Frankincense
Boswellia serrata
Also known as: Arbre à Encens, Bible Frankincense, Boswellia carteri, Boswellia sacra, Boswellie, Encens, Incense, Oleo-gum-resin, Oléo-Gomme-Résine, Oliban, Olibanum, Ru Xiang, Ru Xiang Shu.
History: Probably best known because of the Nativity story, Frankincense - derived from the resin of a tree called Boswellia serrata and other species of the same - has an interesting history. In Hebrew, its name is levonah, meaning "white;" in Arabic, a closely-related language, it is 'al-luban, a term referring to milk; the name of the modern country of Lebanon is derived from both. However, it came to be known as "frankincense" when crusaders - many of whom were French or "Frankish" - introduced it to Europe during the Middle Ages.
Modern Use: Researchers at Cardiff University have demonstrated that frankincense has an active ingredient that can help relieve arthritis by inhibiting the inflammation that breaks down cartilage tissue and causes arthritis pain.