Brazilian Frankincense (Breu Branco) Protium heptaphyllum
Wonderful news! We have a new addition to the Frankincense family, and you are going to love its clean, fresh, uplifting aroma, and most of all its wide range of applications:
Digestive — Respiratory — Skin — Anxiety — Memory — Spiritual
Not only that, but this amazing oil is well researched and comes with a huge amount of very useful background information about how to use it, which I have copied below. This includes a video from our dear friend Yan Oberlaender. We met Yan and his father Guilherme at the International Botanica conference some years ago in Dublin, and they subsequently became distributors for Oshadhi in Brazil. This is particularly useful because they are able to offer all of us their knowledge about the new generation of oils, some of which has been gleaned, as Yan explains, from the traditional people in the Amazon rain forests.
The Plant
Brazilian Frankincense (Protium heptaphyllum) is a majestic Amazonian tree reaching up to 20 metres high which secretes a beautifully aromatic white resin from its bark. It is from this resin that the essential oil is obtained through slow hydro-distillation. Known locally as Breu Branco, it belongs to the fragrant Burseraceae family, as do Frankincense and Palo Santo. Dubbed the ‘Frankincense of Amazonia’, it has an aroma which is reminiscent of Frankincense, yet fresher with a slight citrus fragrance. Its chemical composition is also very similar, as are some of its properties. But while the Frankincense we know from Somalia has a dry dusty aroma, its Brazilian cousin is fresh and clean and vital. Given the widely differing habitat this is perfectly understandable.
Traditional
Deep in the Amazonian rain forests, the sacred aromatic resin of Breu Branco is traditionally burned as part of the ancestral rituals of native Indians in order to open the doors of ancestral memory and for its calming and concentrating properties. The resin is widely used to treat ailments such as:
• Respiratory and lung diseases
• Headaches
• Stomach ache and liver disorder
• Wounds
• Memory loss and concentration and motor-coordination
• Insect repellant
• Agitation and stress
It is also used for its antiseptic, analgesic, and stimulating properties.
Uses and Benefits
This essential oil is complex, deeply cleansing, aromatically sweet and uplifting. The best way to benefit from the oil is to diffuse it. Enjoy the aroma and its calming and uplifting effect it has on thinking.
• To support the respiratory system, fight cough and cold: blend with carrier oil and massage the chest, together with steam inhalation
• Skincare: add one drop to base cream or lotion. The astringent quality is good for oily skin.
• Evokes creativity
• Energetically it has a grounding effect bringing calm and focus, facilitating meditation.
• Helps connect to deeper levels of the soul and creates a spiritual atmosphere.
Scientific research
Here are some of the main findings:
• Supports liver function
• A powerful anti-inflammatory
• A gastro-protective (ulcers)
• Topical application enhances wound healing time as well as reducing scar appearance. It is also proving to be highly effective in treating other skin conditions such as keloids, hypertrophic scars, wounds and burns.
• It possesses anti-noceptive , anti-neoplasic properties and has proved to be an anti-ulcer agent.
• It significantly inhibits platelet aggregation.
• Anti-fungal properties against candida specie
• Anti-mutagenic properties, which could prove a promising ingredient in treating cancer
• The oil has also proven to be an anti-depressant and useful remedy to relieve anxiety, without producing sedative or hypnotic effects.
Furthermore, studies have shown promising evidence in that Brazilian Frankincense could be a lead compound for drug development effective in treating diabetes and atherosclerosis.
Summary
Name: Brazilian Frankincense (Breu Branco)
Botanical name: Protium heptaphyllum
Part of Plant: Resin
Cultivation: Wild
Extraction: Slowly hydro-distilled
Country of Origin: Brazil
Aroma: Balsamic, clear, fresh, woodsy, spicy, slight citrus top note reminiscent of Bergamot.
Ingredients: Alpha-pinene, Alpha-thuyene, Limonene, Myrcene, Sabinene, Terpinolene, Paracymene, Alpha-phellandrene.
Blends well with: Myrrh, Myrtle, Cedar, Rock Rose, Citrus oils, floral and conifer oils. Excellent base oil for any blend.
Thanks of course to Yan and Guilherme Oberlaender for this lovely oil and for the knowledge.