Frankincense (Boswellia)
The evidence for frankincense comes from oral Boswellia serrata resin extracts, which eased knee osteoarthritis pain in several trials, though one large pooled analysis found no significant overall effect, so we rate it 2. The essential oil is a different product: the only oil-based studies are small, use blends, and give no reliable dose. Do not swallow the essential oil, and dilute it before it goes on skin.
At a glance
Last reviewed 10 October 2026What it's used for
Evidence is rated per use. The same ingredient can be strong for one thing and traditional for another.
| Use | Evidence | What the research shows |
|---|---|---|
| Knee osteoarthritis (oral resin extract, not the essential oil)Compare remedies for joints and inflammation → | Limited | A Cochrane review found high-quality evidence from two studies (85 people) that 100 mg a day of an enriched Boswellia serrata extract for 90 days lowered pain by about 17 points on a 0 to 100 scale against a placebo average of 40 (95% CI 8 to 26). A 2020 meta-analysis of 7 trials (545 people) found lower pain and better function, but a 2024 meta-analysis of 13 trials found no significant overall effect (p = 0.09 for WOMAC score, p = 0.40 for pain) because the studies differed so much, and only a subgroup analysis favoured Boswellia. That review also points out that some trials in the 2020 analysis used pure boswellic acids or combinations with other plants. A 2018 review of supplements put Boswellia among those with large short-term pain effects but rated the overall evidence very low quality, and found no supplement with clinically important effects at long term. We rate it 2 because the pooled result is not consistent. This is an extract, not the essential oil: the Cochrane review excluded aromatherapy products.1,2,3,4,5 |
| Chronic low back pain (massage with frankincense and myrrh oils) | Limited | In a three-arm trial of 91 people, twice-weekly low back massage with frankincense and myrrh essential oils reduced pain and disability scores more than massage with jojoba oil or no massage (p < 0.001). The oils were used together, so the effect cannot be credited to frankincense, and the abstract gives no score changes, oil strengths or trial length. We found no repeat of the trial.7 |
| Plaque psoriasis (cream containing frankincense oil and other ingredients)Compare remedies for skin → | Limited | A 2024 scoping review describes a triple-blind, vehicle-controlled trial of 108 people with mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis in which a cream combining frankincense oil, a Boswellia extract, licorice extract and pumpkin seed oil improved the PASI score and other measures after 4 weeks compared with the vehicle cream. Two of 48 people using it (4.2%) developed rash and severe itching and left the study. The cream is a mixture, so the result cannot be credited to frankincense oil alone, and we read the trial through the review, not in full.6 |
| Asthma, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, collagenous colitis (oral extract) | Limited | A 2008 BMJ systematic review found seven randomised trials of Boswellia serrata extract across these conditions and osteoarthritis. All reported benefit and no serious safety issues were noted, but the author called the evidence encouraging but not compelling. The review is old, the trials were mostly small, and it covers extracts, not the essential oil.8 |
How much
Ranges below are what studies used and what supplements commonly contain. They are not a recommendation for you. Start at the low end.
How people take it
Safety
Who should avoid
- Swallowing the essential oil — essential oils can seriously harm children if ingested
- History of skin allergy — one frankincense-oil cream caused rash in 2 of 48 trial users
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding — we found no safety data for the oil or extracts
- Children — no dosing or safety data for the oil or oral extracts
Known interactions
Questions people ask
What are the benefits of frankincense oil?
The best evidence is for oral Boswellia serrata resin extracts in knee osteoarthritis, not for the essential oil. For the oil itself we found one small trial of a frankincense and myrrh massage blend for low back pain and a multi-ingredient psoriasis cream, and nothing that isolates frankincense oil.
Is frankincense oil good for skin or the face?
We found no trials of frankincense oil on its own for facial skin, wrinkles or acne. The only human skin trial we found was a multi-ingredient cream for plaque psoriasis, with 2 of 48 users in that group leaving after rash and itching. Dilute the oil and patch-test a small area first.
How do I use frankincense oil safely?
Use it diluted in a carrier oil for massage, or as an aroma, and do not swallow it. No source we read gives a tested dilution, so we cannot give a percentage. Essential oils can seriously harm children if swallowed, so store the bottle out of reach.
Is a Boswellia supplement the same as frankincense oil?
No. The osteoarthritis trials used oral extracts of the resin that contain boswellic acids, sometimes enriched. The essential oil is steam-distilled from the resin and is made mostly of terpenes. Whether the oil has the same effect is untested.
Sources (9)
- Cochrane review Cameron M, Chrubasik S. Oral herbal therapies for treating osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis Yu G, Xiang W, Zhang T, Zeng L, Yang K, Li J. Effectiveness of Boswellia and Boswellia extract for osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis Dalmonte T, Andreani G, Rudelli C, Isani G. Efficacy of Extracts of Oleogum Resin of Boswellia in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Phytother Res. 2024.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis Liu X, Machado GC, Eyles JP, Ravi V, Hunter DJ. Dietary supplements for treating osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018.
- Systematic review and meta-analysis Bannuru RR, Osani MC, Al-Eid F, Wang C. Efficacy of curcumin and Boswellia for knee osteoarthritis: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2018.
- Scoping review Dontje AEWK, Schuiling-Veninga CCM, van Hunsel FPAM, Ekhart C, Demirci F, Woerdenbag HJ. The Therapeutic Potential of Essential Oils in Managing Inflammatory Skin Conditions: A Scoping Review. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024.
- Randomised controlled trial Alkanat HÖ, Özdemir Ü, Kulaklı F. The effects of massage with frankincense and myrrh oil in chronic low back pain: A three-arm randomised controlled trial. Explore (NY). 2023.
- Systematic review Ernst E. Frankincense: systematic review. BMJ. 2008.
- Poison-centre review Flaman Z, Pellechia-Clarke S, Bailey B, McGuigan M. Unintentional exposure of young children to camphor and eucalyptus oils. Paediatr Child Health. 2001.
Last reviewed 10 October 2026 · Next review April 2027 · How we rate evidence
Reader notes
Experiences and questions from readers, read by an editor before they appear. They are personal accounts, not evidence, and are not medical advice.