Identification & Quality Standard
Myrrha
Botanical Origin
The oily and gummy resin that seeps from the trunk bark of Commiphora myrrha Engl. (C. molmol Engler) from the family Burseraceae and other trees in the same genus. Often harvested during November to the following February, but also can harvest during June to July, after it is collected, any foreign matter that is present is picked out.
Production Regions
Primarily produced in Somalia, Ethiopia, Arabian Peninsula and India.
Quality Requirements
Superior medicinal material is large, reddish-brown, translucent, with potent and durable aroma, and lack of foreign matter.
Macroscopic Features
Natural mo yao: Irregular granular lumps, uneven size, diameter up to more than 6cm. Externally yellowish-brown or reddish-brown, nearly translucent portion is brownish-black, covered with yellow powder. Hard and brittle texture, crushed surface is uneven, not lustrous, with a distinctively aromatic odor, bitter and slightly acrid taste. Colloid mo yao: Irregular lumps, often clustered together in uneven lumps. Externally dark brown or yellowish-brown, oblique; hard or loose texture, bitter taste and sticky.
