Overview

Frankincense is a hardened gum-like material (resin) that comes from the trunk of the Boswellia tree. People use its oil on the skin and in aromatherapy.

Frankincense oil seems to kill some types of bacteria and fungi (yeasts). It is commonly used as a fragrance in soaps, lotions, and perfumes.

People use frankincense for aging skin, wound healing, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any use. There is also no good evidence to support using frankincense for COVID-19.

Boswellia tree extracts are also sometimes taken by mouth. For information on taking frankincense by mouth, see Boswellia serrata.

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This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
© Therapeutic Research Faculty 2020.