{"id":11068,"date":"2015-11-01T12:31:48","date_gmt":"2015-11-01T17:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.essentialoilsage.com\/?p=11068"},"modified":"2017-12-04T00:40:37","modified_gmt":"2017-12-04T05:40:37","slug":"differences-between-frankincense-carteri-frereana-sacra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/?p=11068","title":{"rendered":"Differences between Frankincense Carteri, Frereana, Sacra"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FrankincenseIs all Frankincense Created Equal?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Frankincense essential oil has been prized in both ancient and modern times for its incredible healing\u00a0properties. Recently, essential oil circles around the world have debated an important question: Which\u00a0of the forty-two known species of frankincense offers the greatest therapeutic benefit? Through expert\u00a0academic studies and Gary Young\u2019s extensive world travels, Young Living has identified the two most\u00a0researched and therapeutic frankincense species to be East African Boswellia carteri<\/em> and Omani\u00a0Boswellia sacra<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The research supporting this claim has centered on three\u00a0important factors: selection of species, place of origin,\u00a0and the quality of chemical constituents found in each.\u00a0This paper focuses on three of the most well-known\u00a0species of frankincense and their respective merits: the\u00a0aforementioned Boswellia carteri<\/em> and Boswellia sacra<\/em>, as\u00a0well as Boswellia frereana<\/em> from Somalia.<\/p>\n

\"Frankincense<\/a>Boswellia carteri<\/strong><\/p>\n

The research supporting this claim has centered on three\u00a0important factors: selection of species, place of origin,\u00a0and the quality of chemical constituents found in each.\u00a0This paper focuses on three of the most well-known\u00a0species of frankincense and their respective merits: the\u00a0aforementioned Boswellia carteri<\/em> and Boswellia sacra<\/em>, as\u00a0well as Boswellia frereana<\/em> from Somalia.\u00a0Boswellia carteri<\/em> Native to East Africa, Boswellia carteri<\/em> is the most well known\u00a0and most studied among frankincense species because it contains many important natural constituents,\u00a0including boswellic acid. One of the most important of these studies discusses the cell differentiating\u00a0properties of frankincense. In this study, the authors, including Chinese scientist H.K. Lin,\u00a0named the source of the oil used: \u201cFrankincense oil containing 1,200mg\/ml frankincense gum resin was obtained from Young Living Essential Oils (Lehi, UT).\u201d1<\/a><\/p>\n

Researchers in Tokyo, Japan discovered that the extract of B. carteri<\/em> contains a number of triterpene acids\u00a0like boswellic acids and incensole acetate that exhibited potent activities.2<\/a><\/p>\n

Another of the eleven Boswellia carteri<\/em> studies found in a search of PubMed, the National Library of Medicine\u2019s website, explains how a purified mixture of boswellic acids from Boswellia carteri<\/em> resin exhibits positive immune system effects.3<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Frankincense<\/a>Boswellia sacra<\/strong><\/p>\n

Omani frankincense is regarded the world over as the\u00a0rarest, most sought-after aromatic in existence. In Juliet\u00a0Highet\u2019s book Frankincense: Oman\u2019s Gift to the World, she\u00a0writes: \u201cThe international aromatic trade has a grading\u00a0system for frankincense depending upon size, colour,\u00a0degree of transparency, and of course fragrance, but it is\u00a0generally acknowledged that the premium resin comes\u00a0from Boswellia sacra<\/em>.\u201d4<\/a><\/p>\n

There is just one species of frankincense that is native to\u00a0the southern Arabian kingdom of Oman: Boswellia sacra.\u00a0Botanists like Ahmed Al-Harrasi and Salim Al-Saidi, scientists\u00a0at the Department of Chemistry Sultan Qaboos\u00a0University in Oman, are united in stating that no other\u00a0frankincense species grows in Oman.<\/p>\n

Mahmoud Suhail, MD, Young Living\u2019s partner in its\u00a0Omani frankincense venture and a noted frankincense\u00a0researcher, confirms this, saying, \u201cBoswellia sacra is the only frankincense species native to Arabia.\u201d Suhail bases\u00a0his conclusion on documentation by the Royal Botanical\u00a0Gardens at Kew, in England, one of the foremost scientific\u00a0botanical institutions in the world.5<\/a><\/p>\n

Young Living has recognized the benefits of Boswellia\u00a0sacra in recent years due to its high levels of incensole\u00a0acetate, known for its spiritual properties (see \u201cThe Science\u00a0Behind Spirituality\u201d at left). In 2009, Gary Young\u00a0was granted special permission to build a Young Living\u00a0distillery in Oman. Until this venture, no Omani frankincense\u00a0had ever left the country, unless it was purchased by Saudi royals. Young Living is distilling Boswellia\u00a0sacra<\/em> essential oil in partnership with Dr. Suhail in Salalah, Oman\u2014a one-of-a-kind relationship between a\u00a0Western essential oil company and a local practitioner in Arabia.<\/p>\n

\"Frankincense<\/a>Boswellia frereana<\/strong><\/p>\n

While all frankincense species offer health advantages, Boswellia frereana<\/em> has been shown to contain fewer\u00a0of the healing gifts than the aforementioned B. carteri<\/em> and B. sacra<\/em>. The biggest drawback to Boswellia\u00a0frereana is that it does not contain the powerful boswellic acids that have been the subject of more than 125 studies,\u00a0according to a recent PubMed search. Researchers at Cardiff University have stated:<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough B. frereana<\/em> has the genealogy of the Boswellia species, little is known about the bioactive ingredients,\u00a0except that it is devoid of the \u03b1- and \u03b2-boswellic acids that are characteristics of the other family\u00a0members.\u201d6<\/a><\/p>\n

Another reference documenting the lack of boswellic acid in B. frereana is found in a review by Frank\u00a0and Unger:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe six boswellic acids . . . are the typical ingredients in frankincense from B. carteri<\/em>, B. sacra<\/em> and B. serrata<\/em>\u00a0but not in B. frereana<\/em>.\u201d7<\/a><\/p>\n

Not only does B. frereana<\/em> not contain any boswellic acids, it also lacks the important chemical constituent incensole\u00a0acetate (see \u201cThe Science Behind Spirituality\u201d at left).<\/p>\n

Boswellia frereana<\/em> grows exclusively in Somalia and is not found in Oman. Dr. Ermias Dagne, professor of chemistry\u00a0at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, stated, \u201cThere are six most common Boswellia species whose resins\u00a0are widely traded . . . \u201d He lists \u201cB. frereana<\/em> . . . known only from Somalia.\u201d8 Other studies confirm that, \u201cB. frereana<\/em>\u00a0grows in the coastal region of Somalia.\u201d9<\/a> and that the distribution and habitat of Boswellia frereana<\/em> is \u201crestricted to\u00a0N. Somalia.\u201d10<\/a><\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Based on credible research and analysis of the three key factors-selection of species, place of origin, and quality\u00a0of chemical constituents-Young Living reaffirms that Boswellia carteri from East Africa and Boswellia sacra from\u00a0Oman contain the most potent blend of naturally occurring constituents with the most desirable therapeutic benefits.<\/p>\n

Although its wellness potential should not be dismissed, Boswellia frereana is inferior to B. carteri and B. sacra because\u00a0it lacks the important chemical constituents required for the highest therapeutic benefit.<\/p>\n

The Science Behind Spirituality\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

During one of his overseas trips in 2009, Young Living\u00a0researcher Marc Schreuder formed an important\u00a0relationship with Israeli scientist Arieh Moussaieff. Moussaieff created headlines around the world\u00a0when he and an international team of researchers\u00a0discovered unique capabilities of a constituent in\u00a0frankincense called incensole acetate.<\/p>\n

Incensole acetate may be the reason frankincense\u00a0has been part of religious and cultural ceremonies\u00a0dating back to ancient times. Moussaieff\u2019s team discovered\u00a0that this chemical constituent triggered an\u00a0ion channel in the brain with heretofore unknown\u00a0effects. The areas of the brain affected are known\u00a0to be involved in emotions. Incensole acetate had an\u00a0anti-anxiety effect and significantly improved mood\u00a0in the study.<\/p>\n

Dr. Moussaieff\u2019s studies have shown that incensole\u00a0acetate is in fact responsible for frankincense\u2019s remarkable\u00a0spiritual effects.11<\/a> One article about Dr.\u00a0Moussaieff\u2019s work stated: \u201cIn his doctoral work at\u00a0the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Moussaieff isolated\u00a0the active compounds in the [frankincense]\u00a0resin. When tested on mouse models of human\u00a0head injury, he found that some of these substances\u00a0provide protection for the nervous system. He later\u00a0noted the resin\u2019s mood enhancement\u00a0properties and, investigating further, found that\u00a0they act on a previously unknown pathway in the\u00a0brain that regulates emotion.\u201d12<\/a><\/p>\n

Video: Young Living Frankincense \u2013 Separating Fact from Fallacy<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is all Frankincense Created Equal? Frankincense essential oil has been prized in both ancient and modern times for its incredible healing\u00a0properties. Recently, essential oil circles around the world have debated an important question: Which\u00a0of the forty-two known species of frankincense offers the greatest therapeutic benefit? Through expert\u00a0academic studies and Gary Young\u2019s extensive world travels, Young […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11071,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[69,571,159],"class_list":["post-11068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-frankincense-essential-oil","tag-frankincense-frereana-essential-oil","tag-sacred-frankincense-essential-oil"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11068"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18473,"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11068\/revisions\/18473"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentialoilsage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}