Experts Say…
Frankincense and myrrh are considered potentially highly effective in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Oils ain't oils - quality counts!
I knew enough about essential oils to know that not all oils are the same. Quality is vital, especially when you are considering internal consumption. Many low quality oils can have very negative health effects and some are for their good aromas only with no potential health benefits at all.
Once I had identified high quality oils I was blown away by their cost – yikes!, but felt these were important enough to include and invested the money.
The immediate impact of having put one drop of Frankincense on my tongue when it arrived left me with no doubt as to their potency. I wasn’t convinced they were a cancer cure but I did align with the research and extensive history that these were beneficial natural medicines with regard to inflammation.
My Approach to Dosage
I was definitely tentative in using them, especially considering the many other supplements I was giving Ruby, however I added drops to Ruby’s meals 2-3 times per week (mixed with the other oils included in her meals).
As always I considered what would I be doing if this was my health condition and knew I would be including these medicines of the millennia if it were me and so, to some extent, I included it for Ruby.
I am still enthused by the significant anecdotal evidence there is for people apparently treating their untreatable cancers with frankincense and/or myrrh with outstanding results, albeit I appreciate that not everyone has those results. I felt that, as long as I was using high quality oils, and not excessively, then this was a worthy addition to our regime.
As time went on I used it much less, if ever, but I carried it with me always and even took it myself from time to time when needed.
Oils, Resins or Extracts?
My ongoing research has found that it is the actual resins from the plants, rather than usually the essential oils alone, that have had positive results in many research labs. This suggests it is even more important to use high quality essential oils or access the original source to maximise potential benefits.
More research to be done here and I’m looking for high quality extracts to recommend. Watch this space.
I offer this information to assist you to gather your thoughts and approach as quickly as you can. It is not medical advice but I've learned a lot and want to be the person that I wish I could have called. Please discuss with your holistic vet.
Good luck and don't give up. Love, Donna x
Some Reading
Recommended
High quality essential oils and resin extracts are available to incorporate into your health regimen for your dog. It is important to know the quality of the product, especially when considering internal use. Poor quality extracts or oils should not be consumed internally.
Here are some products that we recommend if you are choosing to include Frankincense and/or Myrrh in your dog’s health protocol.
Some Research
Boswellia sacra essential oil induces tumour cell specific apoptosis and suppresses tumor aggressiveness in cultured human breast cancer cells – BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2011. This study looked at the effectiveness of Frankincense essential oil created at two different temperatures and found that oils hydrodistilled at 100C versus 78C were more potent in inducing cancer cell death in the lab.
Boswellic acid induces epigenetic alterations by modulating DNA methylation in colorectal cancer cells – Cancer and Biology Therapy 2012. Accumulating evidence suggests that some dietary polyphenols have chemopreventive effects that in part may be mediated by their ability to influence epigenetic mechanisms in cancer cells. Boswellic Acids have long been used for their anti-inflammatory effects but more recent preclinical studies have suggested it has anti-cancer abilities. This is one of those studies. As a result they recommend further investigation of Boswellic Acid and other epigenetic influencing botanicals.
Composition and potential anticancer activities of essential oils obtained from myrrh and frankincense – Oncology Letters 2013. This study looked at a variety of cancer cell lines (prostate and breast variations) and the effectiveness of both frankincense and myrrh, and their active constituents, in cancer cell apoptosis. Results predominantly found greater impact of myrrh and no significant synergistic effects of both oils together.
Frankincense and myrrh suppress inflammation via regulation of the metabolic profiling and the MAPK signalling pathway – Scientific Reports 2015. “Administration of combined Frankincense and Myrrh suppressed arthritic progression in rats more effective than single drug treatment. These findings might supply beneficial hints for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and deserves further clinical investigations.”
Frankincense Oil and Cancer in Perspective – The Tisserand Institute 2016. An interesting opinion piece from aromatherapy expert Robert Tisserand who warns against presuming the anti-cancer results of frankincense in some studies should not suggest that any or all essential oils of frankincense share those benefits. He points to research noting it is the gum resin that has the potential benefits. It is an interesting clarification.
The information on this website is presented for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or advice of a qualified, licensed medical professional. The facts presented are offered as information only, not medical advice, and in no way should anyone infer that we are practicing medicine. Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of this material to any specific situation.
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