Absolute Boswellic Extract | How It's Made

What is Absolute Boswellic Extract?

A wonderful company has developed a method of creating an absolute boswellic acid (BA) extract from frankincense resin using a completely pure, organic process. The result is a premium powder that can be added to oils and creams for topical application, and pure enough for encapsulation into an oral supplement. 

But wait - a few commercial supplement companies have been doing this for years. What makes this special?

🍁 Source Material

The innovative company that developed this process, based in The Netherlands, is using only premium Grade 1 Boswellia carterii resin from Somalia, not the more widely available Boswellia serrata. Boswellia carterii is higher in boswellic acids than the more common Boswellia serrata. 

🍁 Methodology

This boswellia extract is made using an organic alcohol solvent, as opposed to the more commonly used (and toxic) solvent hexane. No trace of alcohol remains in the finished product.

🍁 Testing

Every batch is tested for strength and purity. The premium extract consistently hits 70 percent boswellic acids content, including the highly sought-after AKBA (3-acetyl-11-keto-beta Boswellic acids) - those biologically active pentacyclic triterpene molecules that you desire.

🍁 Sustainability

This company is committed to sustainability in its sourcing and use of the resin. They use frankincense resin to its fullest potential - all parts of it - as explained below. Many essential oil companies discard the boswellia biomass after distillation, which amounts to the wasting of a precious resource in limited supply.

How Boswellia Extract is Made

Step 1: Essential Oil & Hydrosol

First, the resin is distilled into frankincense essential oil and hydrosol. The resulting biomass that is "left behind" is used to make the two extracts, as described in steps 2 and 3. 

Step 2: The "Raw" Extract, 35% Boswellic Acids

The resin biomass is rich in boswellic acids, so a perfect source material for BA extract. Boswellic acids are compounds too large to pass through in distillation so are left behind.

The biomass is dried to remove all water - a process that can take several weeks. Once completely dry, it is ground into a powder with a special mesh grinding machine. This results in a "raw" BA extract powder containing 35% boswellic acids. This can be be used as it is, or further refined into a more concentrated extract as described in Step 3. This 35% extract is what I use to make my Frankincense Oil, "Gentle" variety.

Step 3: The Premium Extract, 70% Boswellic Acids

Finally, the powder undergoes an additional process in order to become the premium high-potency extract. This requires treatment with an organic ethanol solvent to concentrate the BA. 

Once the solvent treatment has been applied, the extraction undergoes another lengthy drying process. Like before, when completely dry it is ground into a powder with the special mesh grinding machine.

The result is an extract that consistently measures at 70% boswellic acids or above, with zero traces of solvent. All batches of extract are tested for potency and purity.

This 70% BA extract is the active component in my full strength frankincense oil and frankincense cream, and the main ingredient in their fabulous oral boswellia supplement.