Myrrh is a familiar yet mysterious spice that has a long history of medicinal use. You may be familiar with it from the Bible since it was one of the three gifts the Magi brought to baby Jesus. But what exactly is myrrh?

The word myrrh comes from the Arabic word for bitter. This refers to the taste and fragrance of the spice, which was once used for embalming the dead in ancient Egypt and as a key healing herb in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. Here's more about what myrrh is, its health benefits, and how you can use it in your daily life.

What Is Myrrh?

Myrrh refers to both a tree, botanically named Commiphora myrrha ,and the sap or resin that comes out of the tree. The trees are small, shrub-like, and thorny. They produce an oily, yellowish sap when wounded that hardens into a reddish-yellow resin.

The resin is used in three main forms. It can be distilled into an essential oil, crushed into a powder, or used as pebble-like chunks. Myrrh is closely related to frankincense, and the two are some of the most frequently used essential oils around the world.

Myrrh trees are native to regions in Africa and the Arabian peninsula. The resin has a huge place in the traditional medicinal practices of many surrounding nations. It's been used as a perfume, incense, an embalming spice, insect repellent, and much more. 

Ayurvedic Health benefits of Myrrh :

• Aphthous Ulcers: Mix 250-350 mg of herb extract with warm water and swish with it 2-3 times a day. OR: Prepare Myrrh tincture. Take 5 ml and mix it with warm water. Swish with it 2-3 times a day. Else: Open a Myrrh capsule. Dab a little directly on the Mouth Ulcers.
• Sore Throat: Consume 4 g Myrrh powder with lukewarm water twice a day.
• Nipple Discharge: Apply the tincture of Myrrh over the nipples.
• Gum Diseases: Take Myrrh tincture and put 8-10 drops in a cup of warm water. Use as a mouthwash several times a day.
• Infections Combo: Take Wild Indigo, Echinacea, and Myrrh in equal quantities. Prepare a decoction. Take it twice a day.
• Gingivitis: Take Catechu, Wild Geranium, and Myrrh. Powder them. Add a little clove Use it as a tooth powder.
• Ulcers: Mix Frankincense gum, Myrrh gum, Catechu resin, and Ginseng Noto root powder. Apply it locally on ulcers.
• Aphthous Ulcers: Prepare Licorice root tea. Add 2-3 drops of Myrrh oil and Aloe Vera Drink once a day.
• For Wounds, Bruises, Sprains, and Burns: Take 4 tablespoons Myrrh, 2 tablespoons Goldenseal, and 1 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper. Mix all these and put in a quarter of rubbing Alcohol. Keep it stand for 8-10 days, shaking the mixture daily. Use it as a liniment for wounds, sprains, burns, bruises, and wherever a liniment is needed.
• Sore Throat: Put two chopped Parsley leaves, 2-3 Cloves, One tablespoon of powdered myrrh, and 1/4 tsp. of powdered goldenseal in one glass of boiled water. Strain and Drink decoction two-three times a day.
• Cuts: Make a paste by adding an equal amount of Myrrh and Golden seal. Apply.
• Diptheria: Mix one tablespoon each of Mullein, Raspberry leaves, Agrimony, Bayberry, Cayenne, and Myrrh. Prepare a decoction. Have one glass two times a day.
• Herpes: Take 4-5 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil and 2-3 drops of Myrrh Oil. Mix them with half a teaspoon each of St John’s Wort and Licorice Root. Put all these ingredients in an airtight jar and place them away from heat and sunlight. Shake well and directly apply thrice a day.
• Age Spots: Take  10-gram Rosewood oil, 10-gram Myrrh Oil, 10-gram Chamomile Oil,  10-gram Orange Oil,  10-gram Mandarin Orange Oil, 10-gram Patchouli Oil, and 10 gram Sage Oil. Put all ingredients in a vessel. Heat for 5 minutes. Store in a glass bottle. Massage over the affected area with this preparation for 10 minutes.
• Stomatitis: Myrrh mixed with equal parts of honey and rectified spirit and dissolved in rose water or infusion of rose petals (50  parts) is effective in stomatitis.
• Galactogogue: Myrrh increases milk secretion if used with jaggery.
• Oral Problems: Decoction of myrrh strengthens the teeth & removes the bad odor from the mouth.