Home Ingredients Myrrh (Commiphora molmol)
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Myrrh (Commiphora molmol)

Commiphora molmol (syn. Commiphora myrrha)
Evidence Level
Limited
3 Clinical Trials
5 Documented Benefits
2/5 Evidence Score

Myrrh is an aromatic resin with antimicrobial and astringent properties, used traditionally for oral health, wound and skin care, and digestive support, and valued in aromatherapy and incense. It is a common ingredient in natural mouthwashes and tooth powders, where it is applied as a diluted tincture or rinse for sore gums and mouth ulcers, and topically for minor wounds. Most of myrrh's reputation rests on those surface uses and on laboratory and animal pharmacology. The human evidence for swallowing it is limited, and what exists is mainly a myrrh, chamomile and coffee charcoal combination studied for bowel symptoms rather than myrrh on its own. A myrrh preparation once licensed in Egypt as an antiparasitic medicine failed repeatedly in independent trials and should not be relied on for treating parasites. Topical and oral-rinse use is generally well tolerated, but oral myrrh in larger amounts can cause digestive upset and may affect blood sugar and the heart, so internal use should be moderate. Pregnant women should avoid myrrh, as it may stimulate the uterus.

Studied Dose Supplement 250-500 mg extract 2-3x/day with food; no antiparasitic dose is listed, and a suspected parasitic infection needs diagnosis and prescription treatment from a doctor.
Active Compound Sesquiterpenes (furanoeudesma-1,3-diene, lindestrene, curzerene), triterpenes, polysaccharides, gum components, volatile oils.

Benefits

Anti-inflammatory Activity (Mechanistic / Preclinical)

Myrrh sesquiterpenes inhibit NF-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in vitro and in animal models. Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for trauma, arthritis, fractures, and inflammation. Modern preclinical evidence is consistent; specific human RCTs for inflammation alone are sparse — combination products (with frankincense/Boswellia) are more commonly studied. The closest thing to human evidence is a 12-month randomized double-blind trial in 96 people whose ulcerative colitis was in remission, and that tested myrrh combined with chamomile flower extract and coffee charcoal rather than myrrh alone, and compared it against the standard drug mesalazine with no placebo group, so it cannot show that the herbal preparation beats doing nothing. Treat myrrh's anti-inflammatory reputation as promising laboratory and animal pharmacology that has not yet been confirmed for myrrh on its own in people.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

Antimicrobial Activity

Multiple in vitro and animal studies (including 2024-2025 contemporary evidence) demonstrate myrrh extracts have antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, S. aureus, and other pathogens, plus antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Mechanism involves membrane disruption. This is laboratory activity against microbes in a dish, at concentrations a swallowed capsule does not reproduce in the bloodstream or the gut, so it is not evidence that taking myrrh treats or prevents an infection in a person. It is a reasonable rationale only for rinses and topical preparations that put myrrh directly onto the surface being treated, which is a different route from the oral supplements this page covers.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Antiparasitic Activity (Refuted by Independent Trials)

Mirazid (a commercial myrrh extract) was licensed in Egypt for schistosomiasis and fascioliasis treatment. Initial trials showed cure rates around 88-94% for fascioliasis. Independent groups then failed to reproduce any of it. In a randomized comparison in 1,131 Egyptians, myrrh cured about 9 percent of Schistosoma mansoni infections against 63 to 80 percent for praziquantel. A second randomized trial in 104 infected people found cure rates of 15.6 percent and then 8.9 percent, and 32 of the 34 people still infected after two courses of myrrh cleared their infection once given praziquantel. Multicentre animal work found no convincing antischistosomal activity across four parasite strains at doses reaching 10,000 mg/kg, and a sheep study found fluke numbers only 6 percent lower than in untreated animals. The Cochrane review of drugs for Schistosoma mansoni does not include myrrh among the treatments it supports. It is also worth knowing where the two sets of results came from: the favorable reports, including early ones in mainstream tropical medicine journals, come overwhelmingly from a single Egyptian research network, while the failures to reproduce them come from independent teams publishing in those same journals. Should not be used as a substitute for praziquantel or triclabendazole.

Supported by Trial 2

Wound Healing / Tissue Repair (Traditional + Animal)

Myrrh has been applied to wounds since antiquity, but that is topical use and it does not transfer to a swallowed capsule, which is what this page covers. The one supporting study is in rats given myrrh in drinking water at 500 mg/kg/day, which raised white blood cell counts before and during healing from a skin wound or a gastric ulcer. A rat blood count is not a healing outcome in a person. Modern wound healing investigations continue (acetic acid extract preparations) but human RCT evidence is limited. Traditional reputation exceeds modern documentation.

Supported by Trial 1, Trial 2

Oral Health (Mouthwash Use)

Myrrh tincture has been used as a mouthwash for sore throat, gingivitis, and mouth ulcers. Preclinical antimicrobial evidence supports the rationale, but specific RCT evidence for oral health benefits is limited. Often combined with goldenseal or other herbs in dental rinses. This is a rinse held in the mouth and spat out, not a supplement that is swallowed, so it says nothing about what a myrrh capsule does. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis that included eight randomized trials of myrrh in periodontal care found a small but statistically significant reduction in dental plaque, and no significant benefit for gum inflammation or healing.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Sesquiterpene NF-κB Inhibition

Furanoeudesma-1,3-diene and other sesquiterpenes inhibit NF-κB activation, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine production (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β). This is the principal molecular mechanism for traditional anti-inflammatory use across Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions.

2

Antimicrobial Membrane Disruption

Volatile oil constituents and triterpenes disrupt microbial membranes via lipophilic insertion. Effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and (in Mirazid form) some parasites. Mechanism is broadly active rather than highly selective — explaining wide traditional antimicrobial use.

3

Possible Opioid-Like Analgesic Mechanism

Some myrrh compounds (furanoeudesma-1,3-diene) show binding to opioid receptors in vitro, providing mechanistic basis for traditional analgesic use. Activity is much weaker than morphine; clinical relevance is unclear but mechanistically interesting. One human pilot study enrolled 184 adults with assorted pain complaints and compared 200 or 400 mg per day of a branded high-furanodiene myrrh extract against placebo capsules for 20 days, reporting pain relief, but the outcome was scored against volunteers' recollection of painkillers they had taken previously, the results split oddly by sex, and only one commercial extract was tested, so this is a starting point rather than proof.

4

Not the Same Plant as Guggul (Antiplatelet Caution Is Theoretical)

Myrrh and guggul are different species in the same genus and should not be treated as interchangeable. Guggul is Commiphora mukul, also called Commiphora wightii, and its cholesterol and receptor pharmacology comes from guggulsterones, which are characteristic of that species. Myrrh, Commiphora molmol, is dominated instead by furanosesquiterpenes and is not a meaningful source of guggulsterones. None of guggul's lipid evidence transfers to myrrh. The antiplatelet caution kept elsewhere on this page is precautionary and theoretical rather than something demonstrated in a human trial, and the separate guggul and gugulipid pages cover the other species.

5

Antioxidant / Singlet Oxygen Quenching

Myrrh essential oil protected against singlet oxygen driven squalene peroxidation in skin, and myrrh extracts scavenge free radicals in laboratory assays. Both findings come from the skin surface and from test tubes, which is the wrong route for a swallowed supplement, so they support cosmetic and topical uses rather than anything a myrrh capsule is doing inside the body. They do not on their own show an anti-inflammatory effect in the body after myrrh is swallowed.

Clinical trials

1
Genus Commiphora Comprehensive Review

Comprehensive review of Commiphora genus traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology. Covers C. molmol, C. myrrha, C. mukul (guggul), and related species. (Shen, Li, Wang, Lou 2012, J Ethnopharmacol)

Comprehensive literature review; no original trial data.

Documents over 300 secondary metabolites identified across the Commiphora genus. Bioactivities: antiproliferative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial. Notes that C. mukul has been developed as anti-hyperlipidemia agent (guggul) and C. molmol as antischistosomal agent (Mirazid) in Egypt. Foundational reference for myrrh phytochemistry and pharmacological diversity.

2
Mirazid for Human Fascioliasis (Positive Field Trial)

Field trial in Ezbet El-Bakly (Tamyia Center), Al-Fayoum Governorate, Egypt. Mirazid 600 mg (2 capsules) on empty stomach for 6 consecutive days. Clinical and parasitological follow-up at 2 and 3 months. (Abo-Madyan, Morsy, Motawea, J Egypt Soc Parasitol)

Patients with fascioliasis from screening of 1019 individuals (1.7% prevalence in survey area).

Parasitological cure rate 88.2% at 2 months and 94.1% at 3 months with no side effects. Cases not completely responding showed marked egg intensity reduction. Authors concluded Mirazid is safe and effective for human fascioliasis under field conditions. Important context: this was an uncontrolled field study with no group receiving standard therapy and no blinding, and it comes from the same small circle of Egyptian researchers who produced most of the favorable Mirazid reports. Larger independent randomized trials comparing myrrh directly against praziquantel found cure rates of roughly 9 to 16 percent for myrrh against 63 to 80 percent for praziquantel, and current consensus does not support myrrh as a substitute for triclabendazole or praziquantel.

3
Mirazid Ineffectiveness for Schistosomiasis/Fascioliasis (critical)

Field study assessing Mirazid's schistosomicidal and fasciolicidal activity in an area of low schistosomiasis transmission. Maximum recommended Mirazid dose given to confirmed-infected patients. Pretreatment Kato-Katz egg counts compared with 1- and 2-month follow-up samples. (Osman, El-Taweel, Shehab, East Mediterr Health J)

27 patients with Schistosoma mansoni and 16 with Fasciola spp. infection.

Mirazid had a low cure rate and produced a negligible reduction in egg counts. Authors concluded prescribing Mirazid as antiparasitic 'might endanger the achievements of the schistosomiasis control strategy.' This trial contributed to abandonment of Mirazid as standard antiparasitic therapy. Important counter-evidence to earlier positive trials.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Generally well-tolerated at typical doses.
Possible GI symptoms (nausea, diarrhea) at high doses or with prolonged use.
Skin rash or contact dermatitis with topical use.
Pregnancy: do not use. This is not folklore. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 80 women with incomplete miscarriage, capsules of 500 mg myrrh oleo-gum-resin three times daily for 2 weeks shrank retained tissue and completed the abortion in 82.9 percent of women against 54.3 percent on placebo. That is direct human evidence that an ordinary oral supplement dose of myrrh acts on the pregnant uterus. Anyone who is pregnant, might be pregnant, or is trying to conceive should avoid myrrh entirely.
Lactation: insufficient safety data; avoid.
Diabetes: possible additive hypoglycemic effects.
Bleeding disorders: theoretical antiplatelet activity; caution before surgery.
Kidney concerns: in a 90-day feeding study in rats, the highest myrrh dose suppressed weight gain and increased relative kidney weight, with protein droplets appearing in the kidney tubules. The no-adverse-effect level worked out at roughly 0.85 to 0.95 g per kg of body weight per day, far above ordinary supplement intakes, but it is a reason not to take large amounts for long stretches.
Hot flashes or fever-like reactions reported with high doses.

Important Drug interactions

Anticoagulants/antiplatelets (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel): theoretical additive antiplatelet effects — monitor.
Antidiabetic medications: possible additive effects on blood sugar. Myrrh resin directly triggers insulin release from a beta cell line and from isolated mouse and human pancreatic islets in the laboratory, and in a placebo-controlled trial in women with type 2 diabetes a capsule combining myrrh with guggul and Terminalia chebula lowered fasting blood glucose over 3 months. Myrrh was one of three herbs in that capsule, so its own contribution cannot be separated out, but anyone on blood sugar medication should monitor their levels.
Pregnancy medications: avoid.
Other anti-inflammatory herbs (boswellia, turmeric): generally compatible, and myrrh with frankincense is a classical pairing that has been tested in mice, where the researchers concluded the combination may be more useful for inflammatory pain than either resin alone. Cyclosporine and other narrow-margin medicines: in rats, eight days of oral myrrh lowered cyclosporine blood levels by about 45 percent, so anyone taking an immunosuppressant, or any drug whose blood level has to stay in a narrow band, should not add myrrh without telling the prescribing team.
Praziquantel/triclabendazole: do not substitute myrrh for prescribed antiparasitic medications. Independent randomized trials found myrrh cured under 16 percent of Schistosoma mansoni infections while praziquantel cured 63 to 80 percent in the same studies.

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Frequently asked questions about Myrrh (Commiphora molmol)

What is myrrh used for?

Myrrh is an aromatic resin used traditionally for oral health (gums and mouth), wound and skin care, and digestive support. It has antimicrobial and astringent properties and is a common ingredient in natural mouthwashes and tooth powders.

What is myrrh good for?

It is used for gum and mouth health (sore gums, mouth ulcers), as a topical antiseptic for minor wounds, and traditionally for digestion. It is also valued in aromatherapy and incense.

How is myrrh used?

It is used as a tincture (diluted as a mouth rinse or applied topically), in oral-care products, or as an essential oil for aromatherapy; follow product labeling. The essential oil must be diluted for skin.

Is myrrh safe?

Topical and oral-rinse use is generally well tolerated. Oral myrrh in larger amounts can cause digestive upset and may affect blood sugar and the heart, so internal use should be moderate. Pregnant women should avoid myrrh, as it may stimulate the uterus.

What is Myrrh?

Myrrh is an aromatic resin with antimicrobial and astringent properties, used traditionally for oral health, wound and skin care, and digestive support, and valued in aromatherapy and incense.

What is the recommended dosage of Myrrh?

The clinically studied dose is Supplement 250-500 mg extract 2-3x/day with food; no antiparasitic dose is listed, and a suspected parasitic infection needs diagnosis and prescription treatment from a doctor. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is Myrrh safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, Myrrh is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Generally well-tolerated at typical doses. Possible GI symptoms (nausea, diarrhea) at high doses or with prolonged use. It may also interact with some medications. Myrrh is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Myrrh interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Anticoagulants/antiplatelets (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel): theoretical additive antiplatelet effects — monitor. Antidiabetic medications: possible additive effects on blood sugar. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Myrrh?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Myrrh as Limited (2 out of 5). It is backed by 3 clinical trials and 24 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(24 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Batiha GE, Wasef L, Teibo JO, Shaheen HM, Zakariya AM, Akinfe OA, Teibo TKA, Al-Kuraishy HM, Al-Garbee AI, Alexiou A, Papadakis M Commiphora myrrh: a phytochemical and pharmacological update Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology. 2023;396(3):405-420. doi:10.1007/s00210-022-02325-0.PubMedUsed to support: Narrative review of myrrh's chemistry and reported pharmacology, covering the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic and antiparasitic activities described for the resin and its sesquiterpenes. It summarizes mostly laboratory and animal work and does not grade clinical evidence, so it establishes what has been studied rather than what myrrh does in people.
  2. Soliman OE, El-Arman MM, Abdul-Samie ER, El-Nemr HI, Massoud A Evaluation of myrrh (Mirazid) therapy in fascioliasis and intestinal schistosomiasis in children: immunological and parasitological study Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology. 2004;34(3):941-66..PubMedUsed to support: Uncontrolled study in 21 children with fascioliasis and 8 with schistosomiasis, given myrrh resin at 10 mg/kg/day for 3 to 6 days, reporting 91 to 100 percent parasitological cure at 4 weeks along with falls in total IgE and in the cytokines IL-1 beta and IL-5. There was no group receiving standard therapy for comparison, the sample was tiny, and the participants were children being treated for an active infection rather than adults taking a supplement. Larger independent randomized trials later found myrrh close to ineffective against these infections. The cytokine changes track the parasite being cleared and are not evidence that myrrh supports immune function in a healthy person.
  3. Massoud AM, El-Sherbini ET, Mos N, Saleh NM, Abouel-Nour MF, Morsy AT Mirazid in treatment of three zoonotic trematodes in Beni-Sweif and Dakhalia Governorates Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology. 2010;40(1):119-34..PubMedUsed to support: Uncontrolled study in 60 Egyptian patients with schistosomiasis, fascioliasis or heterophyiasis given myrrh resin at 10 mg/kg/day for 6 days, reporting high cure rates. There was no comparison group on standard therapy, and the published figures are internally inconsistent: the report quotes both 80.7 percent and 11.8 percent for schistosomiasis at its two follow-up points and then a summary figure of 92.5 percent for the same condition. It is cited so readers can see what the favorable antiparasitic literature actually consists of. Independent randomized comparisons against praziquantel did not reproduce these results.
  4. Botros S, Sayed H, El-Dusoki H, et al. Efficacy of mirazid in comparison with praziquantel in Egyptian Schistosoma mansoni-infected school children and households. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2005;72(2):119-23..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized comparison in 1,131 Egyptian school children and household members infected with Schistosoma mansoni: myrrh resin at 300 mg/day for 3 days cured 9.1 percent of the children and 8.9 percent of the household members, against 62.5 and 79.7 percent for a single standard dose of praziquantel. The investigators recommended against using myrrh to control schistosomiasis. This is the principal independent refutation of the favorable antiparasitic reports discussed in the benefits section.
  5. Barakat R, Elmorshedy H, Fenwick A Efficacy of myrrh in the treatment of human Schistosomiasis mansoni. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2005;73(2):365-7..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized trial in 104 people infected with Schistosoma mansoni comparing two courses of a commercial myrrh product against praziquantel: myrrh cured 15.6 percent and then 8.9 percent, and reduced egg counts among the uncured by only 17 to 28 percent, while praziquantel cured about 74 to 76 percent with 84 to 88 percent egg reduction. Of the 34 people still infected after two myrrh courses, 32 cleared once given praziquantel. From a group independent of the researchers who published the favorable reports.
  6. Botros S, William S, Ebeid F, et al. Lack of evidence for an antischistosomal activity of myrrh in experimental animals. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2004;71(2):206-10..PubMedUsed to support: Multicentre animal study in mice and hamsters infected with four different strains of Schistosoma mansoni: neither the commercial myrrh preparation nor crude myrrh extract produced meaningful worm or egg reduction, with the crude extract tested across doses from 180 up to 10,000 mg/kg, while praziquantel produced 94 percent worm reduction and 100 percent egg reduction in the same experiments. Animal evidence rather than human, and negative, which is part of why the antiparasitic claim is treated on this page as refuted rather than merely unproven.
  7. Botros SS, El-Lakkany NM, Badawy AA, et al. Mirazid shows insignificant activity against ovine fascioliasis. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 2009;103(7):605-16..PubMedUsed to support: Study in sheep infected with Fasciola and treated with myrrh at 10 mg/kg/day for six days: fluke numbers were only 6 percent lower than in untreated animals, a statistically insignificant difference, and egg loads, liver enzymes and liver histology were indistinguishable from untreated infected sheep, while triclabendazole cleared the infection completely. Wrong species for a supplement claim, but it shows the failure is reproducible in a controlled animal setting.
  8. Osman MM, El-Taweel HA, Shehab AY, et al. Ineffectiveness of myrrh-derivative Mirazid against schistosomiasis and fascioliasis in humans. East Mediterr Health J. 2010;16(9):932-6..PubMedUsed to support: Study in 27 people with Schistosoma mansoni and 16 with Fasciola given the maximum recommended dose of the myrrh preparation, with egg counts before treatment compared with counts at 1 and 2 months: the cure rate was low and the reduction in egg counts negligible, and the authors warned that prescribing it could endanger Egypt's schistosomiasis control programme. This is the negative trial described in the trials section on this page.
  9. Abo-Madyan AA, Morsy TA, Motawea SM, et al. Clinical trial of Mirazid in treatment of human fascioliasis, Ezbet El-Bakly (Tamyia Center) Al-Fayoum Governorate. J Egypt Soc Parasitol. 2004;34(3):807-18..PubMedUsed to support: Uncontrolled field study in Al-Fayoum, Egypt: 1,019 people were screened, fascioliasis prevalence was 1.7 percent, and those infected received 600 mg of myrrh resin daily for 6 days, with reported parasitological cure of 88.2 percent at 2 months and 94.1 percent at 3 months. There was no comparison group and no blinding, and randomized trials by independent groups did not reproduce it. It is the source of the widely repeated 88 to 94 percent cure figure for myrrh in fascioliasis.
  10. Danso-Appiah A, Olliaro PL, Donegan S, et al. Drugs for treating Schistosoma mansoni infection. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;2013(2):CD000528..PubMedUsed to support: Cochrane review of 52 randomized trials and 10,269 participants on drugs for Schistosoma mansoni infection, concluding that praziquantel at 40 mg/kg is the standard treatment consistent with the evidence and that oxamniquine also appears effective. Myrrh is not among the treatments the review supports, which is the clearest available statement of where myrrh stands in current practice for parasitic infection.
  11. Langhorst J, Varnhagen I, Schneider SB, et al. Randomised clinical trial: a herbal preparation of myrrh, chamomile and coffee charcoal compared with mesalazine in maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis--a double-blind, double-dummy study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013;38(5):490-500..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, double-dummy trial over 12 months in 96 people with ulcerative colitis in remission, comparing a herbal preparation of myrrh, chamomile flower extract and coffee charcoal against the standard drug mesalazine. Colitis activity scores did not differ significantly and tolerability was good, but relapse occurred in 53 percent on the herbal preparation against 45 percent on mesalazine, and there was no placebo group, so the trial shows the combination was not clearly worse than mesalazine rather than showing that it works. Myrrh was one of three ingredients, so the result cannot be credited to myrrh alone. This is the strongest human evidence behind the gut and anti-inflammatory categories.
  12. Albrecht U, Müller V, Schneider B, et al. Efficacy and safety of a herbal medicinal product containing myrrh, chamomile and coffee charcoal for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders: a non-interventional study. BMJ Open Gastroenterol. 2014;1(1):e000015..PubMedUsed to support: Uncontrolled observational study of 1,062 patients aged 12 and over with acute diarrhoea from inflammatory gut disorders, inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome, treated with a licensed myrrh, chamomile and coffee charcoal preparation: symptom scores fell in every treatment group and tolerability was good. With no control group and no blinding, improvement cannot be separated from natural recovery from acute diarrhoea, and myrrh was again only one of three ingredients.
  13. Rosenthal R, Luettig J, Hering NA, et al. Myrrh exerts barrier-stabilising and -protective effects in HT-29/B6 and Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2017;32(5):623-634..PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory study in two human colon cell layers showing that myrrh on its own tightened the intestinal barrier and reduced the leaky tight-junction protein claudin-2 in Caco-2 cells, and blocked the barrier damage caused by the inflammatory cytokine TNF alpha in HT-29/B6 cells. Cell culture work rather than a human trial, but it is the clearest mechanism for why myrrh itself, and not just the three-herb combination, might be relevant to gut symptoms.
  14. Vafaei H, Ajdari S, Hessami K, et al. Efficacy and safety of myrrh in patients with incomplete abortion: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2020;20(1):145..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 80 women with an incomplete miscarriage: 500 mg of myrrh oleo-gum-resin three times daily for 2 weeks significantly shrank retained tissue and completed the abortion in 82.9 percent against 54.3 percent on placebo. Cited here as a safety finding rather than a benefit. It is direct human evidence that an everyday oral dose of myrrh acts on the pregnant uterus, and it is the basis for the pregnancy warning in the safety section.
  15. Mitsumoto T, Ishii Y, Namiki M, et al. A 90-day subchronic toxicity study of Myrrh in F344 rats. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2021;127:105076..PubMedUsed to support: Ninety-day feeding study in rats at three dose levels: the highest dose suppressed body weight gain and raised relative kidney weight in males, with protein droplets appearing in the proximal tubule epithelium, giving a no-adverse-effect level of roughly 0.85 to 0.95 g per kg of body weight per day. Animal toxicology rather than human safety data, and the doses are far above ordinary supplement intakes, but it is the specific basis for the kidney caution in the safety section.
  16. Al-Jenoobi FI, Alam MA, Al-Mohizea AM, et al. Orally co-administrated oleo-gum resin of Commiphora myrrha decreases the bioavailability of cyclosporine A in rats. Pharmazie. 2015;70(8):549-52..PubMedUsed to support: In rats, eight days of oral myrrh resin reduced blood exposure to the transplant medicine cyclosporine by about 45 percent, with peak levels down 48 percent. An animal pharmacokinetic study rather than a human one, but cyclosporine has a narrow safety margin and losing nearly half the exposure could mean graft rejection, so this belongs in the interactions section.
  17. Al-Romaiyan A, Huang GC, Jones P, et al. Commiphora myrrha stimulates insulin secretion from mouse and human islets of Langerhans. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021;264:113075..PubMedUsed to support: Laboratory study on a beta cell line and on isolated mouse and human pancreatic islets: myrrh resin solution triggered insulin release directly, rapidly and reversibly at both low and stimulating glucose levels, while concentrations above 2 mg/ml killed cells. Isolated tissue rather than people, but it gives a concrete mechanism for the blood sugar cautions in the safety and interactions sections.
  18. Su S, Hua Y, Wang Y, et al. Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of individual and combined extracts from Commiphora myrrha, and Boswellia carterii. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012;139(2):649-56..PubMedUsed to support: Animal study comparing water extracts of myrrh, frankincense and the two combined: myrrh extract reduced formalin-induced paw swelling and prostaglandin E2 production in mice and reduced writhing in a dysmenorrhea model, and the authors concluded the combination may be more useful for inflammatory pain than either resin alone, though myrrh by itself was the stronger of the two against formalin-induced swelling. Mouse work at gram-per-kilogram doses, so it supports the anti-inflammatory mechanism rather than showing an effect in people, and it also shows why myrrh is usually studied alongside frankincense rather than by itself.
  19. Shen T, Li GH, Wang XN, et al. The genus Commiphora: a review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012;142(2):319-30..PubMedUsed to support: Review of the whole Commiphora genus covering traditional uses, more than 300 identified compounds, and pharmacology, noting that reported activities are largely from laboratory and animal work and that poorly identified plant material makes some results hard to reproduce. It is the reference for the distinction this page draws between myrrh, Commiphora molmol, and guggul, Commiphora mukul, whose cholesterol-lowering guggulsterones are characteristic of the other species.
  20. Alnakhli RA, Alqalaleef SS, Alesawi JM, et al. Myrrh in the Management of Periodontal Disease and Gingival Healing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2026;16(1):1-19..PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 studies, including eight randomized trials, of myrrh in periodontal care: pooled results showed a small but statistically significant reduction in dental plaque, no significant effect on gum inflammation or healing, and strong antimicrobial activity only in test-tube work. One animal study showed better early healing but also dose-dependent toxicity with prolonged use. These are rinses and gels applied to the gums, not swallowed supplements, so the finding supports the oral-care use and does not transfer to capsules.
  21. Germano A, Occhipinti A, Barbero F, et al. A Pilot Study on Bioactive Constituents and Analgesic Effects of MyrLiq®, a Commiphora myrrha Extract with a High Furanodiene Content. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017:3804356..PubMedUsed to support: Pilot study in 184 adults with assorted pain complaints, including headache, joint pain, back pain and menstrual cramps, given 200 or 400 mg per day of a standardized furanodiene-rich myrrh extract or placebo capsules for 20 days, with pain relief reported at 400 mg in men and at 200 mg for some complaints in women. Scoring relied on volunteers' recollection of painkillers they had used previously, the results split unexpectedly by sex, and a single branded extract was tested, so this is a starting point rather than established efficacy.
  22. Haffor AS Effect of myrrh (Commiphora molmol) on leukocyte levels before and during healing from gastric ulcer or skin injury. J Immunotoxicol. 2010;7(1):68-75..PubMedUsed to support: Rat study in which myrrh was given in drinking water at 500 mg/kg/day for four weeks before a skin wound or an induced gastric ulcer and for two weeks after: white blood cell counts rose before the injury and stayed elevated through healing, unlike in untreated animals. This is the rat leukocyte study behind the wound-healing claim on this page. A white cell count in a rat is not a healing outcome in a person, and it is not evidence of immune support in humans.
  23. Shokoohi R, Kianbakht S, Faramarzi M, et al. Effects of an Herbal Combination on Glycemic Control and Lipid Profile in Diabetic Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017;22(4):798-804..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in women with hyperlipidemic type 2 diabetes: a 600 mg capsule containing 200 mg of myrrh oleo-gum-resin, 200 mg of guggul and 200 mg of Terminalia chebula fruit extract, taken three times daily for 3 months, significantly lowered fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol and raised HDL cholesterol compared with placebo, while glycated haemoglobin did not change. Myrrh was one of three herbs in the capsule, so its own contribution cannot be separated out, and the participants had diabetes rather than being healthy supplement users. It is the human basis for the blood sugar caution in the safety and interactions sections.
  24. Sheir Z, Nasr AA, Massoud A, et al. A safe, effective, herbal antischistosomal therapy derived from myrrh. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2001;65(6):700-4..PubMedUsed to support: Uncontrolled study in 204 Egyptian patients with schistosomiasis given myrrh at 10 mg/kg/day for 3 days, reporting a 91.7 percent cure rate, rising to about 98 percent overall after non-responders were re-treated for 6 days. This is the original report that launched myrrh as an antiparasitic, and it appeared in a mainstream tropical medicine journal, which is why the claim spread so widely. It had no comparison group and no blinding, and randomized trials published in the same journal by independent groups later found cure rates below 16 percent.