For millennia frankincense and myrrh was used primarily as an aromatic compound in the west. However, in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, frankincense and myrrh are used mainly for the treatment of chronic diseases.
Frankincense and myrrh are sap, drawn from the Boswellia sacra and Commiphora trees, respectively. Boswellic acids have anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic effects.
Together these compounds seem to work by preventing the body from making pro-inflammatory compounds. So much so that there is much pharmacological use and clinical study in both East and West.
