''Commiphora myrrha'', called myrrh, Somali myrrh, herabol myrrh, common myrrh, is a tree in the family

Burseraceae The Burseraceae are a moderate-sized family of 17-19 genera and about 540 species of woody flowering plants. The actual numbers given in taxonomic sources differ according to taxonomic revision at the time of writing. The Burseraceae are also ...

. It is one of the primary trees used in the production of

myrrh Myrrh (; from an unidentified ancient Semitic language, see '' § Etymology'') is a gum-resin extracted from a few small, thorny tree species of the '' Commiphora'' genus, belonging to the Burseraceae family. Myrrh resin has been used ...

, a resin made from dried tree

sap Sap is a fluid transported in the xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a s ...

. The Commiphora myrrha tree is indigenous to

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

, in the Somali regions of

Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...

and

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

Djibouti Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the east. The country has an area ...

Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...

and parts of the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...

(

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

and

Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

). Myrrh is a fragrant gum resin that is similar to frankincense. The tree species that produces myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) thrives well in the arid and semi-arid regions.

is the largest producer of both myrrh and

frankincense Frankincense, also known as olibanum (), is an Aroma compound, aromatic resin used in incense and perfumes, obtained from trees of the genus ''Boswellia'' in the family (biology), family Burseraceae. The word is from Old French ('high-quality in ...

. Myrrh has been used historically for over 3,000 years. Evidence of its use may be found as far back as the early days of

ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

. It was employed there for embalming in a manner akin to that of

. However, the raw material has also been used as incense for a very long time. Myrrh was and is still used for ceremonial incense and anointing in a number of nations, including

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

, and

Description

''Commiphora myrrha'' is very spiny and it grows to a height of about . Its short, hairless, thick, and flaky trunk has two layers of bark. The upper layer is silvery, whitish, reddish, or bluish-grey and has a papery-texture. Underneath it, the bark is green and performs photosynthesis. Due to this species' high variability, ''Commiphora myrrha'' can be difficult to distinguish from other species within the ''Commiphora'' genus. The leaves of ''Commiphora myrrha'' are a greyish-green colour with a papery texture. The plant's leaves may come in an oblong or oval shape and are between 6-44mm long, and 3-20mm wide. Each leaf alternates and consists of three leaflets in a pinnately compound arrangement. The plant's yellow-red flowers are dioecious and are arranged in a panicle inflorescence. The flowers of the common myrrh are very tiny and are oval shaped. The male flowers are only 3-4mm long and flower early. Its smooth, brown fruit is about the same size as the flowers, and is shaped like an egg.

Resin

From the stem of ''Commiphora myrrha'', its oleoresin oozes from incisions in the bark and dries into small clumps of sap. The resin's fragrance and its medicinal properties come from the various classes of

terpenoid The terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a class of naturally occurring organic compound, organic chemicals derived from the 5-carbon compound isoprene and its derivatives called terpenes, diterpenes, etc. While sometimes used interchangeabl ...

s it contains. Additionally, the common myrrh tastes sour, bitter, and aromatic.

Distribution and habitat

Native to eastern and northeastern Africa and the Arabian peninsula, this plant grows on slopes and valleys in desert regions with open ''Vachellia''. It grows at an elevation of approximately with a yearly mean rainfall of about . It does best in thin soil, primarily in areas with limestone. Commiphora-myrrha-resin-myrrh

History

Myrrh extracted from ''Commiphora myrrha'' was a precious commodity in the ancient world, as it was used to create perfumes and incense. Myrrh was traditionally used in the ancient world as an insect repellent, incense for religious rituals and in embalming the dead. Physicians also took advantage of its medicinal properties, treating it for several ailments, including wounds, diseases such as

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

and

syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms depend on the stage it presents: primary, secondary, latent syphilis, latent or tertiary. The prim ...

, and to help with digestion and menstruation.

Medicinal properties

It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-pest and can be used for fumigation or oral use. It has been used as an astringent, antiseptic, anti-parasitic, anti-viral anti-tussive,

emmenagogue Emmenagogues (also spelled ''emmenagogs'') are herbs which stimulate blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus; some stimulate menstruation. Women may use emmenagogues to stimulate menstrual flow when menstruation is absent for reasons other than pr ...

, and anti-spasmodic agent. It was commonly included in mixtures used to treat worms, wounds, and sepsis. It is also a potent treatment for

gingivitis Gingivitis is a non-destructive disease that causes inflammation of the gums; ulitis is an alternative term. The most common form of gingivitis, and the most common form of periodontal disease overall, is in response to bacterial biofilms (also ...

, canker sores,

sore throat Sore throat, also known as throat pain, is pain or irritation of the throat. The majority of sore throats are caused by a virus, for which antibiotics are not helpful. For sore throat caused by bacteria (GAS), treatment with antibiotics may hel ...

boil A boil, also called a furuncle, is a deep folliculitis, which is an infection of the hair follicle. It is most commonly caused by infection by the bacterium ''Staphylococcus aureus'', resulting in a painful swollen area on the skin caused by ...

arthritis Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, Joint effusion, swelling, and decreased range of motion of ...

, and

acne Acne ( ), also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term Cutaneous condition, skin condition that occurs when Keratinocyte, dead skin cells and Sebum, oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include comedo, ...

. Due to its medicinal properties, it is imagined as a potential preventative and therapeutic agent for several diseases, including COVID-19.

Modern uses

Resin from ''Commiphora myrrha'' continues to be an important source of myrrh, which is a key ingredient that adds flavour to meat products, desserts, soft drinks, gum, and sweets. Moreover, its use as a fragrance in incense has extended to other cosmetic products, such as mouthwash, soaps, and perfumes.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q164609

myrrha Myrrha (; ), also known as Smyrna (), is the mother of Adonis in Greek mythology. She was transformed into a myrrh tree after having intercourse with her father, and gave birth to Adonis in tree form. Although the tale of Adonis has Semitic r ...

Medicinal plants of Africa Medicinal plants of Asia Trees of the Arabian Peninsula Flora of Oman Flora of Djibouti Flora of Ethiopia Flora of Somalia Flora of Kenya