Myrrha, Myrrh, Mo Yao 没药

Mo Yao (TCM)
Bola (Ayurveda)
Mur (Unani)
Gu gul nag po  གུ་གུལ་ནག་པོ  (Tibetan)
 Picture
Picture Myrrh tree and gum
Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum, 1640

Picture Koehler, Medizinal Pflanzen, 1890

Picture Myrrh (Adam, 2022)

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Botanical name:


Commiphora myrrha (syn. C. molmol)
Derived from various sources, the Arabian and Ethiopian were most used
The Arabian Myrrh or Abyssinian Myrrh is derived from C. abyssinica (syn. C. habessinica)

Parts used:


Gum

Temperature & Taste:


Warm, dry. Bitter, Pungent, Aromatic

Classifications:


2A APERIENT MEDICINES.    2D ATTENUATERS OF CONGEALED BLOOD.    2F. PURIFYING.    2G. CLEANSING.    2K. RESOLVENT
2S. STRENGTHENING.    2T. GLUTINATE.    2W. SARCOTIC.    2X. INCARNATIVE
3A. SUDORIFICS & DIAPHORETICS.    3G. EMMENAGOGUE.    3K. EXPECTORANT.    3L. ANTI-TUSSIVE.    3M. ARTHRITICS.    3Q. ANTHELMINTIC
4d. PECTORAL.    4i. UTERINE.    4j. NERVINE.    4k. ARTHRITIC

Uses:


1. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis, Eases Pain:
–pain from obstructed blood of the flesh, organs, muscles and joints
-Headache, Migraine, pain from Trauma; fixed, sharp, stabbing-type pain
-chronic Joint disease, Arthritis, Rheumatism

2. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:
-obstructions of the Uterus; Amenorrhea, Dysmenorreha with clotting
-Promotes Labor: ‘Open and soften the Womb, provoke birth and afterbirth’ (Culpeper)
-‘Mollifies the hardness of the Matrix [Uterus]’ (Pemell)

3. Clears Cold Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-Hoarseness, sore Throat, Tonsillitis, Bronchitis
-clears the Lungs, chronic Coughs, Pleurisy
-“good for chronic and moist cough associated with asthma, orthopnoea and chest pain” (Avicenna)

4. Clears Cold Phlegm of the Stomach:
-clears Phlegm/Damp from the Stomach, Colic
-stops Fluxes (leakages including Diarrhea)

5. Resists Poison:
-prevents contagion during Epidemics; regularly used in Antidotes
-regarded as preventing Fever in Unani (ie. prevents Infection)
-Fevers, ‘especially Quartan cold Fits’; Matthiolus was cured of a Quartan Ague (Malarial Fever) by it.

6. Kills Worms:
-Worms including Tapeworm
-recently found useful in treating Liver Fluke (Fascioliasis), Schistosomiasis

7. Externally:
-to soften Hardness, Lumps and Tumors,
-old Ulcers, green Wounds (especially of the Head)
-“heals the Ulcers and facilitates growth of flesh on Bones” (Avicenna)
-topically to Gangrene, St. Anthony’s Fire (Ergotism)
-applied to Ringworm
-held in the mouth for Hoarseness and dryness of the Throat
-mixed with milk and applied for purulent Opthalmia
-chewed and the juice swallowed for stinking Breath
-topically the strengthen the gums and prevents tooth decay (Avicenna)
-applied as a deodorant.
-when a little of the powder is used as a snuff “it cleanses the Brain” (Avicenna)
-dissolves early stage Cataracts (Avicenna)


Dose:


Powder: 500mg–2 grams (half scruple–1 dram traditionally);
1200–1500mg per day for a week is used for Worms.

Preparation:


 … available in PRO version

Corrective:


 … available in PRO version

Substitute:


 … available in PRO version

Comment:


1. ‘The difference between Bdellium and Myrrh: Bdellium in sight is somewhat like to Myrrh, but may be distinguished thus; Myrrh is extreme bitter, so is not Bdellium; again Myrrh is easier to be broken, and of a more quick sharp scent’. (Pemell)
2. Stacte is the name given to an oil expressed from a fresh type of Myrrh (according to Dioscorides). It is highly aromatic and was said to be very expensive.
Picture

Main Combinations:


Aloe & Myrrh
Myrrh & Frankincense

1. Bruising, Blood stagnation:
i. Myrrh with Saffron
ii. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
iii. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
iv. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
2. To promote Menstruation:
i. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
ii. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
3. To promote Labor:
i. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
ii. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
4. Asthma, and to promote Menstruation, Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
5. Cold and dry Cough, Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
6. Chest obstruction (Heart and Lung) Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
7. Head wounds; Myrrh  … available in PRO version
8. Arthritis and Joint diseases:
i. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
ii. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
9. To prevent infection during Epidemics, Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
10. Liver Heat and obstruction, Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
11. Liver hardness, Fibroid Tumors, Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
12. Poor memory:
i. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version
ii. Myrrh with  … available in PRO version

Major Formulas


Tincture of Myrrh and Aloes
Troches of Myrrh (Rhasis)
Theriac of Four Ingredients (Diatessaron)
Pills for Joint Disease
Pills to Increase Memory
Powder of Gum Lacca Lesser (Dialacca Minor) (Mesue)
Powder to Promote Menstruation (Rondeletius)
Powder to Move Blood (Wirtzung)
Powder for Bruising Lesser
Electuary of Saffron Lesser (Diacrocon Minus) (Mesue)
Antidotus Acharistos Altera
Birth Powder

Xi Huang Wan
Feng Shi Ma Qian Pian

Cautions:


1. Not used during pregnancy
2. Heavy and hard of digestion
3. Not used for pain associated with Blood deficiency
4. Overuse dries the Yin and lessens Seed

Main Preparations used:


Prepared Myrrh (washed with a juice, infusion, decoction or Wine, then dry gently), Extract, Oil, Liquor, Tincture of Myrrh