Essential oil

Cistus (Cistus Incanus / Creticus) essential oil comes from a rose that has a soft, honey-like scent. It is believed to be the biblical Rose of Sharon. Calming and uplifting, it is helpful for meditating and counseling. As a dietary supplement, it also helps maintain healthy lung function.

order on line Labdanum Shop

President Obama: H1N1 Is a National Emergency

President Obama declared H1N1 flu a national emergency on Saturday in order to help overwhelmed health-care facilities absorb the surge of new patients with the flu. Obama’s proclamation allows the secretary of Health to approve individual waivers that will exempt hospitals and other medical facilities from certain daily regulations that get in the way of treating the flu quickly and effectively. (The waivers must still be requested individually by hospitals.) The Obama administration said that elevating the pandemic to national-emergency status has nothing to do with new medical information about the flu’s threats, but rather is meant to make things easier for hospitals and other health-care facilities. "The H1N1 is moving rapidly, as expected. By the time regions or health-care systems recognize they are becoming overburdened, they need to implement disaster plans quickly," said White House spokesman Reid Cherlin.]

Read it at The Washington Post

Crete Products : Health Benefits of Olive Oil.

The health benefits of olive oil have been recognised by many ancient physicians like Hippocrates, Galen, Dioscorides, and Diocles. In recent years, modern doctors and nutritionists have realised that extra virgin olive oil, particularly, contributes significant nutritional value to human health.

You should not be too surprised if you read that people in the Mediterranean region, where the bulk of olive oil is produced and enthusiastically consumed, have reaped immense health benefits from olive oil.
Olive Oil and Cholesterol

* Researchers at the University of Minnesota, for one, have discovered that while Greek, Cretan and other Mediterranean men consumed almost as much dietary fat as Americans, they had much lower rates of heart disease. The difference was attributed to the Mediterranean’s consumption of extra virgin olive oil, which is largely monounsaturated fat.
* Researchers at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain found in a study that a diet rich in extra virgin olive oil helped to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and, perhaps more importantly, stimulated an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol.
* Researchers at the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands discovered that simply following a low fat diet reduced total cholesterol but HDL cholesterol also declined; in contrast, a high fat diet based on extra virgin olive oil also reduced total cholesterol but HDL cholesterol actually increased.

This is all very good for those concerned about their cholesterol levels, especially the good HDL cholesterol, and the effects on the human circulatory system.

History of Olive Oil in Crete.

Greece is full of olive groves. The Olive Tree, "the tree that feeds the children" according to Sophocles, is the protagonist of the Greek nature and history as olive oil is the protagonist of the Greek diet.

The indigenous olive tree (wild olive tree) first appeared in the eastern Mediterranean but it was in Greece that it was first cultivated. Since then, the presence of the olive tree in the Greek region has been uninterrupted and closely connected with the traditions and the culture of the Greek people.

Olive oil, as it is testified by the fossilized olive trees which are 50,000-60,000 thousand years old and were found in the volcanic rocks of Santorini, has always been a distinctive element of the country. Its systematic cultivation started in the pre-historic times - the Stone and Bronze Age.

Olive oil production held a prominent position in the Cretan Minoan and the Mycenaean society and economy as it shown by excavations and findings (earthenware jars, recordings on tablets, remains of oil mills). During the Minoan Period, olives were treated and oil was produced which in turn was stored in earthenware jars and amphorae. Quite often it was exported to the Aegean islands and mainland Greece. Apart from the financial gains, though, the olive tree was worshipped as sacred and its oil, besides being offered to the Gods and the dead, was also used in the production of perfumes, medicine and in daily life as a basic product in diet, lighting and heating.

An undoubted native of Syria and the maritime parts of Asia Minor, its abundance in Greece and the islands of the Archipelago, and the frequent allusions to it by the earliest poets, seem to indicate that the olive tree was there also indigenous; but in localities remote from the Levant it may have escaped from cultivation, reverting more or less to its primitive type. It shows a marked preference for calcareous soils and a partiality for the sea breeze, flourishing with especial luxuriance on the limestone slopes and crags that often form the shores of the Greek peninsula and adjacent islands.

Historical Herbs - Myrrh, Aloes and Reishi

Dr Warwick D Raymont, PhD, DSc, Grad Dip Sc Tech Comm, MACS, MNYAS, DG, OIA “In Nature, God has provided a cure for every ailment known to man.”

Unfortunately, however, the rise and fall of civilisations and the many knowledge-destroying events such as the Spanish Inquisition have decimated the amount of Natural Remedies knowledge in the world. It is only in comparatively recent years that some of this knowledge is being recovered – and has been greatly enhanced by the addition of Asian medicines – Chinese and Ayurvedic stand out among these.
In Biblical times, two herbs that stood out among the others were “Myrrh and Aloes” (1). This earliest reference to these wonderful health and healing herbs dates back about five thousand years.

The name “Myrrh” has, in more recent times, been applied to a tropical Asian plant, Commiphora erythraea or mukul, a related East African plant, Commiphora myrrha, and many other species of Commiphora, all which have a fragrant resin but whose use as an incense dates back only to Roman times and are more commonly known as “False Myrrh” (2). However, contrary to popular belief, this aromatic incense is not the original Biblical Myrrh. The original Myrrh came from the Pink Rockrose or Zistrose, Cistus incanus. Indeed, the original Hebrew of Genesis 37 translates to “Gum of the Cistus”.
This original Myrrh was a valuable spice harvested from the stems of the Rockrose, a resin that was exuded after bruising. Such harvesting must have been extremely labour-intensive, making access to Myrrh something available only to the extremely wealthy. These affluent individuals used the Myrrh in their diet and, as a result, showed remarkably little susceptibility to the plethora of ailments that so affected the general populace.

When the three “Wise Men” of “Kings” attended the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem, they carried with them gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Gold – the most valuable of metals, Frankincense – the most valuable of incenses and Myrrh – the most valuable of spices. This Myrrh was the original Biblical Myrrh, the “Gum of the Cistus” – after all, the Roman Commiphora was simply another aromatic incense, not a spice, and to have given two incenses would have been replication.

Cistus incanus extract stands out in modern medical research for its efficacy as an antioxidant and an anti-viral. Indeed, laboratory testing has shown this herb even to decimate the much-feared H5N1 Bird Flu virus!. It is particularly rich in Polyphenols, a family of natural and powerful antioxidants that scavenge free radicals and toxins and free the body’s immune system to care for itself rather than be “overloaded” trying to cope with a cacophony of twenty-first Century pollutants and toxins that build up inevitably in the body of every living human being (5).

The reference in Genesis mentions also “Aloes”. Aloe vera is also a plant renowned for its healing properties for over 5,000 years of recorded history. Alexander the Great (35-323 BC) used Aloe Vera to soothe and heal his soldiers’ wounds. However, of the 104 known species of Aloe vera, only one stands out as being the richest of all species in active ingredients (mucopolysaccharides and phytonutrients). This is the Aloe vera Barbadensis Miller. The purest, most organically grown of this variety is in a chemically untreated and volcanically rich area of Mexico where a German Company has set up its own huge farm (6). Many other species of Aloe vera contain little or even no active ingredients (7). Indeed, many herbal extracts examined were found to contain little or even no active ingredient whatsoever (7).

There are some US MLM Companies, one in particular (8) that produces tablets based upon the Aloe vera Barbadensis and, through very clever marketing, makes huge profits selling it as Ambrotose® (9), quite correctly claiming that this phytonutrient-rich tablet assists in cell repair and cell regeneration but extending the claims to “inter-cellular communication” referring its clients to some alleged biochemical pathways published in the “Journal of the South West Medical Institute”, a newly established entity curiously sharing the factory address of this company. Its founder, one Samuel L Kaster has quite a questionable past (10).

Of course, the Barbadensis Miller variety, being the richest in phytonutrients, is marketed as a pure drinking gel, a small cup (150mL) of which would probably contain the nutrition of a $240 jar of Mr Kaster’s cleverly marketed Ambrotose.

The third member of the trilogy of historic herbs is the Reishi Mushroom (Ganodermum lucidum), also known in China as Ling Zhi.

Reishi has been coveted as a life-extender, body balancer and aphrodisiac since the Ming Dynasty (1644-1368BC). It is rich in triterpenes, particularly ganodermic acid; these have multiple medical functions, not the least being the inhibition of histamine release (alleviates allergies and asthma), the stimulation of insulin production by a “lazy” pancreas (assists with managing diabetes) (11) and its anti-oncogenic (anti-cancer) properties (12), (13), (14). It has been recently reported that major Pharmaceutical Companies are currently investigating Reishi with the intention of mimicking some of its anti-cancer ingredients to produce an effective anti-cancer drug (15).

Myrrh, Aloes and Reishi promise humanity a vastly improved and healthier life; it is only in recent times that these have been “rediscovered” and made available to the public.

References:
1. Genesis 37, 25.
2. FAO Document Repository Flavours and Fragrances of Plant Origin, Chapter 9, numerous cited references.
3. Refer to websites:
www.raden-saleh.org/Cure4birdflu.html
www.alternative-medicine-software.com/avian_influenza_2.htm www.alibaba.com/manufacturer/14692439/Natural_Tea_Remedy_Against_Avian_Bird_Flu.html
www.curacaowildlife.com/avian-flu-healing.htmn
www.curevents.com/vb/printthread.php?t=61302
www.geryshu.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=127
www.netzwelt.de/lexikon/Vogelgrippe.html
www.thgweb.de/lexikon/Vogelgrippe
4. Goddard, J “The Survivor’s Guide to Bird Flu: The Complementary Medical Approach”, CMA Publications (2005).
5. Raymont, W D “Anti-oxidants – v – Free Radicals – the Fight against Cancer and Coronary Artery Disease” http://www.stolair.com/professionalpapers/antioxidantsfreeradical.html
6. LR International of Ahlen, Germany www.lrworld.com/lrweb/index.php?id=60 Links.
7. Proceedings of the Conference on Herbal Medicine into the new Millennium, conducted at Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 16-18 June, 1999
8. The name Mannatech is cleverly derived from Manna, the food from heaven that fed Moses and the Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness.
9. The name Ambrotose is cleverly derived from the word Ambrosia, the nectar of the gods in Greek classical times.
10. Barron’s Online Monday May 9, 2005 http://online.barrons.com/article_print/SB111542290501327322.html
11. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2004 Feb; 25(2):191-195
12. Refer to websites:
www.reishi.com/cancer.htm
www.intelegen.com/nutrients/reishi.htm
www.ict.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/2/4/358
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14713328&dopt=Abstract
13. Int J Oncol. 2004 May;24(5):1093-1099
14. Integr Cancer Ther. 2003 Dec;2(4):358-364
15. Channel 10 News, Australia, Friday Feb 02, 2007.

Historical Herbs - Myrrh, Aloes and Reishi

Dr Warwick D Raymont, PhD, DSc, Grad Dip Sc Tech Comm, MACS, MNYAS, DG, OIA “In Nature, God has provided a cure for every ailment known to man.”

Unfortunately, however, the rise and fall of civilisations and the many knowledge-destroying events such as the Spanish Inquisition have decimated the amount of Natural Remedies knowledge in the world. It is only in comparatively recent years that some of this knowledge is being recovered – and has been greatly enhanced by the addition of Asian medicines – Chinese and Ayurvedic stand out among these.
In Biblical times, two herbs that stood out among the others were “Myrrh and Aloes” (1). This earliest reference to these wonderful health and healing herbs dates back about five thousand years.

The name “Myrrh” has, in more recent times, been applied to a tropical Asian plant, Commiphora erythraea or mukul, a related East African plant, Commiphora myrrha, and many other species of Commiphora, all which have a fragrant resin but whose use as an incense dates back only to Roman times and are more commonly known as “False Myrrh” (2). However, contrary to popular belief, this aromatic incense is not the original Biblical Myrrh. The original Myrrh came from the Pink Rockrose or Zistrose, Cistus incanus. Indeed, the original Hebrew of Genesis 37 translates to “Gum of the Cistus”.
This original Myrrh was a valuable spice harvested from the stems of the Rockrose, a resin that was exuded after bruising. Such harvesting must have been extremely labour-intensive, making access to Myrrh something available only to the extremely wealthy. These affluent individuals used the Myrrh in their diet and, as a result, showed remarkably little susceptibility to the plethora of ailments that so affected the general populace.

When the three “Wise Men” of “Kings” attended the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem, they carried with them gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Gold – the most valuable of metals, Frankincense – the most valuable of incenses and Myrrh – the most valuable of spices. This Myrrh was the original Biblical Myrrh, the “Gum of the Cistus” – after all, the Roman Commiphora was simply another aromatic incense, not a spice, and to have given two incenses would have been replication.

Cistus incanus extract stands out in modern medical research for its efficacy as an antioxidant and an anti-viral. Indeed, laboratory testing has shown this herb even to decimate the much-feared H5N1 Bird Flu virus!. It is particularly rich in Polyphenols, a family of natural and powerful antioxidants that scavenge free radicals and toxins and free the body’s immune system to care for itself rather than be “overloaded” trying to cope with a cacophony of twenty-first Century pollutants and toxins that build up inevitably in the body of every living human being (5).

The reference in Genesis mentions also “Aloes”. Aloe vera is also a plant renowned for its healing properties for over 5,000 years of recorded history. Alexander the Great (35-323 BC) used Aloe Vera to soothe and heal his soldiers’ wounds. However, of the 104 known species of Aloe vera, only one stands out as being the richest of all species in active ingredients (mucopolysaccharides and phytonutrients). This is the Aloe vera Barbadensis Miller. The purest, most organically grown of this variety is in a chemically untreated and volcanically rich area of Mexico where a German Company has set up its own huge farm (6). Many other species of Aloe vera contain little or even no active ingredients (7). Indeed, many herbal extracts examined were found to contain little or even no active ingredient whatsoever (7).

There are some US MLM Companies, one in particular (8) that produces tablets based upon the Aloe vera Barbadensis and, through very clever marketing, makes huge profits selling it as Ambrotose® (9), quite correctly claiming that this phytonutrient-rich tablet assists in cell repair and cell regeneration but extending the claims to “inter-cellular communication” referring its clients to some alleged biochemical pathways published in the “Journal of the South West Medical Institute”, a newly established entity curiously sharing the factory address of this company. Its founder, one Samuel L Kaster has quite a questionable past (10).

Of course, the Barbadensis Miller variety, being the richest in phytonutrients, is marketed as a pure drinking gel, a small cup (150mL) of which would probably contain the nutrition of a $240 jar of Mr Kaster’s cleverly marketed Ambrotose.

The third member of the trilogy of historic herbs is the Reishi Mushroom (Ganodermum lucidum), also known in China as Ling Zhi.

Reishi has been coveted as a life-extender, body balancer and aphrodisiac since the Ming Dynasty (1644-1368BC). It is rich in triterpenes, particularly ganodermic acid; these have multiple medical functions, not the least being the inhibition of histamine release (alleviates allergies and asthma), the stimulation of insulin production by a “lazy” pancreas (assists with managing diabetes) (11) and its anti-oncogenic (anti-cancer) properties (12), (13), (14). It has been recently reported that major Pharmaceutical Companies are currently investigating Reishi with the intention of mimicking some of its anti-cancer ingredients to produce an effective anti-cancer drug (15).

Myrrh, Aloes and Reishi promise humanity a vastly improved and healthier life; it is only in recent times that these have been “rediscovered” and made available to the public.

References:
1. Genesis 37, 25.
2. FAO Document Repository Flavours and Fragrances of Plant Origin, Chapter 9, numerous cited references.
3. Refer to websites:
www.raden-saleh.org/Cure4birdflu.html
www.alternative-medicine-software.com/avian_influenza_2.htm www.alibaba.com/manufacturer/14692439/Natural_Tea_Remedy_Against_Avian_Bird_Flu.html
www.curacaowildlife.com/avian-flu-healing.htmn
www.curevents.com/vb/printthread.php?t=61302
www.geryshu.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=127
www.netzwelt.de/lexikon/Vogelgrippe.html
www.thgweb.de/lexikon/Vogelgrippe
4. Goddard, J “The Survivor’s Guide to Bird Flu: The Complementary Medical Approach”, CMA Publications (2005).
5. Raymont, W D “Anti-oxidants – v – Free Radicals – the Fight against Cancer and Coronary Artery Disease” http://www.stolair.com/professionalpapers/antioxidantsfreeradical.html
6. LR International of Ahlen, Germany www.lrworld.com/lrweb/index.php?id=60 Links.
7. Proceedings of the Conference on Herbal Medicine into the new Millennium, conducted at Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 16-18 June, 1999
8. The name Mannatech is cleverly derived from Manna, the food from heaven that fed Moses and the Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness.
9. The name Ambrotose is cleverly derived from the word Ambrosia, the nectar of the gods in Greek classical times.
10. Barron’s Online Monday May 9, 2005 http://online.barrons.com/article_print/SB111542290501327322.html
11. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2004 Feb; 25(2):191-195
12. Refer to websites:
www.reishi.com/cancer.htm
www.intelegen.com/nutrients/reishi.htm
www.ict.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/2/4/358
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14713328&dopt=Abstract
13. Int J Oncol. 2004 May;24(5):1093-1099
14. Integr Cancer Ther. 2003 Dec;2(4):358-364
15. Channel 10 News, Australia, Friday Feb 02, 2007.

Holy Botany

Some Plants of the Qu'ran and the Bible

Overview and Recent Research
American Center

Damascus, Syria

31 January 2000

Lytton John Musselman
Mary Payne Hogan Professor of Botany

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0266

lmusselm@odu.edu
................

Olive

Another interesting difference between the plants of the two books is the manner in which the plants are used. Most striking is the olive (Olea europaea). In the Qu'ran, the olive fruit is mentioned as a condiment. Despite the many uses of olive oil in the bible for food, medicine, metal/wood preservative, soap, and illumination(16)-no mention is made of olives being eaten!

....................

Why There May Be No Balm in Gilead

Balm of Gilead is an image familiar to Bible students even though it is mentioned in only two verses. The weeping prophet, as Jeremiah is known, writes in Jeremiah 8:22, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?" What is this product of Gilead?

First, what is Gilead? According to the biblical account in the book of Joshua, Gilead is apparently the region from the middle of the Arnon Gorge (Wadi Mujib) to Mount Hermon (Jebel Al Sheik) with the Jabbok River (Zarqa River) being the middle of the territory. This included the domain of the Ammonites and the Amorites as well as the region known as Bashan. In division of territory to the patriarchs, Gilead was apportioned to the half tribe of Manasseh (the other half remained west of the Jordan River), Reuben, and Gad.

Although a small area in terms of square kilometers, Gilead is diverse stretching from the margins of the Jordan valley and the peaks along the Rift Valley to the edge of the Badia (steppe). In ancient times parts of Gilead were covered with forests. These forests were the southernmost extension of their kind, and the southern extreme of the range of the Aleppo pine. Today, only vestiges of these forests remain. A prime example is Dibbeen National Park.

At Dibbeen and scattered other remnants in the area, the forest is dominated by the Aleppo pine. This tree is familiar to anyone who has visited Jordan because it is widely planted. It probably only formed extensive forests, however, in areas with higher rainfall. Pines are the dominant trees but oak (ballot), pistacia (buttim), and carob (kharrob) are also present.

A feature of the natural pine forest is a distinct stratification of the vegetation. The trees are the upper layer. Much closer to the ground is a layer of shrubs, dominated by two species of the genus Cistus. More on these later. Closer yet to the soil are numerous non-woody plants, many of them in the legume family.

One of the characteristics of plants found in this vegetation type is the presence of essential oils, literally oils that have an essence. Pine would fit this category as would numerous of the understory shrubs. Some, like the legume Ononis, have sticky hairs. Others, like various members of the mint family, lack the sticky hairs but contain oils that are evident when the plant is crushed.

If the forest is degraded through heavy grazing, the oaks will predominate. This sort of forest is evident in the hills north of Ajlon as at Istayfanah. Here, you will not see a distinct stratification although the flora is rich and diverse. In the spring, the forest contains showy plants such as orchids and anemones which are most common at the margins where more light is available.

For me, the most desirable time to visit Dibbeen is in the late spring in the afternoon. Shrubs are still green, some flowers of Cistus are present. After the hot day, resin is obvious on the plants. Pine leaves, Cistus, and various native mints combine to give a sweet fragrance. The long rays of the sun in the late afternoon cast a special light over the forest. The clear, brilliant rays and contrasting shadows create a primeval ambience. It is quiet except for that special, calming sound of a light breeze through the leaves of the pine. In the distance you can sometime hear a shepherd playing his pipe. In a personal sense, this is a balm in Gilead for me!

Two species of Cistus are common in the pine forest, C. creticus and C. salvifolius. They are easily distinguished by their flower color. The large pink flowers of C. creticus and the slightly smaller but equally beautiful white flowers of C. salvifolius appear in May. On a hot day, the fragrant resin of the plants is obvious. Upon closer examination, you can see the numerous hairs that cover the leaves and young stems of both species. The resin will stick to your hands if you collect leaves.

Cistus' resin is fragrant, as noted, and has been used for millennia to produce an incense. Even today, the resin is collected in parts of Greece. It can be harvested in a variety of ways. One ancient method is to comb the hair of goats who graze in plant communities where Cistus is abundant. Another is by dragging a rake with long, leather tines across the shrubs at the hottest time of day and then removing the resin when it is dry. To my knowledge, it does not have any widespread use among modern Arabs.

I have not found any local familiarity with the plants. When some Bedouin near Anjara were asked the value of the plant, they simply replied that it was good forage for sheep and goats indicating why the shrub is absent in heavily grazed areas.

The resin is also used for medicine, as a balm that can reduce inflammation of the skin. Recent research on the biochemistry of the plant has shown the efficacy of compounds in the plant for dermatological disorders.

Other resins extracted from plants in this type of Mediterranean community include mastic. This is derived from the sap of at least two species of the genus Pistacia. The highest quality comes from P. lentiscus on the Greek island of Chios. Such trees may have occurred in Gilead in ancient times. However, there is no documentation for this. Another candidate is the resin of the Aleppo pine which has been used as a pitch and gum. Use of the resin for balm is unknown.

Back to Gilead. Is it possible these species of Cistus were widespread and more common throughout Gilead and used as a medicine? Could this be the balm of Gilead? Again, the weeping prophet in Jeremiah 46: 11: "Go up to Gilead and get balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. But you multiply remedies in vain; there is no healing for you." This implies that Gilead was a special source of the medicine. If so, why was Gilead chosen as a site for harvesting the balm rather than similar areas west of the Jordan? We simply don't know. Nor should we neglect the possibility that the prophet Jeremiah was speaking in a metaphorically way.

What is certain is that the beautiful Cistus shrubs, perhaps the most likely candidate for the balm of Gilead, are much less frequent now then in previous years. This is due to the widespread destruction of the forest type that harbors them. To ensure that future generations of Jordanians can appreciate these attractive members of the indigenous flora, they need to be protected. This can only be done by preserving the forest in which they grow. Otherwise, there will be no balm in Gilead.

Ebay name : labdanum_from_cistuscreticus

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eBay items can be sold either via a silent auction, in which users input the maximum price they are willing to pay and for which the site will automatically increase bids as necessary up to that maximum, or via “Buy it now,” with which they purchase items at a set price.

eBay generates revenue by charging various fees for its service. The auction service (US version) charges the seller $0.20 to $0.80 per listing and up to 12% of the final price. In addition, advertisements may also appear on the website pages.

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Ebay name : labdanum_from_cistuscreticus
PayPal account : ladanum@gmail.com

Cistus Incanus/ Creticus and labdanum Products

Plants in the Bible

by Catholic Encyclopedia

Ladanum, Hebrew lot (D. V. "stacte", A. V. "myrrh," in Genesis 37:25; 43:11), a gum from several plants of the genus Cistus (rock-rose); C. villosus and C. salvifolius are very abundant. In Sirach 24:21, "storax". Hebrew libneh, is the equivalent of Greek stachté, used by Septuagint in the above passages of Gen.; whether ladanum was meant is not clear, as it is frequently the Greek rendering of Hebrew nataf.

A polyphenol rich plant extract, CYSTUS052, exerts anti influenza virus activity in cell culture without toxic side effects or the tendency to induce

Infections with influenza A viruses still pose a major threat to humans and several animal species. The occurrence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of the H5N1 subtype capable to infect and kill humans highlights the urgent need for new and efficient countermeasures against this viral disease. Here we demonstrate that a polyphenol rich extract (CYSTUS052) from the Mediterranean plant Cistus incanus exerts a potent anti-influenza virus activity in A549 or MDCK cell cultures infected with prototype avian and human influenza strains of different subtypes. CYSTUS052 treatment resulted in a reduction of progeny virus titers of up to two logs. At the effective dose of 50 microg/ml the extract did not exhibit apparent harming effects on cell viability, metabolism or proliferation, which is consistent with the fact that these plant extracts are already used in traditional medicine in southern Europe for centuries without any reported complications. Viruses did not develop resistance to CYSTUS052 when compared to amantadine that resulted in the generation of resistant variants after only a few passages. On a molecular basis the protective effect of CYSTUS052 appears to be mainly due to binding of the polymeric polyphenol components of the extract to the virus surface, thereby inhibiting binding of the hemagglutinin to cellular receptors. Thus, a local application of CYSTUS052 at the viral entry routes may be a promising approach that may help to protect from influenza virus infections.

From Site......

What does myrrh mean?

MYRRH DEFINITIONS - 9 definitions found

Websters 1828 Dictionary

Myrrh MYRRH, n. mer. [L. myrrha.] A gum-resin that comes in the form of drops or globules of various colors and sizes, of a pretty strong but agreeable smell, and of a bitter taste. It is imported from Egypt, but chiefly from the southern or eastern parts of Arabia; from what species of tree or plant it is procured, is unknown. As a medicine, it is a good stomachic, antispasmodic and cordial.

WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005)

myrrh n 1: aromatic resin that is burned as incense and used in perfume [syn: myrrh, gum myrrh, sweet cicely]


English Etymology Dictionary
myrrh O.E. myrre, from L. myrrha, from Gk. myrrha, from a Sem. source (cf. Akkadian murru "myrrh," Heb. mor, Ar. murr).

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003)

myrrh noun Etymology: Middle English myrre, from Old English, from Latin myrrha, from Greek, of Semitic origin; akin to Arabic murr myrrh Date: before 12th century a yellowish-brown to reddish-brown aromatic gum resin with a bitter slightly pungent taste obtained from a tree (especially Commiphora abyssinica of the family Burseraceae) of eastern Africa and Arabia; also a mixture of myrrh and labdanum

Oxford English Reference Dictionary

myrrh
1.
n. a gum resin from several trees of the genus Commiphora used, esp. in the Near East, in perfumery, medicine, incense, etc.
Derivatives:
myrrhic adj. myrrhy adj.
Etymology: OE myrra, myrre f. L myrr(h)a f. Gk murra, of Semitic orig.
2.
n. = sweet cicely.
Etymology: L myrris f. Gk murris

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Myrrh \Myrrh\, n. [OE. mirre, OF. mirre, F. myrrhe, L. myrrha, murra, Gr. ?; cf. Ar. murr bitter, also myrrh, Heb. mar bitter.] A gum resin, usually of a yellowish brown or amber color, of an aromatic odor, and a bitter, slightly pungent taste. It is valued for its odor and for its medicinal properties. It exudes from the bark of a shrub of Abyssinia and Arabia, the Balsamodendron Myrrha. The myrrh of the Bible is supposed to have been partly the gum above named, and partly the exudation of species of Cistus, or rockrose. False myrrh. See the Note under Bdellium.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

MYRRH mur: (1) (mor or mowr; Arabic murr]): This substance is mentioned as valuable for its perfume (Ps 45:8; Pr 7:17; So 3:6; 4:14), and as one of the constituents of the holy incense (Ex 30:23; see also So 4:6; 5:1,5,13). Mor is generally identified with the "myrrh" of commerce, the dried gum of a species of balsam (Balsamodendron myrrha). This is a stunted tree growing in Arabia, having a light-gray bark; the gum resin exudes in small tear-like drops which dry to a rich brown or reddish-yellow, brittle substance, with a faint though agreeable smell and a warm, bitter taste. It is still used as medicine (Mr 15:23). On account, however, of the references to "flowing myrrh" (Ex 30:23) and "liquid myrrh" (So 5:5,13), Schweinfurth maintains that mor was not a dried gum but the liquid balsam of Balsamodendron opobalsamum. See BALSAM. Whichever view is correct, it is probable that the smurna, of the New Testament was the same. In Mt 2:11 it is brought by the "Wise men" of the East as an offering to the infant Saviour; in Mr 15:23 it is offered mingled with wine as an anesthetic to the suffering Redeemer, and in Joh 19:39 a "mixture of myrrh and aloes" is brought by Nicodemus to embalm the sacred body. (2) (loT, stakte; translated "myrrh" in Ge 37:25, margin "ladanum"; 43:11): The fragrant resin obtained from some species of cistus and called in Arabic ladham, in Latin ladanum. The cistus or "rock rose" is exceedingly common all over the mountains of Palestine (see BOTANY), the usual varieties being the C. villosus with pink petals, and the C. salviaefolius with white petals. No commerce is done now in Palestine in this substance as of old (Ge 37:25; 43:11), but it is still gathered from various species of cistus, especially C. creticus in the Greek Isles, where it is collected by threshing the plants by a kind of flail from which the sticky mass is scraped off with a knife and rolled into small black balls. In Cyprus at the present time the gum is collected from the beards of the goats that browse on these shrubs, as was done in the days of Herodotus iii.112). E. W. G. Masterman

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

Myrrh Heb. mor. (1.) First mentioned as a principal ingredient in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It formed part of the gifts brought by the wise men from the east, who came to worship the infant Jesus (Matt. 2:11). It was used in embalming (John 19:39), also as a perfume (Esther 2:12; Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17). It was a custom of the Jews to give those who were condemned to death by crucifixion "wine mingled with myrrh" to produce insensibility. This drugged wine was probably partaken of by the two malefactors, but when the Roman soldiers pressed it upon Jesus "he received it not" (Mark 15:23). (See GALL.) This was the gum or viscid white liquid which flows from a tree resembling the acacia, found in Africa and Arabia, the Balsamodendron myrrha of botanists. The "bundle of myrrh" in Cant. 1:13 is rather a "bag" of myrrh or a scent-bag. (2.) Another word _lot_ is also translated "myrrh" (Gen. 37:25; 43:11; R.V., marg., "or ladanum"). What was meant by this word is uncertain. It has been thought to be the chestnut, mastich, stacte, balsam, turpentine, pistachio nut, or the lotus. It is probably correctly rendered by the Latin word ladanum, the Arabic ladan, an aromatic juice of a shrub called the Cistus or rock rose, which has the same qualities, though in a slight degree, of opium, whence a decoction of opium is called laudanum. This plant was indigenous to Syria and Arabia.

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
29 Moby Thesaurus words for "myrrh": ambergris, ambrosia, aromatic, aromatic gum, aromatic water, attar, attar of roses, balm, balm of Gilead, balsam, bay oil, bergamot oil, champaca oil, civet, essence, essential oil, extract, fixative, heliotrope, jasmine oil, lavender oil, musk, myrcia oil, parfum, perfume, perfumery, rose oil, scent, volatile oil

Healing Oils of the Bible

Healing Oils of the Bible

by the people of Biblical times to a number of resinproduclng desert trees and shrubs, which makes identification of Biblical plants difficult and sometimes impossible. Sometimes even balm was confused with myrrh, since both could be referred to simply as "resin" or "aromatic gum" as was also frankincense, galbanum, onycha, cistus, and shittim (also known as gum arablc). The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) doesn't use the word myrrh in Genesis. It uses the words "gum" and "resin."
The Bible word from which the King James Version translated the word "myrrh, was not the Hebrew "mor." King James relied heavily on the fourth century Latin translation of the Bible by St. Jerome (The Vulgate) and not the more ancient texts in Hebrew. In t he Vulgate, the word in Latin was "labdanum" which can mean "myrrh." But in the original Hebrew the word was "lot" which is the resinous Rose of Sharon {Cistus Creticus that Cistus flourishes in Eastern Mediterranean Sea} also called "rock rose" or "cistus." Rock rose produces a medicinal resin and oil with some of the same properties as true myrrh.
It should be pointed out that throughout history oil of myrrh has been often mixed with other oils because of its unique ability to preserve fragrances and potency and make them last longer. Therefore, it is possible that the oil carried by the Midianltes, though most likely the oil of the Rose of Sharon, also contained myrrh as a fixative. So King James' reference to myrrh would not necessarily be incorrect. What the Midianites carried may well have been a mixture of cistus and myrrh.
These points illustrate the difficulty in identifying oils and their species throughout the Bible.

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Name : Labdanum resin from Cistus Creticus.

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MYRRH

Myrrh, aromatic gum resin, of which the true form is obtained from a tree in Africa and Arabia. Although similar trees yield a similar product, the quality is inferior. Myrrh consists of a mixture of resin, gum, and the essential oil myrrhol, which produces the characteristic odor. It has a bitter, pungent taste, and ranges in color from yellowish brown to reddish brown. Myrrh was highly valued in ancient times as an ingredient of perfume and incense and was also used as an ointment. The myrrh mentioned in the Bible (see Psalms 45:8; Song 4:14) is believed to have been a mixture of myrrh and the oleoresin labdanum from plant Cistus Creticus*. One of the three gifts of the Magi to Jesus Christ (see Matthew 2:11) was myrrh. The gum resin was also used as a stimulant tonic and is used today as an antiseptic in mouthwashes and dentifrices.

*Cistus Creticus grows in Eastern Μediterraneo.

Extra Olive Oil.

The most important qualifier for extra virgin classification is the "absence of sensory defects and the presence of some olive fruitiness."

-- International Olive Council

Many factors will determine the flavor of olive oil including age, type of varietal, where it was grown, climate, rainfall, etc. Also, when the olives are picked will have a big influence. Olives picked when more green tend to have a more robust, peppery, pungent flavor. Olives picked when more ripe, tend to have a softer, more buttery flavor. Bitterness and pungency decline as olives ripen, and oil made from ripe olives can have little or none of those qualities. Ripe oils are also less stable, since bitterness and pungency indicate the presence of antioxidants that preserve freshness. The shelf life of a properly stored high polyphenol olive oil can be up to two years. A ripe, low-polyphenol oil can become rancid in half that time. Degree of ripeness is a question of style and a regional or personal preference. It is important to remember that there is a difference between olive oil tasted straight out of a glass and olive oil used on food. The bitterness and pungency of an oil are much less prominent when the oil is paired with the right food.

Anya`s Garden 100% natural perfumes on Fragrantica

By: Elena Knezevic

The exclusive world of natural perfumery is hidden from masses. Its luxurious creations can't be reproduced in thousands of examples, and every drop gleams with multiple facets only natural oil can provide; it's based on living juice and made by hand and from the heart. Natural perfume is the only way to discover the real Nature beauties, and to find out how Perfume was produced and treasured hundreds - and even thousands - years ago.

Anya composes her fragrances of natural oils, essences and tinctures, many of them she makes by herself. Miami (Florida) with its lush vegetation, where Anya's Garden is based, is the right place for the passionate explorer of natural scents. Anya is really imaginative in her work, she doesn't make anything you can call 'ordinary'. She uses such unusual ingredients as goat hair tincture (to create a perfume devoted to the lyrical god, Pan), a tincture of earth (the safest and eternal base!) for her Temple perfume, smoked sea shells for her Fairchild perfume. When using ingredients of animal sources, Anya chooses only cruelty-free essences, such as hyrax.

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Cistus Incanus Essential Oil (Rose Of Sharon)

Cistus Incanus Essential Oil (Rose Of Sharon)

Scientific Name: Cistus Creticus/Incanus

Country of Origin:Northern Crete. (Sises Rethimno)

Distillation Method: Steam Distilled.

Steam Distilled Cistus is considered are rare oil. The "rose of Sharon" is probably the cistus or rock-rose. Mount Carmel abounds in the cistus Incanus. Cistus Essential Oil has a very strong, sweet herbaceous, musky scent. It does not smell like a rose.

Therapeutic Uses: Skin care (mature skin, wrinkles). Colds, coughs, bronchitis etc. Also, widely used as fixative in fragrances.

Online Shop for Cistus Essential Oil and labdanum from Cistus Incanus.

JESUS—ROSE OF SHARON

by Kyle Butt.

The song leader stands before the congregation and announces the number of the next hymn. As you turn the pages, you quickly realize that you know the song—"Jesus, Rose of Sharon." But if you are anything like most of the people singing, truth be told, you do not know what the term "Rose of Sharon" means. So, what does it mean?

This may come as a shock, but the phrase is used only once in the entire Bible, and it does not refer to Jesus. In Song of Solomon 2:1, Solomon’s wife describes herself as the "rose of Sharon." From her description, we can see that it is a complimentary term that expresses beauty.

The word Sharon (also spelled Saron) means a level place or plain, and is found in numerous verses in the Bible, including Acts 9:35 and 1 Chronicles 27:29. In God’s Word, the term is used to describe one of the largest plains in all of the land of Palestine. You can locate this valley by looking just north of the city of Joppa on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

From what we know about the place, the Sharon valley was a fertile plain that was home to many beautiful flowers. Isaiah 35:2 lists Sharon in a context discussing blooming plants and describes the valley as "excellent." Sharon was renowned for its majesty and beauty, but what about its "rose?"

A true rose, like the one sweethearts exchange on Valentine’s day, is probably not what the Bible calls the "rose of Sharon," since these flowers are very uncommon in Palestine. In fact, although no one can say for certain which flower is the actual "rose of Sharon," many scholars think the best guess is the cistus (also known as the rock-rose). The cistus blooms in various parts of the land of Palestine, and in ancient times was known for its soothing aroma and pain-relieving qualities.

No one knows for sure when or why the term "rose of Sharon" was given to Jesus. But some reasons do make good sense. Christ’s healing powers and pain-relieving actions were similar to certain traits of the rock-rose. Is it any wonder that the "Great Physician," Who came to physically heal the sick and spiritually take away the plague of sin from the world, should be given the name of a flower known for its sweet aroma and pain-relieving qualities?