ReviewThe genus Commiphora: A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology
Abstract
Based on a comprehensive summary of traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological and toxicological data on the genus Commiphora, opportunities for the future research and development as well as the genus’ therapeutic potential were presented in this review.
Introduction
The plant resinous exudates, exemplified by frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, Dragon's blood and ferulae resina, are important resources for traditional medicines. Their medicinal functions and usages are recorded in the ancient literature of Egypt, Rome, Greece, and China (Langenheim, 2003, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 2006). Myrrh, originating from Arabia, is the exudates produced by the secretory tissue in the bark of Commiphora species.
The genus Commiphora (Burseraceae) with more than 150 plant species, is distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions, especially occurring in northeastern Africa, southern Arabia and India (Langenheim, 2003, Vollesen, 1989). The plants of Commiphora species are characterized as small trees or shrubs with spinescent branches, pale-gray bark and reddish-brown resinous exudates.
The resinous exudates of the genus Commiphora are commonly used as perfume, incense, or embalming ointment, and their medicinal values have been gradually recognized by humankind (Langenheim, 2003). They are used in indigenous medicines for the treatment of wound, pain, arthritis, fractures, obesity, parasitic infection and gastrointestinal diseases (Al-Harbi et al., 1997, Zhang, 2009, Abdul-Ghani et al., 2009). Diverse secondary metabolites including terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, sugars, lignans, etc. have been discovered in this genus (Hanuš et al., 2005). Antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective and cardiovascular properties of the purified metabolites and the crude extracts have been investigated (El Ashry et al., 2003, Shen and Lou, 2008, Deng, 2007).
The distribution of fifty-one constituents and medical uses of myrrh was reviewed by El Ashry et al (2003). A review covering the chemical aspects of Commiphora species has appeared (Hanuš et al., 2005). Two reviews dealing with the hypolipidemic property of guggul (the resin of Commiphora mukul) has been published (Ulbricht et al., 2005, Sahni et al., 2005). The resin of C. molmol mainly used in Egypt as an antiparasitic agent, its medical use has been summarized recently (Abdul-Ghani et al., 2009, Tonkal and Morsy, 2008). The hypolipidemic property of guggulsterones (Ramawat and Merillon, 2008) and their molecular targets (Shishodia et al., 2008), the bioactive compounds from the genus Commiphora and Boswellia have been reviewed (Shen and Lou, 2008). Plant resins with antimicrobial potential have been summarized, the resin of Commiphora species were included (Termentzi et al., 2011). Different from the writing objectives of above literatures, our review presents a comprehensive and up-to-date report on traditional uses, phytochemical aspects, pharmacological functions and toxicity of this genus. Besides, we focus on the pharmacological data reported since the year of 2000, to provide a probable scope of future research concerning this genus.
Section snippets
Traditional uses
Traditional uses, local names and the main pharmacological activities of some Commiphora species from different regions are listed in Table 1. The most frequently employed and investigated Commiphora species are Commiphora myrrha, C. opobalsamum, C. mukul and C. molmol. The resins of these Commiphora species exhibit diverse therapeutic utilities, such as wound, pain, fracture, mouth ulcer, inflammatory disease, stomach disorders and microbial infection.
The recognition of the therapeutic and
Phytochemical studies
More than 300 molecules have been identified from this genus. The information of isolated metabolites has been provided by El Ashry et al. (2003) and Hanuš et al. (2005), introduced from the points of plant origin and species. In present review important phytochemical regularities and findings since 2005 of this genus are introduced. A comprehensive summary of structures and resources of metabolites classified by structural types was given in Supplementary Data.
With respect to phytochemical
Anti-inflammatory activity
The resin of C. mukul, known as ‘guggul’ in Ayurvedic medicine, has been used for the therapy of arthritis for centuries. A clinical study indicated that the resin extract of C. mukul had significant improvements of osteoarthritis when treated with a dose of 500 mg TID for 1 month (Singh et al., 2003).
The MeOH resin extract of C. mukul demonstrated significant inhibition of NO formation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophages with an IC50 value of about 15 μg/mL (Meselhy, 2003,
Conclusions
The present review discusses the phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of the genus Commiphora, and especially provides a detailed analysis of the literature published since the year of 2000. Terpenoids were regard as the major constituents in this genus, while flavonoids and lignans commonly occurred in the bark or stem. Steroids and polypodane triterpenoids, characteristically present in the resin of C. mukul, might be important chemtaxonomic markers to identify Commiphora plant species
Acknowledgments
This work was financially supported by NNSFC (No. 81001376), GIIFSDU, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No.201104602 and 20100471536), and Postdoctoral Innovation Foundation of Shandong Province (No. 201002018).
References (138)
- et al.
Effect of aqueous extract of Commiphora opobalsamum on blood pressure and heart rate in rats
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
(1997) - et al.
Myrrh and trematodoses in Egypt: an overview of safety, efficacy and effectiveness profiles
Parasitology International
(2009) - et al.
Gastric antiulcer and cytoprotective effect of Commiphora molmol in rats
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
(1997) - et al.
Effect of Commiphora opobalsamum (L.) Engl. (Balessan) on experimental gastric ulcers and secretion in rats
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
(2005) - et al.
Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal herbs in Jordan, the Northern Badia region
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
(2011) - et al.
Oxidative stress and immunotoxic effects of lead and their amelioration with myrrh (Commiphora molmol) emulsion
Food and Chemical Toxicology
(2010) - et al.
Antibacterial activities of some constituents from oleo-gum-resin of Commiphora mukul
Fitoterapia
(2004) - et al.
Seasonal variation in the essential oil composition of Commiphora quadricincta and its effect on the maturation of immature adults of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria
Phytochemistry
(1997) - et al.
Antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activities of alcoholic extract of Commiphora mukul gum resin in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats
Pathophysiology
(2011) - et al.
Drei Neue Furanogermacrene aus Myrrhe
Tetrahedron Letters
(1980)
Furanosesquiterpenes from Commiphora sphaerocarpa and related adulterants of true myrrh
Fitoterapia
Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antifungal furanosesquiterpenoids isolated from Commiphora erythraea (Ehrenb.) Engl. resin
Fitoterapia
Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Commiphora berryi (Arn) Engl bark extract against CCl(4)-induced oxidative damage in rats
Food and Chemical Toxicology
Ethnoveterinary knowledge in pastoral Karamoja, Uganda
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Cytotoxic and cytostatic activity of erlangerins from Commiphora erlangeriana
Toxicon
New triterpenes, myrrhanol A and myrrhanone A, from guggulgum resins, and their potent anti-inflammatory effect on adjuvantinduced air-pouch granuloma of mice
Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry Letter
Evaluation of plants used for antimalarial treatment by the Maasai of Kenya
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Lipoxygenase inhibitory activity of crude bark extracts and isolated compounds from Commiphora berryi
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Guggulsterone, a plant sterol, inhibits NF-κB activation and protects pancreatic beta cells from cytokine toxicity
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
Inhibition of MAP kinases by crude extract and pure compound isolated from Commiphora mukul leads to down regulation of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-2
International Immunopharmacology
Absolute stereostructures of polypodane- and octanordammarane-type triterpenes with nitric oxide production inhibitory activity from guggul-gum resins
Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry
Inhibition of LPS-induced NO production by the oleogum resin of Commiphora wightii and its constituents
Phytochemistry
Evaluation of guggulipid and nimesulide on production of inflammatory mediators and GFAP expression in LPS stimulated rat astrocytoma, cell line (C6)
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Resin from the mukul myrrh tree, guggul, can it be used for treating hypercholesterolemia? A randomized, controlled study
Complementary Therapies in Medicine
The in vitro biological activity of selected South African Commiphora species
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Chemistry of Ayurvedic crude drugs-I: Guggulu (resin from Commiphora mukul)-1: steroidal constituents
Tetrahedron
Chemistry of ayurvedic crude drugs-III: Guggulu (resin from Commiphora mukul)-3 long-chain aliphatic tetrols, a new class of naturally occurring lipids
Tetrahedron
Quenching of singlet molecular oxygen by Commiphora myrrha extracts and menthofuran
Fitoterapia
Toxicity studies in mice of Commiphora molmol oleo-gum-resin
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Gugulipid, an extract of Commiphora whighitii with lipid-lowering properties, has protective effects against streptozotocin-induced memory deficits in mice
Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
Balsamodendron mukul suppresses benzoyl peroxide and ultraviolet light induced tumor promotional events in Swiss mice
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology
Effects of guggulsterone isolated from Commiphora mukul in high fat diet induced diabetic rats
Food and Chemical Toxicology
Guggulsterone inhibits NF-kappaB and IkappaBalpha kinase activation, suppresses expression of anti-apoptotic gene products, and enhances apoptosis
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
Guggulsterone inhibits tumor cell proliferation, induces S-phase arrest, and promotes apoptosis through activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, suppression of Akt pathway, and downregulation of antiapoptotic gene products
Biochemical Pharmacology
Anticarcinogenic effect of Commiphora molmol on solid tumors induced by Ehrlich carcinoma cells in mice
Chemotherapy
Hepatoprotective properties of Commiphora opobalsamum ("Balessan"), a traditional medicinal plant of Saudi Arabia
Drugs under Experimental and Clinical Research
Studies on the pharmacological activities of an ethanol extract of balessan (Commiphora opobalsamum)
Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences
Minor components with smooth muscle relaxing properties from scented myrrh (Commiphora guidotti)
Planta Medica
Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-lipid peroxidation studies on leaves of Commiphora caudata (Wight & Arn.) Engl
Journal of Indian Natural Products and Resources
Terpenoid composition of the wound-induced bark exudate of Commiphora tenuis from Ethiopia
Planta Medica
Antibacterial and antifungal activity of Commiphora swynnertonii (Burt) against selected pathogens of public health importance
Research Journal of Biological Sciences
Anti-coccidial effect of Commiphora molmol in the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus L.)
Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology
Structure of Commiphora mukul gum: Part I—Nature of sugars present & the structure of the aldobiouronic Acid
Indian Journal of Chemistry
Essential oil from the resin of Commiphora mukul
Journal of the Indian Chemical Society
British Herbal Compendium, Volume 1
An extract of Commiphora erythraea: a repellent and toxicant against ticks
Entomología Experimentalis et Applicata
Study on processing technique of myrrha
China Medical Herald
Myrrh mediates haem oxygenase-1 expression to suppress the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophages
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
Gum and resin resources in Isiolo District, Kenya: ethnobotanical and reconnaissance survey
East African Agriculture Forest Journal
Cited by (185)
A Review of the Wound-Healing Properties of Selected Plant Exudates
2023, Journal of Herbal MedicineGreen extraction of Commiphora leptophloeos Mart. – J. B. Gillett aiming to increase the content of hinokinin, an “emerging bioactive”
2023, Sustainable Chemistry and PharmacyAnalytical review of Tiryāq-i-Wabāī – A Unani panacea for the control of COVID-19
2023, Journal of Herbal MedicineCytotoxic sesquiterpenoid dimers from the resin of Commiphora myrrha Engl.
2022, Phytochemistry