Essential NoseMyrrh
Myrrh essential oil, steam-distilled from the oleo-gum resin of Commiphora myrrha, is rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and furanosesquiterpenes; GC/MS analysis identifies furanoeudesma-1,3-diene (~35%), lindestrene (~13%), and curzerene (~8.5%) as dominant constituents.[1] These sesquiterpenoid fractions underpin the oil's well-documented anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing activities, reviewed extensively across traditional and modern pharmacological literature.[2]
Somali Myrrh
Commiphora myrrha
- Also Known As
- Myrrh, Myrrh Gum
- Family
- Resinous
- Perfumery Note
- Base
- Intensity
- Medium
- Extraction
- Steam Distillation
- Plant Parts
- Resin
- Origins
- Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen
- Effect
- Sleep & Relaxation, Grounding & Centering
- Aroma
- Resinous, Earthy, Balsamic
- Applications
- Aromatherapy, Perfumery, Skincare, Medicinal
- Price
- $$$$Hand-harvested resin from wild trees in arid regions; the oil yield is moderate but the labor is high
Myrrh essential oil, steam-distilled from the oleo-gum resin of Commiphora myrrha, is rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and furanosesquiterpenes; GC/MS analysis identifies furanoeudesma-1,3-diene (~35%), lindestrene (~13%), and curzerene (~8.5%) as dominant constituents.[1] These sesquiterpenoid fractions underpin the oil's well-documented anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing activities, reviewed extensively across traditional and modern pharmacological literature.[2]
Opoponax
Commiphora erythraea
- Also Known As
- Sweet Myrrh, Bisabol Myrrh
- Family
- Resinous
- Perfumery Note
- Base
- Intensity
- Medium
- Extraction
- Steam Distillation
- Plant Parts
- Resin
- Origins
- Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya
- Effect
- Grounding & Centering
- Aroma
- Resinous, Sweet, Balsamic
- Applications
- Perfumery, Aromatherapy
- Price
- $$$$Known as "Sweet Myrrh," it is a wild-harvested resin with a lower yield than standard Myrrh
Opoponax (sweet myrrh) is the oleoresin of Commiphora guidottii, distinguished from common myrrh by a sweeter, more balsamic-floral profile. Its essential oil is sesquiterpene-rich, with beta-bisabolene, beta-caryophyllene, and furanoeudesma-1,3-diene as key constituents; beta-bisabolene has demonstrated selective cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell lines in vitro.[3] Ethnobotanical and pharmacological studies confirm wound-healing utility, attributed in part to anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity consistent with the broader Commiphora family.[4]
References
- [1]Chemical composition of the essential oil and supercritical CO2 extract of Commiphora myrrha — Marongiu B et al. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2005
- [2]Commiphora myrrh: a phytochemical and pharmacological update — Batiha GE et al. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 2023
- [3]Beta-Bisabolene, a Sesquiterpene from Opoponax (Commiphora guidottii), Exhibits Cytotoxicity in Breast Cancer Cell Lines — Yeo SK et al. Phytotherapy Research, 2016
- [4]Evaluation of the wound healing property of Commiphora guidottii — Gebrehiwot M et al. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015