represents Christianity. It is used as an analgestic, it reduces pain and it is antiseptic. It also has a long lasting scent. It is often used in prayers and rituals. Some believe that frankinsence heals wounds in the heart. But few of us realized that it can be scientifically proven that frankincense helps ease arthritis. Extracts from Boswellia serrata, a similar species to the variety famous for its role in the Christian nativity, were tested on dozens of patients. Those who received it reported better movement and less pain and stiffness. The herb has been used for thousands of years in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, reports the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of the condition, and normally affects the weight bearing joints such as hands, wrists, feet and spine. Current treatments carry a great many adverse effects, and scientists have been hunting for an alternative. Some of the 70 patients with severe arthritis in their knees recruited into the trial were given a low-dose capsule, some a higher dose capsule, and the remainder were given a dummy pill with no active ingredients.
In as little as seven days, patients taking the frankincense drug reported improvements in their pain and stiffness levels compared with the placebo group, and these continued until the 90-day mark, when the study ended.
But note - "This report on treating knee pain with a chemical derivative of B. serrata is interesting but the patient numbers are small, there were some problems with the reported trial design and we need more information on its medium to long-term safety."
is a book with a new age message that's proabably relevant to everyone.
