Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) comes from myrrh trees that grow in the Red Sea area. From the chemistry of myrrh essential oil we can expect it to have lots of healing properties. It is anti-infectious, antiviral, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, hormone-like, anti-hyperthyroid, and supports the immune system.
How Can Myrrh Aid in Fight Against Cancer?
In 2001 myrrh was found to have anti-cancer properties. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ identified a compound in myrrh actually kills cancer cells in the laboratory showing particular promise for the prevention and treatment of breast and prostate cancer. “As part of a larger search for anticancer compounds from plants, the researchers obtained extracts from a particular species of myrrh plant (Commiphora myrrha) and tested it against a human breast tumor cell line (MCF-7) known to be resistant to anticancer drugs.
Research data indicated that the extract killed all of the cancer cells in laboratory dishes. “Further investigations to isolate the active component of the extract found it to be a unique and previously unknown compound belonging to a class called sesquiterpenoids, which are typically found in natural products. Elemene which is a key component of myrrh oil has been shown to have significant effect on treatment of malignant brain tumors.
How Can Someone Use Myrrh to Fight Cancer?
Myrrh can be diffused, applied topically as well as ingested. When diffusing it, remember that because of the amount of sesquiterpenes, this oil will oxidize every time the bottle is opened, meaning it will become thicker and thicker. You may need to clean your diffuser frequently since it will “gum-up” the cold-air diffuser. Topically, it can be applied “neat” that is undiluted or diluted 50-50 with a good vegetable oil so that it can be massaged into tissues, specifically the breast. When taking internally, myrrh can be placed in veggie capsules and taken with rice milk.