Commiphora abyssinica

Myrrh. Gum-resin myrrh. From Commiphora abyssinica (Esrg) Eng. or from other species ol Commiphora, Burseraceae. Yields not less than 30% alcohol-soluble extract. Habit. Nutria, Somaliland, Arabia. ConniJ. 20-25% resin, 57-61% gum, 7-17% volatile oil and a bitter principle. 

Syn Commiphora abyssinica (O. Berg.) Engl., orth. var. Commiphora habessinica (O. Berg.) Engl. 

Furanoeudesmanes such as (-)-fiiranoeudesma-1,3-diene, furanoeudesma-l,4-dien-6-one and furanoeudesma-l,4(15)-diene, known as (-)-lindestrene, belong to the sweetish balsamic-smelling constituents of the yellowish red gum-resin myrrh, used as a carminative and astringent and obtained from Commiphora species (e.g. Commiphora abyssinica, C. molmol, Burseraceae) Tubipofuran, a diastereomer of... 

Commiphora abyssinica (family Burseraceae) Distributed in North-East Africa, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and is used for perfumery, for sweets, lemonade and chewing gum. Other species of Commiphora are also used for similar purposes. 

Many plants produce defence secretions that form protective barriers when the structure of the plant is damaged and exposed to air. Examples include pine rosin and rubber. In some cases, the exudates contain antibacterial or antifungal components as is the case, e.g., with myrrh. This is the resin of the shrub Commiphora abyssinica that contains a number of such compounds including the eudesmane derivative (15). 

Commiphora myrrha (Nees) Engl. var. molmol Engl., C. abyssinica (Berg) Engl, and C. schimperi (Berg) Engl. (Burseraceae), shrubs that grow in Northeast Africa and Arabia. 

Gum resins are secreted by some plants. They contain essential oils, resins and gums that form gels in water. A well-known gum resin is myrrh, an extract from gum myrrh plants of the family Burseraceae, such as Commiphora habessinka (syn. C. abyssinica). 

---