Each type of Oleo-Gum-Resin such as Myrrh, Opoponax, Mastic, the many types of Frankincense etc., contain different proportions of water-soluble gum and alcohol soluble oleo-resins, (resins and volatile oils).

I propose that when one of these Oleo-gum-resins is tinctured to extract its medicinal constituents and properties, that the 2 solvents used for tincturing, be in the same ratio to each other, as the ratio of gum to oleo-resins in the material being tinctured.

Frankincense, Boswellia Papyrifera 60 grams. An oleo-gum-resin. Has a different percentage of gum to resin than Boswellia Rivae.

In a traditional medicinal, water/alcohol tincture, the gums are dissolved by the water, the oleo resins by the ethanol,(alcohol). What is left over after this extraction is mainly bark and other insoluble extraneous organic material. (Spagyric tinctures often put this to good use). The point of tincturing is to extract as much of the soluble active medicinal components as possible. Ideally exhausting the material by transferring all its chemical constituents to the medicine, while preserving any preexisting synergistic effects between them.

Considering that all parts of these natural Oleo-Gum-Resin exudates, (saps), contain valuable chemical constituents and compounds, and if there is no reason to isolate or change the natural composition of the material, it would  be a more efficacious  medicine if preserved as close to its natural state as possible

Myrrh tree, Myrrh Oleo-Resin, Ogaden region of Ethiopia. Photo courtesy of Ermias Dagne

I propose that the best way to create a water/alcohol tincture that is true to its source material, is by using the same ratio of water to ethanol as the plant material exhibits in its ratio of gum to oleo-resin. That this is the only way to accurately migrate  the whole material authentically, with its inherent medicinal potency, and any “synergy” that is naturally present in the original material.

“Solve’” applied to Boswellia Papyrifera. The triad is separated into its 3 components. Gum(on right), Resin, (on left), in solution, and essential oil. (Not in  their naturally occurring proportions ).

Thus, if a sample of Myrrh oleo-gum-resin contains 60% gum and 40% oleo-resins, and a Tincture was made using 100% ethanol, it would only extract the resins and volatile oils. It would have a negligible amount of water-soluble gum. Certainly nothing close to the gum to oleo-resin proportions found in the original material. One would assume this extraction would not offer the same medicinal effects as the whole oleo-gum-resin. 1- Because the water-soluble gum contains   chemical constituents that have medicinal value on their own. And 2- because whatever effects the synergy of the whole material had in its natural form, would be lost.

Myrrh is a common resin in the Horn of Africa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to this method, a solvent mix composed of 20% alcohol and 80% water would not extract a tincture that was representative of the original material either. Rather it would contain more gum than oleo-resins than the original Myrrh. The same could be said of any other combination of these two solvents other than a combination of water to alcohol that reflected as closely as possible the actual proportions of gum to oleo-resin found in the material tinctured.

Some types of Frankincense contain very little gum, such as Boswellia Frereana.  As low as 0. 5%-0.1%, see AritiHerbal table of Extractability of Boswellia Resin. Other types of Frankincense have greater proportions of gum to oleo-resin. According to this theory of holistic tincturing,  the unique qualities inherent in each oleo-gum-resin, can only be  reproduced in a tincture if the natural ratio of gum to oleo resin in the source material is reflected accurately in the ratio of water to alcohol in the tincturing solvent. One could assume it would keep the same natural synergy in the original material intact by keeping all the chemical constituents in the same relative proportion to each other in the finished product or tincture.

Containing almost no water-soluble gum, Frankincense Frereana does not dissolve when masticated, for this reason it is used as a chewing gum and can be purchased under the name “Yemenite chewing gum”. It is composed mainly of resin and essential oils.

I am not a trained scientist, nor do I have access to the instruments that would put this theory of holistic tincturing to the test.  I don’t know if this makes sense to anyone besides myself, or if there is any corroborating research out there to support this theory, but I would Love to hear any opinions, conflicting or supporting.

Dan

As an addendum ,( written a month or two after this post), I need to add that after thought, contemplation, examination and the occasional dream, I realize there may be one other way to extract all of the essential oils, resin and gum from these oleo-gum resins. The one way they could be extracted in their entirety and with their naturally occurring proportions intact, without a knowledge of their inherent gum-resin-oil ratios is, If  a “disproportionately large” amount of alcohol/water is used for the extraction. So instead of making a 1:5 or 1:6 tincture with 1 being the oleo-gum-resin, something like a 1:10 tincture could be prepared. using much more water than the quantity of gum required, and much more alcohol than the oleo-resin required. In this way all the components could be extracted. However…the obvious drawback, is that there would be a much higher quantity of liquid and a lower proportion of oleo-gum-resin. So it can be done, but with a price. In a way, cheating a bit. This 1:10 ratio tincture, though containing all the soluble and desired parts of the material, would be very weak, which is not ideal and I see no finesse, or advantage to it. It would be very very difficult, if even possible, to remove the excess solvents without losing some of the volatile oils.

Since I am on the topic I will take this opportunity to raise a point that I will address in greater detail  in a future post. Lately there has been a lot of talk about the healing properties of Boswellic acid found in Boswellia Sacra. Though much important research has been done on the different types of Frankincense, and Boswellic acid does show great promise as an anti-inflammatory and antitumor, among other important applications,  it is not a volatile  or essential oil . Which means little, if any Boswellic acid is found in the essential oil of Boswellia Sacra/Carterii.  Whatever Boswellic acid is present in the oleo-gum-resins of some of the members of the Boswellia family, resides  in the resin part, not in the “Oil”, and is not normally extracted with the essential oils. If a  company claims that its essential oil of Frankincense Sacra has a “high percentage  of Boswellic acid, then one should ask, how did it get there??

Food for thought.

Dan

First of all, cancer is on the rise.  We spend more and more every year in the war on cancer and it seems that it continues to climb.  Is it possible we are fighting the wrong battle?  We certainly aren’t winning.  I am not suggesting that breast cancer can be solved with one small change.  Instead I actually believe that there is really no “one” cause, but rather a whole bunch of “increased risks of” piled up on top of each other.  This blog is about one of them.

What is the purpose of sweat?  Of course, it is to rid the body of toxicity, cooling it at the same time.  What is a huge risk factor for cancer?  Did I hear toxicity?  What on earth are we doing clogging up the bodies natural detox?  Is it only a coincidence that breast cancer typically occurs in the lateral breast and often involves the lymph nodes of the armpit?  You decide….  I am simply suggesting what appears obvious.  Now add to that, toxic substances like aluminum (contained in most antiperspirants).  Apocrine glands and are found in the armpits, groin, and behind the ears, are specialized to release this toxicity.  If you plug up the two most prominent regions it shouldn’t surprise anyone that your body begins to store this toxicity in the surrounding fat tissue.  What is the closest reservoir of fat to your armpits?  You guessed it!

So why does sweat smell so bad?  Well.. it doesn’t actually.  The bacterial breakdown of the sweat does.  I can’t help you with the first problem; sweating (frankly you are supposed to sweat).  I can however offer some suggestions for problem number two; stinking.  Here is an essential oil solution I use.  It works very well for me AND my wife.  Yes, I suppose it is pH balanced for woman too.  Take a 10ml essential oil roll-on (pictured below) and add 1/3 doTERRA purify; 1/3 clary sage; and for the final 1/3 equal parts frankincense, lemon, lavender, and patchouli. Roll in your armpit, but remember it is gravity fed so you have to angle it down.  (important note: don’t use the Clary Sage if you are pregnant.  Clary Sage can have powerful hormonal effects, like stimulating contractions.)

Now for an explanation.  Purify will inhibit bacterial growth, clean what’s there and help the body detox all the stuff you have already stored away.  Clary Sage inhibits body odor and will help brighten your mood (a great way to start the day).  Frankincense is my daily use oil -so is deodorizing my armpits.  Therefore… it makes good sense to include it in something I use on a daily basis.  Frankincense also enhances the effects of all the oils, it is anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory.  Lavender is calming and good for the skin – baby soft armpits . Lemon helps to purify, kill bacteria, has anti-cancer properties, and I like the smell.  Finally patchouli (this one was for me, it helps me stay focused).  However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be patchouli.  What you need is a “low tone” oil.  In other words a thicker grounding oil.  This will help the other oils stay active longer and be absorbed slower.  Think of it like time-release.  I doesn’t matter what you choose, but it should be something that offers you some personal benefit.  Some good options might be sandalwood, myrrh, patchouli, or vetiver.

I have experimented with diluting the oil in witch hazel, alcohol, and fractionated coconut oil.  My least favorite was the witch hazel – it didn’t seem to work as well.  The other two were fine.  I also, have found adding a little OnGuard helped with odor.  However, you need to make sure it is diluted adequately.  Armpits can be a little sensitive for OnGuard.

Boswellic acid, according to this study, blocks 5-lipoxygenase.  What is interesting about 5-lipoxygenase is that it is the key enzyme that creates leukotrienes from arachidonic acid.  Basically, the pathway that creates the elements in your body that you would use to produce inflammation.  Boswellic acid blocks it specifically and at that level.  As opposed to most NSAIDs which block delta 6-desaturase.  Delta 6-desaturase is responsible for both the inflammation pathway as well as the anti-inflammation pathway.  Simply, you are sacrificing the good to get the bad.  This is why individuals on NSAIDs are having such serious health problems.  Boswellic acid on the other hand only blocks the products producing inflammation and preserves the healthy anti-inflammation processes.  This is good news for someone with chronic pain!  Another study demonstrated that not only did this occur, but it was also more effective than the leading prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.  Why have you never heard this?  I am a cynic, but personally I think it might have something to do with economics.  Although boswellic acid has a cost, compared to the actual cost of your prescription (not what you pay, but what the insurance pays for you), it is cheap and very difficult to make a multi-billion dollar industry out of.  But, hey… that’s just me.

Why do I bring this up?  You may have noticed that doTERRA’s Life Time Vitality Pack contains boswellic acid.  In my previous blog I attached some PDF’s illustrating the comparison of this product to many popular supplements.  You will be impressed, and if you aren’t already taking it, you will want to.

For more information on Dr. Hales visit his website www.myidahochiropractor.com

What did I learn at convention?  Ohhhhh, lots of things!  Here are a few tips that I thought I would pass along in no particular order.

Frankincense – you want this oil.  Why? Because it is a very grounding oil that has shown a remarkable ability to repair DNA and has anti-cancer effects.  Oman is a country of about 2 million people and cancer is rare there.  Dr. Suhail, who spoke at the convention, mentioned that he sees 1-2 cases of cancer every few years.  There are no cancer wings at the hospitals in Oman.  I’m sure diet & lifestyle plays a major cause in the lack of cancer, Dr. Suhail also mentioned that the cases he sees are people who have left Oman and then returned, but I also think the way the Omanis use Frankincense could also play a factor.  They chew on the resin, they burn it, they ingest it.

Oils & Kids – I heard Peter Minke, Ph.D, speak a couple of times over the week.  He is the father of three, with the fourth on its way, and he and his wife give classes on how to use the oils with kids.  Here are a few tips from his talk.   First and foremost – Use what you have on hand!  Simple, I know, but always keep in mind the oils have many different functions.  Of course it is great to have an array of oils but if you don’t have your first choice try one you do have and don’t stop until you find the oil that works for you.

Valor for big bumps and bruises.  I have used Lavender and have been amazed at how quickly the inflammation recedes. Valor tends to drip out slowly so either pound it out or take off the top and pour.  Speed is key, the faster you get the oil on the faster it will help with swelling.  In the case of a major trauma like a broken leg, on your way to medical treatment (or while you are waiting in the waiting room) you could use valor  & PanAway  for the swelling and the pain but don’t forget to use a calming oil for the trauma like Peace & Calming or lavender.  Again, use what you have.

Lemon makes a body feel good.  If you are feeling run down try some lemon oil.  Lemon oil is also safe for infants for fevers and it’s ok to use in repeated doses.  He likes to put the oil on the inside of the elbow, right on the crease of the inner  arm.  There are lots of  nice big veins that the oils can get into and get right to work.  If you are concerned about  an oil being photosensitive then put it “where the sun don’t shine”!  The feet are a good choice if you are going to be out in the sun.

Myrtle is good for respiratory problems and immune support and is a good choice for younger children.  Babies and menthol do not mix.  Don’t use peppermint & wintergreen on babies under three.

Lavender & Aloe Vera juice as a sunburn spray.  Mix 4 ounces of Aloe Vera juice and 20 drops of Lavender.  Spray as needed.

Morning water – after 7 or so hours of sleep your body needs water.  Most people are waking up dehydrated then adding coffee to their bodies which is also dehydrating. So, upon waking have at least a glass or two of water (the more the better) before you reach for your morning joe.  Then, of course, have lots of water throughout the day.

Boswellic Acid – highest concentration is found in Frankincense resin.  A smaller amount is found in YL Frankincense oil.  It is a potent anti-inflammatory and its traditional uses include – colitis, asthma (Germany & Austria are considering using Frankincense as a main, non-emergency treatment),arthritis.  I also found articles mentioning Boswellic Acid causing cancer cell death in brain tumors and cells affected by leukemia and colon cancer.  Then I found this on the Memorial Sloan Kettering website  - “Boswellic acid seems to have fewer adverse effects than steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.”. YL oil and resins come from either Boswellia Sacra tree from Oman or Boswellia Carterii tree from Somalia.

Blue Gum Eucalyptus – Young Living is the only company that offers this type of eucalyptus.  For anyone that has a reaction to the usual eucalyptus oil, like Radiata, they might want to give this oil a try.  It is a non allergen eucalyptus oil that is grown and distilled at the YL farm in Ecuador.

RutaVaLa – I know some people who use this roll on as a sleep aid and that it works very well for that.  I also learned at convention that it can also be used as an anti-depressant.  Here’s to a happy sleep!

If you use any of these tips please let me know if they worked for you (or not).  I would love feedback either way.