Eden Apothecary · Herb Profile
Commiphora myrrha
Pronounced Myrrh: MUR (rhymes with 'her'). Commiphora myrrha: kom-MIF-or-uh MEER-uh.
Warm, drying, and stimulating: an antiseptic astringent resin that tightens lax membranes, disinfects, and moves stuck blood and lymph in boggy, ulcerated, congested tissue.
Contraindicated. Myrrh is a documented emmenagogue and uterine stimulant; internal use can provoke uterine contractions and shows abortifacient activity, with reported miscarriage after high doses. Avoid throughout pregnancy. Sources: Memorial Sloan Kettering Integrative Medicine herb monograph (uterine stimulant; case of acute abdominal pain in pregnancy); WebMD/RxList myrrh monograph (unsafe in pregnancy, may cause miscarriage); published case report 'Risks of Myrrh usage in pregnancy' (PubMed 28050964).
Insufficient data; avoid. Transfer into breast milk has not been studied and safety is unestablished; avoid internal use while breastfeeding. Source: WebMD/Drugs.com myrrh monograph (limited lactation data).
Insufficient data; avoid internal medicinal doses in children. No established pediatric dosing or safety data; reserve for dilute topical or oral-rinse use under professional guidance only. Source: WebMD myrrh monograph (no pediatric data).
Bitter, acrid, resinous taste; higher oral doses can cause nausea, gastric upset, or loose stools. Topical use may provoke contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals. High doses have been reported to affect heart rate. The resin is not water-soluble, so an alcohol tincture is the effective internal form.
Pregnancy (emmenagogue and uterine stimulant). Undiagnosed or abnormal uterine bleeding and active bleeding disorders. Known allergy to myrrh or other Burseraceae resins. Discontinue at least 1 to 2 weeks before elective surgery.
Commiphora myrrha is wild-harvested from small trees in the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya) and southern Arabia. Wild stands are under pressure from overtapping, drought, and overgrazing, and regeneration is poor. Source from suppliers who practice sustainable, rotational tapping and support producer communities, and avoid over-bled resin. Not a United Plant Savers (North American) listing, but a globally at-risk aromatic resin.
Exodus 30:23 (myrrh in the holy anointing oil); Esther 2:12; Psalm 45:8; Song of Songs 3:6, 4:14, 5:5; Matthew 2:11 (gift of the Magi); Mark 15:23 (wine mingled with myrrh at the crucifixion); John 19:39 (myrrh and aloes for Christ's burial). Also Dioscorides, De Materia Medica I.64 (smyrna) and Pliny, Natural History XII.
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