Commonly known as:
Plant family:
Genus:
Species:
Opoponax, Bisabol-myrrh and Sweet myrrh
Burseraceae
Commiphora
Commiphora Erethraea, C. guidottii, C. kataf, C. holtiziana and C. pseudopaoli
General Description
Opoponax or sweet myrrh is a cousin of the healing Myrrh—Commiphora Myrrha—with a warm-balsamic and sweet, honey-like aroma. It is a natural oleo-gum-resin like myrrh and frankincense. The color of its resin is brown/white; however, good quality crude botanical resin is dark red. Opoponax has been a component of incense and perfumes since Biblical times. Talking of perfumery in particular, Opoponax qualities from several Commiphora are widely used, especially in oriental fragrances, to impart sweet balsamic note, it’s Common Species are Commiphora Guidotii Chiov and Commiphora Erethraera.
Commiphora guidottii Chiov., it is also known as scented myrrh. It is a yellowish-red sweet-smelling resin. And of its use from Ancient Romans, they used it as incense in temples. It is fairly widespread in Somalia and in adjacent parts of the Ogaden in Ethiopia, and speaking of its export, Somalia is considered the major exporter of scented myrrh.
Commpihora Erethraea var. glabrescens engle resin growing in Somalia, Kenya, E. Ethiopia, and S. Arabia, The Burseraceae trees and shrubs are characterized by resins that are present within the plant tissue from the vertical resin canals and ducts in the bark to the leaf veins.
Extraction Method and Uses
Extraction of the opoponax is done through the tapping of trees just as that of frankincense and myrrh by making incisions in the bark and also by breaking of the twigs. A gum exudes out of these incisions which then solidifies to brown lumps. Opoponax extract is obtained by solvent extraction or steam distillation from the gum exudate of the barks, which includes all types of extracts, tinctures, concretes, resinoids, pomades, absolutes, rectified extracts etc.
While the oil is distilled by dry-distillation or steam-distillation, flash pasteurization etc., it includes all types of essential oils obtained by these methods. Opoponax oil is a useful material in perfumery which is sweet, balsamic and almost effervescent in character. It is mainly used in oriental accords and also gives a sweet lift to chypre fragrances as a top note. Whereas, its absolute is used as base note.
