Skip to content
WikiAromatics

Plants · Resins & Gums

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha): Species and Botanical Identity

Commiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl.

Myrrh
Family
Burseraceae

Species

BinomialCommiphora myrrha
Accepted nameCommiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl.
WCVP statusaccepted
FamilyBurseraceae
IPNI identifierurn:lsid:ipni.org:names:127741-1

Source: Govaerts R. (ed.), World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, accessed on 21/09/2026.

Which species does the name myrrh designate?

In the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP, Kew), extract read on 02/10/2026, the name with identifier 2733595 has the rank “Species”, the status “Accepted” and the family Burseraceae: Commiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl. In the same extract, Commiphora molmol, of rank “Species”, has the status “Synonym” and is attached to the accepted name 2733595 , with the author (Engl.) Engl. ex Tschirch. The same extract attaches to that accepted name, as a synonym of rank “Variety”, the variety molmol of Commiphora myrrha, author Engl. It attaches to it in the same way the variety grossedentata of Commiphora habessinica, author Chiov.

The EMA page “Myrrha - herbal medicinal product”, consulted on 02/10/2026, gives “myrrh” as the common name for the resin of the plant Commiphora molmol Engler, the name used by the EMA. In its “Key facts” section, the same page gives the Latin name “Myrrha”, the English common name “Myrrh” and the botanical name “Commiphora molmol Engler”.

Which other species does the HMPC report name?

In the WCVP extract, the name with identifier 2733548 is another name of rank “Species” with the status “Accepted” in the family Burseraceae : Commiphora kua (R.Br. ex Royle) Vollesen. The same extract attaches to Commiphora kua, and not to Commiphora myrrha, the synonym of rank “Species” Commiphora abyssinica (Engl.) Engl. It also attaches to Commiphora kua the synonym of rank “Species” Commiphora habessinica (O.Berg) Engl. In the same extract, the name with identifier 2733671 has the rank “Species”, the status “Accepted” and the family Burseraceae: Commiphora schimperi (O.Berg) Engl.

The 2018 addendum to that report (EMA/HMPC/364552/2018, 24 July 2018) states that, in the definition of the European Pharmacopoeia monograph on Myrrh (reference 1349), the preferred botanical name of the plant is Commiphora myrrha (Nees) Engl., and that Commiphora molmol is listed there as a synonym , written “Commiphora molmol (Engl.) Engl. Ex Tschirch”.

How do other pharmacopoeias name the source?

According to the 2024 review by Yang and co-authors, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP) describes two types of myrrh, natural myrrh and colloidal myrrh, whose herbal source is the dried resin of Commiphora myrrha or Commiphora molmol, of the family Burseraceae. According to the same review, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) defines as myrrh the resins produced by Commiphora myrrha and other members of the family Burseraceae, and as guggul the resins produced by Commiphora wightii. In the WCVP, extract read on 02/10/2026, Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari has the status “Accepted” and is attached to its own identifier, 2733729, as accepted name; the parenthetical author is “Arn.” and the primary author “Bhandari”.

How is myrrh obtained from the tree?

According to the 2024 review by Yang and co-authors, the genus Commiphora is a low shrub or tree, rarely exceeding 3 m in height, with many irregular, spiky, coarse branches.

The 2011 HMPC assessment report defines the herbal substance as a gum-resin, hardened in air, obtained by incision or produced by spontaneous exudation from the stem and branches of Commiphora molmol Engler and/or other species of Commiphora, complying with the European Pharmacopoeia monograph 01/2008:1349.

What is the conservation and CITES status of myrrh?

According to Species+, taxon record 104876 read on 02/10/2026, the genus Commiphora Jacq. carries the CITES listing value “II/NC”, and its current listing in Appendix II, with no party named, took effect on 05/03/2026. The same record gives this Appendix II listing of the genus the annotation “CoP20 #19”, which reads: “Extracts (including resins, gums and essential oils) and powder, except the following finished products, packaged and ready for retail trade: finished tablets, capsules, pills, perfumes, cosmetics, solutions, emulsions or suspensions (such as infused oils, hydrolates, tinctures), and manufactured incense products (such as incense sticks and incense cones).”

According to Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1383 of 22 June 2026, whose Article 1 replaces the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 338/97, Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari, written without its author in the regulation, appears in the “Annex B” column of that Annex, with the mention “(II)” and the annotation “#19”. Under its Article 2, the regulation enters into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

What is myrrh made of?

According to the 2011 HMPC assessment report, myrrh consists of volatile oil, resin and gum, and the main constituents of the volatile oil are furano-sesquiterpenes, with “furanodesma-1.3-diene” as the main component. The same report lists among the important components of the resin commiphoric acids, heerabomyrrhols, heeraboresene, commiferin, burseracin and various terpenes, and names the steroids campesterol, cholesterol and sitosterol as also present. In table 3 (“Terpenoids”) of the 2024 review by Yang and co-authors, furanoeudesma-1,3-diene and lindestrene are listed for Commiphora myrrha and Commiphora molmol, with the type “Eudesmane”.

Which compounds have been isolated?

Citing Zhu (2003), the report states that six aromatic sesquiterpenes were isolated from Commiphora myrrha Engler, again without stating the plant part. Citing Rahman (2008), the report states that the octanordammaranes mansumbinone and “3.4-seco-mansumbinoic acid”, and the sesquiterpenes elemene and T-cadinol, were isolated from the oleo-resin of Commiphora molmol Engler. Citing Wiendl (1995), the report states that the water-soluble gum fraction of myrrh (40 % w/w) has been found to comprise a mixture of proteoglycans in which uronic acid rich polymers dominate.

Which monographs describe myrrh?

According to the European Pharmacopoeia knowledge database (EDQM), consulted on 02/10/2026, monograph number 01349 has the status “In use”, the English name “Myrrh”, the French name “Myrrhe” and the Latin name “Myrrha”. The legend of the same EDQM page states that the status “in use” means that the monograph is published in the European Pharmacopoeia. The database gives monograph 01349 the Pharmeuropa mention “27.3”, a last publication in English in “9.2” and a last publication in French in “10.0”. In the same database, monograph number 01877 has the status “In use”, the English name “Myrrh tincture”, the French name “Myrrhe (teinture de)” and the Latin name “Myrrhae tinctura”. Monograph 01877 carries the Pharmeuropa mention “27.3” and a last publication “10.0” in both English and French.

Note 1 of section 2 of the HMPC community herbal monograph (EMA/HMPC/96911/2010, 12 July 2011) states that the material complies with the European Pharmacopoeia monograph of reference 01/2008:1349 corrected 6.0. The 2011 HMPC assessment report names as the herbal preparation assessed myrrh tincture (1:5; extraction solvent: ethanol 90 % V/V), European Pharmacopoeia monograph 01/2008:1877. On the EMA page on Myrrha, consulted on 02/10/2026, the status of the file is “C: ongoing call for scientific data”, and a call for scientific data for the periodic review of the monograph on Myrrha was open from 01/04/2024 to 30/06/2024.

What do other pharmacopoeias set for myrrh?

According to the 2024 review by Yang and co-authors, the Chinese Pharmacopoeia sets the volatile oil content of natural myrrh at no less than 4 % (mL/g) and that of colloidal myrrh at no less than 2 % (mL/g). According to the same review, the USP requires for myrrh an alcohol-soluble extract content between 40 and 70 %, a water-soluble extract content of at least 50 % and a volatile oil content of at least 6.0 %. The review states that the identification of myrrh in the pharmacopoeias of different countries rests mainly on thin-layer identification and on chemical methods.

What do animal and laboratory studies report?

Acute and repeated-dose toxicity

According to the 2011 HMPC assessment report, the acute oral LD50 of myrrh oil in rats is reported as 1.65 g/kg body weight (1.40-1.90 g/kg) (Opdyke 1976), the process by which the oil was obtained not being stated. In an experimental study cited by the report (Omer 1999), myrrh resin given daily to 6-month-old goat kids resulted in death between day 5 and day 16 at 1 and 5 g/kg body weight per day.

Does myrrh sensitise the skin in tests?

In the local lymph node assay (LLNA) in mice cited by the report (Lv 2009), myrrh produced a dose-dependent cell proliferation, the stimulation index in the radioactive LLNA was more than 3, indicating according to the report a “dermal sensitising potential”, and flow cytometric analysis indicated that myrrh is a weak sensitiser. Citing Opdyke (1976), the same report states that no irritation, no sensitisation (in 21 volunteers) and no phototoxicity were found for myrrh oil.

Genotoxicity, reproduction, carcinogenicity

In its toxicological conclusions, the 2011 HMPC assessment report states that non-clinical data on the toxicity of the gum-resin of Commiphora molmol Engler are incomplete, and that there are no reports on reproductive and developmental toxicity. The same conclusions state that limited genotoxicity tests (micronucleus test in mice) have been performed and indicated no “genotoxic potential”. Section 5.3 of the HMPC community herbal monograph states that adequate tests on genotoxicity have not been performed, and that tests on reproductive toxicity and “carcinogenic potential” have not been performed.

What is reported about skin reactions in humans?

Citing Lee (1993a, 1993b), the 2011 HMPC assessment report states that allergic contact dermatitis caused by the Chinese orthopaedic solution tieh ta yao gin was shown to be due to its content of myrrh and mastic. The report states that two cases of contact dermatitis due to plasters containing myrrh have been reported (Gallo 1999). It also states that a strong allergy to a myrrh solution and to myrrh powder, resulting from application of these products, is reported (Al-Suwaidan 1998). In its conclusions on clinical safety, the report states that very little clinical safety information is available and that there are a few reports of allergic skin reactions in the literature. In its overall conclusions, the report states that a few clinical case reports in the literature and results from tests in mice point to a possibility of allergic skin reactions. The EMA page on Myrrha states that allergic skin reactions have been reported with myrrh medicines, and that their frequency is not known. Section 4.8 of the HMPC community herbal monograph states that allergic skin reactions have been reported, with a frequency that is not known.

What does the monograph record on overdose and interactions?

Section 4.9 of the same monograph states that no case of overdose has been reported. Under section 4.5 (interactions with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction), the monograph states “None reported”.

References

Continue exploring