greek, Christian, and Islamic ritual life, valued more than gold in some periods. It reached China through Silk Road trade and entered TCM as a powerful blood-mover for pain. Often paired with myrrh in classical orthopedic formulas like Qi Li San. Four trials cover osteoarthritis and IBD.