Boswellia extracts are taken from the resin (a thick, sticky organic substance) of the tree Boswellia serrata, which is native to the Arabian peninsula, Somalia, Ethiopia, and India. It has been used in a variety of different folk medicines for inflammatory, gastrointestinal, and respiratory conditions.[1][2][3][4]
Boswellia has also been called frankincense, from the Old French term franc encens, which means “pure and noble high-quality incense”.[4] It has been used in funeral ceremonies and religious rituals in the Catholic church.[4]