Indian bdellium-tree

Commiphora wightii · Accepted scientific name

Scientific literature: Very Extensive (486 studies) · ★★★★★

Indian bdellium-tree, scientifically known as Commiphora wightii, is a precious medicinal plant renowned for its aromatic resin. Found primarily in dry deciduous forests, it offers diverse therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties. This species remains vital in traditional medicine for treating various skin and digestive ailments.

Family
Burseraceae
Native range
Asia-Temperate
Parts used
Leaf · Root
Common names
Indian Bdellium-Tree
Scientific synonyms
Balsamodendrum Wightii · Balsamea Mukul · 3 more

Names

Common Names

Regional and Traditional Names

Spanish:

  • Balsamodendron roxburghii
  • Goma de guggul
  • Guggul
  • Balsamodendron wightii
  • Commiphora mukul
  • Commiphora roxburghii
  • Mukul
  • Balsamodendron mukul

German:

  • Guggul
  • Bdellium
  • Loban
  • Bedolachharz
  • Bedellium
  • Gum guggulu
  • indische Myrrhe

French:

  • Gugul
  • Gugulon
  • Commiphora mukkul
  • Guggul
  • Commiphora mukul
  • Guggulu

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Commiphora wightii

Synonyms

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, specifically categorized within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Following the order Sapindales, it is a member of the Burseraceae family. Ultimately, it is classified under the genus Commiphora as the species Commiphora wightii.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Sapindales WCVP
Family Burseraceae WCVP
Genus Commiphora WCVP

Distribution

This plant, known scientifically as Commiphora wightii, exhibits a specific geographical range spanning across diverse regions. Within the Arabian Peninsula, its presence is noted in the country of Oman. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, the species is also widely distributed throughout India. Additionally, it can be found growing in the landscapes of Pakistan. These locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in specific environments across both the Middle East and South Asia.

Region Area Source
Arabian Peninsula Oman WCVP
Indian Subcontinent India WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Pakistan WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Commiphora wightii, is valued primarily for its exudates, which are harvested from the stem and bark of the tree. The most significant medicinal components are the resins and the oleo-gum resin produced by the plant as a defense mechanism. When the bark is wounded, it exudes a sticky substance known as gum resin, which contains a complex mixture of aromatic compounds used in traditional healing practices. While much of the focus is on these secretions, the root system also plays a vital role in the overall biological structure and survival of the species in its natural habitat.
Plant Part Sources Consensus
leaf SpringerPlus (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
root Genome announcements (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
stem SpringerPlus (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Commiphora wightii has 56 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Guggulsterone, Z-Guggulsterone, guggulipid, Sterols, ZN.

Chemicals reported in Commiphora wightii
Chemical Supporting sources Consensus
Guggulsterone 9 supporting sources ★★★★☆
Z-Guggulsterone 4 supporting sources ★★☆☆☆
guggulipid 3 supporting sources ★★☆☆☆
Sterols 2 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆
ZN 2 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆
(+)-Sesamin 1 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆
20-alpha-hydroxy-Pregn-4-en-3-one 1 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆
5-Methoxysesamin 1 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆
ALUMINUM 1 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆
Anti Bacterial 1 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆

Guggulsterone

  1. Molecular cancer therapeutics
  2. RSC medicinal chemistry
  3. Advances in experimental medicine and biology
  4. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
  5. Exploration of targeted anti-tumor therapy
View 4 additional sources
  1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
  2. Cell biology international
  3. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology
  4. Cancer research

Z-Guggulsterone

  1. Journal of chromatographic science
  2. Molecular pharmacology
  3. Molecular cancer therapeutics
  4. Physiology and molecular biology of plants : an international journal of functional plant biology

guggulipid

  1. Dr. Duke
  2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
  3. Drug research

Sterols

  1. Phytochemistry
  2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

ZN

  1. Biological trace element research
  2. SpringerPlus

(+)-Sesamin

  1. Dr. Duke

20-alpha-hydroxy-Pregn-4-en-3-one

  1. Dr. Duke

5-Methoxysesamin

  1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

ALUMINUM

  1. Dr. Duke

Anti Bacterial

  1. Fitoterapia

Activities

Commiphora wightii has 316 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Hypolipidemic, Antimutagenic, Antitumor.

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Consensus
Antioxidant Dr. Duke (and other 8 sources) ★★★★☆
Antibacterial Dr. Duke (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
Hypolipidemic Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
Antimutagenic Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Antitumor Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Cardioprotective Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Diuretic Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Hypocholesterolemic Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
11B-HSD-Inhibitor Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor Dr. Duke (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Commiphora wightii has 24 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include obesity, arthritis, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, hyperlipidemia.

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Consensus
obesity Journal of postgraduate medicine (and other 5 sources) ★★★☆☆
arthritis Planta medica (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
atherosclerosis Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
cardiovascular diseases Planta medica (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
hyperlipidemia Alternative therapies in health and medicine (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
inflammation Planta medica (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Acne Drug research (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Diabetic Retinopathy Current topics in medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Uveitis Current topics in medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
acne Life (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆

Preparations

Preparations Sources Consensus
gum resin Planta medica (and other 3 sources) ★★☆☆☆
oleo-gum resin RSC medicinal chemistry (and other 2 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
Oleo gum resin Phytotherapy research : PTR (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
capsules Journal of chromatography. B, Biomedical sciences and applications (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
compounded tablets Journal of chromatography. B, Biomedical sciences and applications (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
crude ethyl acetate extract International immunopharmacology (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
crude extract International immunopharmacology (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
ethanolic extracts Avicenna journal of phytomedicine (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
ethylacetate extract Journal of postgraduate medicine (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆
fraction "A" of gum-guggual Arzneimittel-Forschung (and other 1 sources) ★☆☆☆☆