Commiphora
Commiphora, commonly known as myrrh, is a genus of small trees and shrubs prized for their aromatic resin. Extracted from the bark, this medicinal substance has been used for millennia in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, promote wound healing, and provide antiseptic properties, making it a cornerstone of aromatherapy.
- Scientific name: Commiphora
- Family: Burseraceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Sapindales. Finally, it is a member of the family Burseraceae and is identified by the genus Commiphora.
| 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, belonging to the genus Commiphora, is known by various names across different languages and regions. In Chinese, it is referred to as 没药树属 (zh-hans), 沒藥樹屬 (zh-hant), and 沒藥樹屬 (zh-hk). In Esperanto, it is called Komiforo (eo), while in Polish, it is known as balsamowiec (pl).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 没药树属 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 沒藥樹屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 沒藥樹屬 | Wikidata |
| eo | Komiforo | Wikidata |
| pl | balsamowiec | Wikidata |
| ru | Коммифора | Wikidata |
| et | Mürripuu | Wikidata |
| cs | myrhovník | Wikidata |
| vi | Chi Một dược | Wikidata |
| te | కొమ్మిఫోరా | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several distinct regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence is documented within the borders of Egypt. Moving toward the West Tropical Africa region, the species can be found in Benin and Burkina. Additionally, the plant is known to inhabit the territories of Gambia and Ghana. Together, these locations highlight the wide range of environments where Commiphora grows.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mauritania | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, belonging to the genus Commiphora, is highly valued for its various medicinal components, most notably the aromatic oleo-gum-resins harvested from its bark. The most famous product derived from this genus is myrrh, a highly prized resinous substance used globally in traditional medicine and perfumery. These oleogum resins are extracted through incisions in the stem, providing a potent source of therapeutic compounds. In addition to the resin, the leaf of the plant is also studied for its specific phytochemical properties and potential biological activities.- Total parts
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| resinous substance | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleogum resins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oleo-gum-resins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| myrrh | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Stem | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Commiphora has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include trehalose.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| trehalose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Commiphora has 4 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antiproliferative, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiproliferative | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Commiphora has 11 reported medicinal uses identified across 14 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include arthritis, hyperlipidemia, trauma, coronary artery diseases, gastrointestinal diseases.
- Total uses
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 14
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| arthritis | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hyperlipidemia | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| trauma | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| coronary artery diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gastrointestinal diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| obesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| pain | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wound | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |