Essential Nose Opoponax
Commiphora erythraea
Opoponax (sweet myrrh) is the oleoresin of Commiphora guidottii, distinguished from common myrrh by a sweeter, more balsamic-floral profile. Its essential oil is sesquiterpene-rich, with beta-bisabolene, beta-caryophyllene, and furanoeudesma-1,3-diene as key constituents; beta-bisabolene has demonstrated selective cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell lines in vitro.[1] Ethnobotanical and pharmacological studies confirm wound-healing utility, attributed in part to anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity consistent with the broader Commiphora family.[2]
- Also Known As
- Sweet Myrrh, Bisabol Myrrh
- Family
- Resinous
- Perfumery Note
- Base
- Intensity
- Medium
- Extraction
- Steam Distillation
- Plant Parts
- Resin
- Origins
- Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya
- Effect
- Grounding & Centering, Warming & Comforting
- Aroma
- Resinous, Sweet, Balsamic
- Applications
- Perfumery, Aromatherapy
- Price
- $$$$Known as "Sweet Myrrh," it is a wild-harvested resin with a lower yield than standard Myrrh
References
- [1]Beta-Bisabolene, a Sesquiterpene from Opoponax (Commiphora guidottii), Exhibits Cytotoxicity in Breast Cancer Cell Lines — Yeo SK et al. Phytotherapy Research, 2016
- [2]Evaluation of the wound healing property of Commiphora guidottii — Gebrehiwot M et al. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015