- Region
- Africa
- Origin
- Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula; gum resin of Commiphora myrrha
Africa · Other · № 28
Commiphora myrrha
Other · Africa
Myrrh
Commiphora myrrha
A gum resin with a long history in medicine, ritual, perfume, and incense. Modern treatment claims are not established.
Safety notes
Do not take the resin or essential oil internally without expert advice. Ask for advice during pregnancy or when taking medicines.
Cautions by tradition (3)
- Herbal medicine worldwide: Not in pregnancy.
- Natural skin and hair care: Always dilute essential oil; not during pregnancy.
- Chinese materia medica: Not during pregnancy; not internally for long periods.
Preparation
The resin is collected by repeatedly cutting the bark. It is mainly used as incense and fragrance.
Use in traditions
Ancient Egyptian expeditions brought myrrh from the land of Punt, today's Horn of Africa. It appears in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and Islamic texts, and is still used in some church rituals.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Antifungal, antiseptic, astringent, immune-stimulating, bitter, expectorant, promotes circulation, anticatarrhal.
Preparation and amount
Tincture up to 5 ml a day in doses of 1–2 ml diluted with water for infections, fever, catarrh and glandular fever; as a vaginal douche for thrush; 1–2 ml in half a glass of water as a gargle or mouthwash (with sage, rosemary or echinacea); diluted oil on wounds and ulcers.
Caution: Not in pregnancy.
Natural skin and hair care
Attributed effects
Warm, bitter, spicy scent; as a tincture traditionally used as a mouthwash for inflamed gums.
Preparation and amount
External: a few drops of essential oil as a scent in lotion and powder (see the recipes).
Caution: Always dilute essential oil; not during pregnancy.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- bitter, neutral
- Meridians
- heart, liver, spleen
Attributed effects
In Chinese medicine myrrh (mo yao) moves the blood and relieves pain in injury, absent menstruation and joint pain, and externally promotes the healing of poorly healing wounds.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 3–9 g a day, usually in a decoction.
Combinations
- With frankincense, dang gui and corydalis for pain from injury
Caution: Not during pregnancy; not internally for long periods.
Folklore and herbal magic
Symbolic meanings from folk use and modern herbal magic. These are handed-down associations, not effects.
Invokes the divine feminine, love, peace and joy, healing, with incense to bless the house.
Herbal magic and rituals
Attributed effects
In herbal magic associated with healing, purification, prayer and mourning.
Preparation and amount
Myrrh is the resin of Commiphora shrubs from Arabia and the Horn of Africa. The Egyptians used it in embalming and temple incense, it is one of the gifts of the Magi, and in the Bible myrrh is an ingredient of the holy anointing oil.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- DecoctionTinctureSalve and balmPowder and kitchen
- Recipes
- Basic lotionBody powder
- Formulas
- Qi li san