An Omani research team from Al Sharqiyah University succeeded in preparing a nanoemulsion from frankincense oil in a simple and economically inexpensive procedure that led to the treatment of breast and lung cancer cells, as a lab experiment.

The research project was carried out under the supervision of Dr. Mohammed Jankeez, senior researcher who formerly led experiments about the same project affiliated to A’Sharqiyah University, and Dr. Raya Ahmed Al Balushi, associate professor of chemistry, head of the Department of Basic and Applied Sciences (the current lead researcher). The project took approximately 3 years.

Dr. Raya told Oman News Agency (ONA) that the outcome of the current study showed that the frankincense extract contains various chemical plant substances and possesses a high anti-cancer composition that acts as a natural anti-cancer nanoemulsion.

She affirmed the solution’s ability to inhibit the growth of breast cancer and lung cancer cells. She pointed out that the nanoemulsion was tested using a toxicity test, based on the fact that frankincense extracts control the growth of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant breast cancer cells and lung cancer cells (in a dose-dependent methodology).