Traditional Use and Health Benefits
The resin comes from the tree, and is available to harvest when the tree begins sprouting young green leaves. The resin goes hard on contact with the air, and dries up when the leaves have all fallen.
Elemi gum is a pale yellow honey like sticky consistency. The aromatherapy oil Elemi is steam distilled from this resin.
Elemi is similar to Frankinsence, in smell and in medicinal properties. Both Elemi and Frankinsence are expectorants and this makes them good for respiratory complaints, Elemi is good for bronchitis, catarrh and persistent coughing. Elemi is sometimes used in place of Frankinsence. It is also an anti-septic, so it is good for clearing the air of micro-organisms, when used as an incense. Elemi is also uplifting, and clearing. It has a sweet minty, lemony smell, and it is very good at lifting the spirits.
As an incense the resin is sticky to touch, it is helpful to freeze it before cutting it or smashing it up into small pieces or powder, this means it can be blended easily with other resins or used alone it smaller pieces.
Folklore and History
Elemi was an ingredient used to make a salve or unguent in old fashioned medical preparations. It has long been used as an ingredient for making soap & incense.
It was popular in Egyptian times, and it was used for embalming. It has been used as a sacred offering in ceremony and religion for thousands of years.
Elemi consists of elemol, elemicine, dipentene, terpineol, limonene and phellandrene.
Not to be taken internally. As the incense smoke from resins is very strong, use with caution around babies and children.