HerbalGram 88www.herbalgram.org • Botanicals Supported November • Community Herbal Medicine Oils & Drug-Resistant Bacteria • Essential and Memory • Bacopa Trade 2010 Fair – January 2011 Fair Trade Botanicals • Community Supported Herbal Medicine • Essential Oils & Drug-Resistant Bacteria • Bacopa and Memory The Journal of the American Botanical Council Number 88 | November 2010 – January 2011 & Drug- Resistant Essential Oils Bacteria US/CAN $6.95 www.herbalgram.org www.herbalgram.org 2010 HerbalGram 88 | 1 Harvesting Chamomile flowers on the Pharm Farm. PURE HERBS MAKE PURE HERBAL EXTRACTS How we grow and harvest our herbs At Herb Pharm only the highest quality herbs go into our herbal extracts. That’s why we created the “Pharm Farm” – our certified organic farm located near our manufacturing facility in rural southern Oregon. There we grow and process our herbs as nature intended – without the use of genetically modified seeds, synthetic agricultural chemicals, fumigants, or irradiation. For those cultivated herbs we can’t grow ourselves, we procure directly from other organic farmers who we personally know and trust. This often requires traveling to such remote and exotic loca- tions as the Pacific islands of Vanuatu in search of Kava roots, to a You’ll find Herb Pharm 16,000-foot high Peruvian altiplano sourcing Maca roots, and to at most health food stores the foothills of the Himalayas for Darjeeling Green Tea. and many natural healthcare We also harvest our wild herbs in a responsible and sustainable providers or online at manner – what we’ve termed “Custom Wildcrafted.” Our strict www.herb-pharm.com harvesting protocols assure proper botanical identification of each herb species, and their sustainable harvest in their natural wild habitat. We work very hard and go to great lengths to produce herbal products that we feel are purely and simply the best. 2 | HerbalGram 88 Broad-Spectrum Herbal Extracts, Ma2010de With Environmental Responsibilitywww.herbalgram.org Herb Profile Frankincense Boswellia sacra (syn. B. carteri), B. serrata Family: Burseraceae INTRODUCTION pia and in the Sudan is B. papyrifera.8 Mediterranean and Middle Frankincense is a resinous, evergreen tree that grows to 15 feet Eastern peoples valued frankincense in religious rituals for its tall with papery, peeling bark.1 Five-petaled, creamy-white flow- fragrant, white smoke which was thought to appease the gods. It ers appear in the spring followed by 3 to 5 angled, red-brown seed was used as a ceremonial incense in Persia, Babylon, and Assyria, 9 capsules. While approximately 25 species of Boswellia are found and by both Jews and Romans. According to ancient records, in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula, 2.5 tons of frankincense were burned in a Babylonian temple in 1 6 B. sacra is native to northern Somalia, Ethiopia, south Yemen, year. Currently, the Catholic Church is thought to be the major 7 and Oman,2 and B. serrata (Indian frankincense) is commonly consumer of frankincense for use in ceremonies. found growing in dry forests from Punjab to West Bengal and in Both B. sacra and B. serrata have been used in cosmetics since 1 peninsular India.3,4 Exudate of Indian frankincense is used in the the ancient times. A black powder, kohl, was made of charred Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani systems of traditional medicine. frankincense and used by the Egyptian women to paint their 9 7 The oleo-gum-resin is collected from wild trees by making inci- eyelids. Kohl was also used in an eye wash for soothing sore eyes. sions in the bark of the trunks and thick branches. The gum resin Boswellia sacra has also been used by the Egyptians for rejuvenating 9 exudes from the incision point and solidifies into an irregular mass the skin via facial masks. Frankincense has been melted to make 10 9 as a result of exposure to open air.5 The oleo-gum-resin is collected hair-removal creams, and used as a paste to perfume the hands, 4 all year and used fresh or dried.1 clothes, hair, and home. Modern skin care products contain frankincense for the treatment of blemishes, dry and mature complexions, and wrinkles, scars, and wounds. HISTORY AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE The early Islamic physician and philosopher Ibn Sina (aka Boswellia sacra arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean region Avicenna, ca. 980-1037 CE) recommended frankincense for dysen- now composed of Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and tery, fevers, and tumors, ulcers, and vomiting.10 Other Middle Jordan via the Incense Trail—the oldest caravan route in the Eastern uses include the stimulation of digestion and strengthen- world, which connected the aromatic growing regions with the ing of teeth, as a diuretic and purgative, to enhance memory, and ancient empires that valued these substances.6,7 A 3,000-year-old for emotional and psychological problems.7 ball of frankincense was found in the tomb of the Egyptian King In India, different parts of the B. serrata tree are used tradition- Tutankhamun (ca. 1341-1323 BCE).7 Two millennia ago, frankin- ally in Ayurvedic medicine for asthma, blood purification, bron- cense was as valuable as gold, hence the Bible story of its presenta- chial conditions, dysentery, rheumatism, skin ailments, and wound tion to the baby Jesus by the 3 wise men.6 It may be that the resins treatment.4 Therapeutic uses of the oleo-gum-resin of B. serrata of as many as 24 species of Boswellia are used in the production of in the Ayurvedic system of medicine include treatment of fever, frankincense, but B. sacra is the main source in some countries.7 excessive vaginal discharge, asthma, conjunctivitis, spermatorrhea, The main species for frankincense gum-resin production in Ethio- pain in testicles, and disease of the mouth.3 Boswellia sacra is used in India for nervous disorders and rheu- matism.7 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses B. sacra internally to invigorate blood circulation, control bleeding, relax the muscles, relieve menstrual disorders, and control pain.11,12 Called ru xiang, it is also used externally for lesions, particularly to reduce swelling, relieve pain, and to promote generation of flesh.12 In various African countries, frankin- cense is used as a tonic, diuretic, and to treat syphilis and bilharzia (schistosomia- sis), a disease caused by parasitic worms.7 Frankincense is also utilized externally in aromatherapy for asthma, bronchitis, coughs, laryngitis, inflammation, colds, flu, stress-related conditions, anxiety, nervous tension, and painful menstrua- tion.9 In North America, for the purpose of pre-marketing authorization and prod- Frankincense Boswellia sacra Photo ©2010 Steven Foster Continued on page 2 www.herbalgram.org 2010 HerbalGram 88 | 1 FRANKINCENSE Continued from page 1 uct licensing in Canada, the Natural Health Products Directorate tically significant improvements in pain and physical function (NHPD) has published 3 Frankincense monographs (for buccal, scores. oral, and topical applications).13 The following indications are A DBRPC multicenter clinical trial in 2007 studied Boswellia permitted for the oral use of the dried gum resin: traditionally Serrata Extract (BSE) (80% boswellic acid prepared by a local used as an astringent; traditionally used as a diuretic; tradition- pharmacist in Western Germany who is associated with a naturo- ally used to relieve nervous problems; traditionally used in TCM pathic hospital) for the treatment of collagenous colitis.23 Patients to promote circulation of qi; traditionally used in TCM to relieve with chronic diarrhea and histologically proven collagenous colitis urinary disorders; and traditionally used in TCM to dispel wind- (n=31) were randomized to receive either 400 mg of BSE orally 3 dampness.13 Permitted uses for frankincense topical application times per day or placebo for 6 weeks. Proportion of patients in clin- medicines are: traditionally used in TCM to promote healing of ical remission at the end of the trial was higher in the BSE group carbuncles; traditionally used in TCM to promote tissue regen- than in the placebo group (63.6 % vs 26.7%), but the authors eration; traditionally used in TCM to promote healing of inju- stated that large trials are necessary to establish the clinical effi- ries; traditionally used in TCM to relieve gum, mouth, and throat cacy of BSE. complaints; traditionally used in TCM to relieve pain; tradition- In a 2007 randomized, prospective, open-label, comparative ally applied to treat ringworm; traditionally used in TCM to study, the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of BSE (333mg BSE, promote healing of sores; and traditionally used in TCM to reduce WokVel™, Pharmanza Pvt Ltd., Khambat, Gujarat, India) was swelling.14 compared to valdecoxib (Bextra®, GD Searle, Peapack, NJ), a selec- In the United States, quality standards monographs were issued tive COX-2 inhibitor.24 For 6 months, 66 patients ages 40-70 years for “Boswellia Serrata” oleo-gum-resin and “Boswellia Serrata old with OA of the knee received either WokVel 3 times per day Extract” for use as dietary ingredients in June 2010 and will or 10 mg valdecoxib (Tab Valdone, Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd, become official in the 2nd Supplement to the United States Phar- Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India) once daily. Following 2 months of macopeia 33rd Revision – National Formulary 28th edition (USP therapy the BSE group showed statistically significant improve- 33 NF 28) on December 1, 2010.15 Olibanum Oil, the volatile oil ment in pain, stiffness, and level of difficulty in performing daily distilled from gum obtained from B. carteri and other Boswellia activities, with the improvements lasting a month after the therapy species, is regulated as a food additive permitted for direct addi- ended. The onset of the effect of the BSE was slower than that of tion to food for human consumption.16 For its use as a flavoring valdecoxib but lasted longer.24 [Note: Valdecoxib was subsequently agent in food products, a quality standards monograph has been taken off the market in India where the study was performed and published in the Food Chemicals Codex.17 voluntarily taken off the market in the U.S.