Commiphora myrrha
Commiphora myrrha, commonly known as myrrh, is a small, thorny tree native to the arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula and Northeast Africa. Renowned for its fragrant oleo-gum resin, this ancient medicinal plant has been prized for centuries in traditional healing for its potent antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Scientific name: Commiphora myrrha
- Family: Burseraceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Sapindales, it is classified under the family Burseraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Commiphora, which includes the species Commiphora myrrha.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Sapindales | WCVP |
| Family | Burseraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Commiphora | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, scientifically known as Commophara myrrhra, is recognized by various regional names across the globe. In Polish, it is referred to as Balsamowiec mirra, while in Vietnamese, it is known as Một dược (cây). In the Somali language, it is called Dheddin, and French speakers commonly identify it as Arbre à myrrhe. Finally, in Russian, the plant is known as Мирра.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pl | Balsamowiec mirra | Wikidata |
| vi | Một dược (cây) | Wikidata |
| so | Dheddin | Wikidata |
| fr | Arbre à myrrhe | Wikidata |
| ru | Мирра | Wikidata |
| uk | Мирра | Wikidata |
| hsb | Myrowc | Wikidata |
| hu | szomáliai balzsamfa | Wikidata |
| zh | 沒藥樹 | Wikidata |
| la | Myrrha (incensum) | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution across the arid regions of the African continent. Within Northeast Tropical Africa, it can be found growing in Djibouti and Eritrea. It is also widely distributed throughout Ethiopia and Somalia. Furthermore, the species extends its range into East Tropical Africa. Ultimately, Kenya serves as another key location for its geographical presence.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Djibouti | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Eritrea | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Somalia | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Kenya | WCVP |
| Arabian Peninsula | Oman | WCVP |
| Arabian Peninsula | Saudi Arabia | WCVP |
| Arabian Peninsula | Yemen | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Commiphora myrrhra, is primarily valued for its medicinal oleo-gum-resin, which is harvested from the bark of the stem. When the plant is wounded, it produces various resins as a defense mechanism, eventually exuding a thick, aromatic oleo-gum resin that hardens upon exposure to air. This substance, commonly known as myrrh, is the most significant part of the plant used in traditional and modern pharmacology.- Total parts
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 18
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| resin | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| oleo-gum resin | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| oleo-gum-resin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| resins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| resinous exudate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| plant resin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleoresin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleogum resin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleo gum resin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Commiphora myrrha has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 16 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CM-1, Cd, Compound 1, Compound 4, Cu.
- Total chemicals
- 16
- Scientific sources
- 16
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| CM-1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cd | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Compound 1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Compound 4 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cu | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cuminaldehyde | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Fe | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mn | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ni | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Pb | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Commiphora myrrha has 12 reported activities identified across 18 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Analgesic, Spasmolytic, Anticarcinogenic.
- Total activities
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 18
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Spasmolytic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticarcinogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antipyretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antispasmodic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Genotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hypolipidemic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Commiphora myrrha has 23 reported medicinal uses identified across 27 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, COVID-19, Candida albicans.
- Total uses
- 23
- Scientific sources
- 27
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| gastrointestinal disorders | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammatory bowel disease | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| COVID-19 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Candida albicans | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Candida infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Candida tropicalis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Inflammatory bowel disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| SARS-CoV-2 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |