Herb Corner Issue 28

Happy April Fools Day!
Yes it is the first, but the information here is not a prank. [Not one to play like that :)] So, for this month I would like to share a little bit about Myrrh.

Myrrh, or Commiphora myrrha, is a tree or shrub with leaved spikes that grow on knotted branches. The leaves are trifoliate, oval, and entire. Flowers are yellow-red and grow on stalks in an elongated and branching cluster. The red-brown resin that comes from this plant has a bitter, pungent taste and a sweet, pleasing aroma.

The first known recording of Myrrh is when the wise men presented it to the Christ child. The resin has been used as an embalming ointment and, until the 15th Century, used as incense for funerals and cremations. Myrrh has been used since ancient times in incense, perfumes, and holy ointments.

Egyptians burned myrrh pellets to keep the fleas away. In the bible there is said mention of this herb as part of the bitter substance they gave Christ on the cross. During the Tang Dynasty it was used to treat wounds, relieve painful swelling, and to treat menstrual pain In Chinese medicine is it used for: affecting the heart, liver, and spleen meridians and is said to be blood-moving. It is useful for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, menopause and uterine tumors, as it is said to purge stagnant blood out of the uterus.

It is also used in ayurveda medicine, unani medicine, and western herbalism for its tonic and rejuvenating qualities. In ayurveda medicine it has been indicated for pregnant women or women with excessive uterine bleeding, and not be used with evidence of kidney dysfunction or stomach pain.

Today it is used as an antiseptic found in mouthwash, gargles, and toothpastes. It is also used for abrasions and minor skin diseases.


Have a Happy Easter!
Aeroia