Olibanum Usage And Synthesis

Chemical Properties

Olibanum is a gum resin secreted by several Boswellia species that grow extensively from southern Arabia to Somaliland. The small trees or shrubs yield an exudate after incisions are made on the bark; it consists of a milky liquid that hardens into small, yellowish droplets commercially known as incense tears. The tears are sorted; the most valuable quality (white tears) is sold as burning incense, while the less valuable qualities (powder and fragments) are used in flavors and perfumes because of their more reasonable cost. The part used is the gum resin exudate. The resin absolute is a plastic mass of light-amber color and balsamic odor.

Essential oil composition

Gum resin from B. sacra contains gum 27 to 35%, resin 60 to 70% and essential oil 4 to 7%.