Over 2000 years before the baby Jesus received myrrh as a gift, it was one of the most sought after & expensive items in the world. According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite forced the goddess Myrrha into an incestuous relationship with her father, Cinyras. Cinyras, enraged, avenged the act by turning his daughter into a myrrh tree. When the tree sprouted its buds, their child Adonis was born. The resinous drops that fall from cuts in the tree's bark were said to be Myrrha's tears.

In China, myrrh is used for arthritis, sores, hemorrhoids, & menstrual problems. Western use applies it to the treatment of asthma, coughs, colds, weak gums & teeth, ulcers, sores, & the common cold. It has also been used to treat leprosy. The Commiphora species that produces myrrh is a shrub or small tree, growing up to 30 feet tall. It has knotted branches, aromatic leaves, & white flowers. The essential oil is produced by steam distillation of the crude myrrh. The resinoid is a dark reddish-brown viscous mass with a warm, spicy-balsamic scent. It is not pourable at room temperature, so a solvent is sometimes added. The oil, resinoid, & tincture are used in pharmaceutical products, including mouthwashes, gargles, & toothpaste. The oil & resinoid are used as fixatives & fragrance components in soaps, detergents, cosmetics, & perfumes.

Myrrh's properties have been claimed to be anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, astringent, balsamic, carminative, expectorant, fungicidal, revitalizing, & a digestive & pulmonary stimulant. Myrrh may help with acne, asthma, athlete's foot, blemishes, bruises, chapped & cracked skin, colds, eczema, hemorrhoids, hormonal imbalances, infectious diseases, oily skin, mature complexions, psoriasis, wounds, & wrinkles. The Commiphora species are native to northeast Africa & southwest Asia, especially the Red Sea area.

Chemical constituents are sesquiterpenes (29%), ketones, and aldehydes. Do not use during pregnancy.