Commiphora Research Articles

English

Disappearance of Commiphora wightii (synonym-Commiphora mukul) over larger areas due to crude and destructive tapping for obtaining more and more oleo-gum resin in the Indian arid zone has attracted the attention of researchers and planners alike. Consequently, placing it in ‘Data Deficient’ category of International Union for Conservation of Nature requires detailed information on its spatial distribution and other related aspects. Many researchers in the recent past have generated enormous information on almost all aspects of C. wightii covering taxonomy, ultrastructure, tapping, regeneration, survival and spread. This information is scattered and needs to be related to the conservation efforts. Hence, we have attempted to review the entire gamut of information in this paper. This has revealed that genus Commiphora has worldwide distribution in tropical-subtropical climates and its other species besides C. wightii also yield oleo-gum resin of export value. Whether this oleo-gum resin has same medicinal properties, as that from C. wightii is yet to be confirmed. Source and location of oleo-gum resin in plant system is well understood: it is synthesized in leaves but placed in phloem. Cuts deeper than phloem injure the plant vasculature, ultimately killing the plant. All research so far has been directed to know how to save it while extracting oleo-gum resin and also increase its population in nature. This review presents a synthesis of all this information to have deeper understanding of the issues concerning sustained yield of oleo-gum-resin as well as its conservation.   Key words: Commiphora wightii, conservation, data deficient, ole-gum-resin, spatial distribution, tapping.

Commiphora: An Introduction to the Genus

Commiphora: An Introduction to the Genus

Rheological, moisture and ash content analyses of a gum resin from Commiphora Africana

A gum resin was isolated from Commiphora africana. In order to assess its application to industry, it was subjected to rheological, moisture and ash content studies. For rheological studies, a rotational viscometer which had the ability to characterize both Newtonian and non-Newtonian systems was used. The gum resins from C. africana exhibited low shear stress even at high concentration of the gum resins. The change in shear stress with temperatures produced almost a linear graph with a gradient of 0.06. In addition, the gum resin from this plant species was affected by the addition of salts and would have little application in formulations that contain salts. The moisture content obtained was 10.6±0.04%.The low level of moisture in this gum resin appeared to be desirable since it will attract little bacterial or fungal growth in the formulation. The ash content was 3.64±0.01%. The present study has demonstrated that this gum has potential as a product for the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries provided further studies are carried out to identify the phytoconstituents in the gum as well as toxicity studies. Key words: Commiphora Africana, gum, rheology, moisture, shear stress, ash content, pharmaceuticals, food industry.

Cytotoxicity activity of extracts and compounds from Commiphora myrrha resin against human gynecologic cancer cells

The purpose of this report is to explore the cytotoxicity effects of extracts and compounds from Commiphora myrrha resin on human gynecologic cancer cells. The results showed that AE (85% EtOH extract), and petroleum ether extract (PE) from C. myrrha significantly inhibited cell proliferation of A2780, SK-OV-3, and Shikawa with dose-dependent relation in vitro. The inhibitory effects of AE and PE on A2708 cell were strongest and the IC50s were 15.8 and 26.91 µg/ml, respectively. The IC50s of AE and PE on Shikawa cell lines were 20.73 and 26.63 µg/ml respectively. Furthermore, nine compounds were isolated and identified from bio-activity guided separation fraction, and were determined the cytotoxicity activity on A2780, SK-OV-3, SiHa cells and Shikawa cells. Compounds 1- 4, 6 and 7 are isolated from this genus for the first time. The compound 6 and 7 exhibited obvious cytotoxicty effects on A2780, SK-OV-3, and Shikawa cancer cells with dose-dependent relationship. The antiprolifirative activity of compound 6 on A2780 cells was most obviously with IC50 46.89 µM. The compound 7 with IC50 26.93 µM inhibited cell growth of SK-OV-3 cells. The determined compounds have never shown antiproliferative activities on SiHa cells. These findings suggested that extracts and compounds from myrrh could be useful for preventing and treating human gynecologic cancer disease. Key words: Commiphora myrrha, cytotoxicity activity, human gynecologic cancer cell lines.

Medicinal properties of Commiphora gileadensis.

Commiphora gileadensis is a plant that was cultivated in ancient times in the land of Israel, particularly in the oases of the Dead Sea Basin — Ein Gedi and Jericho. The plant, also known as balsam, was renowned for the expensive perfume that was produced from it, as well as for exceptional medicinal properties that were attributed to its sap, wood, bark, and seeds. This article presents the historical sources describing these health-related properties and preliminary laboratory studies demonstrating the pharmacological effects of balsam sap. Investigations of the antimicrobial activity of C. gileadensis showed the plant sap inhibitory effect against Bacillus cereus and the blocking of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lectins. These results corroborate the historical sources crediting the usefulness of balsam sap as an antiseptic agent. Key words: Commiphora gileadensis, balsam, resin, perfume, antimicrobial effects.

Phytochemical and antimicrobial studies of Commiphora africana (A. Rich) Engl. root extracts

The crude ethanolic extract of Commiphora africana root was partitioned with n-hexane, chloroform; water and 10% aqueous methanol and screened for chemical constituents and antimicrobial activity. The n-hexane fraction, which was the most bio-active was chromatographed on a column silica gel to give a number of purified components. The components from the n-hexane were found to be active against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. S. aureus(ATCC 13709) was susceptible to fractions C1 - 11 giving zonal inhibition of between 1 - 3 mm. Standard antibiotics - amoxillin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline were compared with the extracts in antimicrobial activity. Key words: Antimicrobial activity, Commiphora africana, phytochemical activity, root extracts.

Myrrh

Since antiquity, the genus Commiphora is composed of more than 200 species, and has been exploited as a natural drug to treat pain, skin infections, inflammatory conditions, diarrhea, and periodontal diseases. In more recent history, products derived from Commiphora myrrha and various other species of Commiphora are becoming recognized to possess significant antiseptic, anesthetic, and antitumor properties. Traditional practice and evidence-based research have supported that these properties are directly attributable to terpenoids (especially furanosesquiterpenes), the active compounds present in myrrh essential oil. More recently, current studies have focused on applying clinical trial methodologies to validate its use as an antineoplastic, an antiparasitic agent, and as an adjunct in healing wounds.

Phenetic study of Northeast and East Tropical African <i>Commiphora</i> species

No Abstract. Keywords : Commiphora ; Phenetic; Sections Ethiop. J. Bio. Sci. Vol. 4 (1) 2005: pp. 27-58

Isolation of E & Z guggulsterones from young aerial stems of Commiphora wightii without destruction of plants

Isolation of E & Z guggulsterones from young aerial stems of Commiphora wightii without destruction of plants

Phylogenetic Relationships in Burseraceae Based on Plastid rps16 Intron Sequences

Summary. The intron of the plastid rpsl6 gene was sequenced for 13 species in 11 genera of Burseraceae and three genera of Anacardiaceae. Parsimony analysis produced just three strongly supported trees. Canarieae and Protieae are shown to be monophyletic with 100% bootstrap support. Bursereae, however, are paraphyletic with two distinct clades corresponding to the subtribes. The hypothesised, but never formally recognised, close association between the genera Garuga and Boswellia is reinforced. The close association between the South American genus Bursera and African genus Commiphora is clearly demonstrated. The position of the recently discovered Beiselia is resolved as a distant sister to the rest of

Furanosesquiterpenes from Commiphora sphaerocarpa and related adulterants of true myrrh

A new furanosesquiterpene, (1 E)-8,12-epoxygermacra-1,7,10,11-tetraen-6-one (3), was isolated from the resin of Commiphora sphaerocarpa together with the known compounds curzerenone (1), furanodienone (2), (1 E)-3-methoxy-8,12-epoxygermacra-1,7,10,11-tetraen-6-one (4), (1(10) E,2 R*,4 R*)-2-methoxy-8,12-epoxygermacra- 1(10),7,11-trien-6-one (5), and dihydropyrocurzerenone (6). Hydrodistillates of the resins of C. sphaerocarpa, C. holtziana, C. kataf and C. myrrha were analysed. The identifications were aided by NMR, GC and GC-MS.

Consequences of frugivore diversity for seed dispersal, seedling establishment and the spatial pattern of seedlings and trees.

Many plants depend on frugivorous animals for the dispersal of their seeds. However, it is only poorly known whether regional differences in frugivore diversity have consequences for seed dispersal, seedling establishment, and the spatial distribution of seedlings and trees. This comparative study of seed dispersal investigated the consequences of regional differences in frugivore diversity for two tree species of the genus Commiphora. C. harveyi was studied in South Africa where avian frugivore diversity is high, C. guillaumini was studied in Madagascar where the avian frugivore community is depauperate. At both study sites, the percentages of handled and dispersed seeds in Commiphora trees were quantified by fruit traps, and visitation rates, seed handling rates and dispersal rates were quantified for each animal species for two consecutive years. Seedlings were mapped and the spatial distribution of trees quantified. At both study sites, fruits were mainly eaten by birds. The total percentage of dispersed seeds in South Africa was significantly higher than in Madagascar (70.8% vs. 7.9%) because there was a lack of effective dispersers that swallowed seeds in Madagascar. Seed dispersal benefit, i.e. the increase in the probability of becoming established as a seedling away from parent trees due to dispersal was much higher in Madagascar (80times higher probability) compared to South Africa (6times higher). Corresponding with the different dispersal percentages, seedlings in South Africa were found at relatively large distances from the nearest Commiphora tree (median distance=21.0m), whereas in Madagascar seedlings were found mostly under and close to the nearest Commiphora tree (median distance=0.9m). Finally, Commiphora trees in the Malagasy study site were clumped, but were more randomly distributed in the South African study site. These results suggest that regional differences in frugivore diversity and behaviour strongly affect seed dispersal of trees, seedling establishment and the spatial distribution of seedlings and trees.

The identity of Leroy's fifth subfamily of the Meliaceae, and a new combination in Commiphora (Burseraceae)

SummaryCheek, M. & Rakotozafy, A.: The identity of Leroy's fifth subfamily of the Meliaceae, and a new combination in Commiphora (Burseraceae). ‐ Taxon 40: 231–237. 1991. ‐ ISSN 0040‐0262.Neomangenotia ankaranensis Leroy, placed by that author in a monotypic subfamily of the Meliaceae on the basis of a single collection made by him from northern Madagascar, has recently been recollected and found to be congeneric with the large, widespread and mainly palaeotropical genus Commiphora (Burseraceae).

LA PRESENCIA DE COMMIPHORA (BURSERACEAE) EN MÉXICO

SummaryThe pollen of Bursera tecomaca (DC.) Standl. and of B. sarcopoda P. G. Wilson notably differs from that of remaining species of Bursera, but shows a striking similarity to the pollen of the akin genus Commiphora, mainly distributed in Africa. Additional morphological characters of these two species suggest also their better placement in Commiphora and therefore the formal transfer is proposed.

Observations on the Genus Commiphora and Its Distribution in Tanganyika Territory

Observations on the Genus Commiphora and Its Distribution in Tanganyika Territory