Frankincense
Boswellia serrata (India), Boswellia carterii (North Africa)
Synonyms:
Olibanum
Familie:
Burseraceae, Torchwood family
Origin:
North Africa, Middle East, India
Part(s) used:
Resin
Special constituents:
Essential oil (up to 16%) containing boswellic acids
Correspondance:
6,19,30,31 (Crowley); Sun/Fire (Cunningham); Sun (Beyerl)
Uses:
incense
Wierook 
Virak
The Frankincense "tears", that is, the resin clumps from the Frankincense bush, has been used as an incense by several cultures, maybe by all cultures who had access to it. The Persians used it; the Greeks used it; the Jews used it; the Christians too.
The synonym, Olibanum, is not much used anymore, but you often see it in older books.
Frankincense has a calming effect on the lungs, the breathing becomes deeper and slower. Frankincense has been shown to have a good effect on asthma patients, as well as on other respiratory problems such as bronchitis. Frankincense is also used in the perfume- and cosmetics industry; earlier only for its smell, but now also because one of the constituents, Boswellin, has anti-wrinkle properties. L'Oreal has put a series of products on the market containing "Boswellox", which is boswellin combined with manganese.
Frankincense is also antiinflammatory; several scientific studies have confirmed this. Maybe it has also anti-tumor properties.
Most people associate the scent of Frankincense with churches and religion. There is something pure and exalted to it, something cleansing and stimulating.
A few scientific articles:
Transplant Proc 2001 Feb-Mar;33(1-2):539-41
Boswellic acid, a potent antiinflammatory drug, inhibits rejection to the same extent as high dose steroids.
Dahmen U, Gu YL, Dirsch O, Fan LM, Li J, Shen K, Broelsch CE.
Biofactors 2000;13(1-4):225-30
Anti-tumor and anti-carcinogenic activities of triterpenoid, beta-boswellic acid.
Huan MT, Badmaev V, Ding Y, Liu Y, Xie JG, Ho CT.
Eur J Med Res 1998 Nov 17;3(11):511-4
Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with bronchial asthma: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week clinical study.
Gupta I, Gupta V, Parihar A, Gupta S, Ludtke R, Safayhi H, Ammon HP.