What is Indian frankincense?

Frankincense is obtained from various species of Boswellia, which are mainly found in some parts of Africa, the Arab region and India. Frankincense trees and shrubs reach a height of one to eight meters and contain a milky gum resin in their bark. Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata) is found mainly in mountainous regions of central and northern India. To harvest the frankincense, cuts are made on the trunk and on thicker branches of the frankincense trees, causing a sticky, milky liquid to come out, which forms the frankincense by drying in the air.
The first harvest takes place between March and April, but yields only a rather low-quality frankincense resin. Only after another three to four weeks can a resin with a higher quality be obtained, which increases with each subsequent harvest.

In traditional Indian medicine, the resin of the frankincense tree has been used for about 2,500 years. The first mention of frankincense as a remedy is found in one of the oldest collections of texts in India, the Charaka Samhita (2nd or 3rd century BC). Traditionally, Indian frankincense is used for rheumatic diseases, bronchial asthma, allergies and inflammation of all kinds.

Today, we know from modern research that the active ingredients contained in the frankincense resin have incredible therapeutic potential. In particular, anti-inflammatory properties are attributed to frankincense, which research has already been able to confirm many times. These anti-inflammatory effects are mainly due to the biological activity of the boswellic acids. Studies have shown that the boswellic acid “AKBA” can inhibit an enzyme in our body that is responsible for the formation of proinflammatory leukotrienes. These messenger substances are closely related to inflammation and allergic reactions in our body. Over the last two decades, the potential efficacy of Indian frankincense has been investigated in rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, asthma and osteoarthritis, for example. Almost all of these studies showed very good and promising results!

Bioavailability

Active ingredients from medicinal plants have very low water solubility. Such substances can be absorbed extremely poorly by our body into the systemic bloodstream. Therefore, very high doses of extracts from medicinal plants are often used in clinical studies in order to achieve therapeutic effects. In addition, the extracts are usually in a form enriched with active ingredients, or directly isolated active ingredients are used in high doses. Simple dietary supplements normally have too low a concentration of active ingredients to achieve any significant physiological effect. Why is this so? It is not uncommon for the active ingredients contained in medicinal plants to be subject to numerous “absorption barriers”, as a result of which 95–99 percent of the active substances taken perorally cannot reach the systemic bloodstream. Highly fat-soluble active ingredients distribute very poorly on the absorptive surface of the small intestine, which greatly reduces the likelihood of their absorption. Another factor contributing to the low uptake of such compounds is the “first-pass effect” of the liver. Enzymes are secreted in the liver that recognize and break down such fat-soluble compounds. This is a protective function of our body to keep potentially dangerous substances from entering the systemic bloodstream. In addition, many active ingredients are very unstable in the acidic environment of the stomach and are already eliminated during stomach passage. The percentage of an active ingredient that can be absorbed into the systemic bloodstream in its unchanged, biologically active form is referred to as being “bioavailable”. The bioavailability of curcumin, for example, is only about 0.5 percent, which means that correspondingly high doses must be taken for a therapeutic effect.

For this reason, Jala-Life goes the “water-soluble route”! We enclose high-quality plant extracts in water-soluble transporters. In this form, the active ingredients contained in the extract can be quickly and efficiently absorbed by the body. We achieve this without the use of piperine, synthetic additives or other questionable absorption enhancers. Our water-soluble transporter system releases 95–99 percent of the ingested active ingredients into the systemic bloodstream of the body, where they can act unhindered. This system also enables the intake of even very small doses to be completely sufficient, which does not unnecessarily burden the body with constant degradation processes.

Jala-Life Premium Indian Frankincense compared to conventional capsules, tablets or powders:

Why zinc?

Zinc is an invisible trace element, as it is involved in a variety of metabolic processes in our body. For example, zinc is involved in the formation of thyroid and sex hormones, promotes muscle development and plays an essential role in the functioning of the immune system. An undersupply of zinc can lead to decreased performance, reduced libido and increased susceptibility to infections.
Indian frankincense and zinc may also have a synergistic effect. Boswellic acids are natural compounds found in Boswellia serrata that are known to have potent anti-inflammatory properties. They can inhibit certain inflammation-related factors and thus reduce inflammatory processes in the body. Zinc also plays an essential role in regulating inflammation and suppressing inflammatory responses. In addition, boswellic acids may have a positive regulatory effect on the immune system. Zinc is important for healthy immune function and plays a critical role in the development and activity of various immune cells.
Boswellic acids have also shown positive effects on tissue repair and wound healing. They can stimulate the production of collagen – an important component of connective tissue. Zinc is also critical for wound healing, as it is involved in the formation of collagen and cell regeneration.
The combination of Indian frankincense and zinc can increasingly help to reduce inflammatory processes, support the immune system and promote wound healing.

Zinc contributes to

Get your frankincense with zinc today!