Myrrh Preparations and Warnings

Like all herbs, there are some precautions you should take before using myrrh medicinally.

Myrrh Preparations and Dosage


To balance its bitter and harsh flavor, dilute myrrh with water or mix it with other herbs. You can use myrrh as a mouthwash and gargle. For young children with sore throats who cannot yet gargle, place myrrh preparations in a spray bottle and squirt on the tonsils, or swab the tonsils with a cotton swab soaked in myrrh tincture.

Myrrh Gargle
Use this gargle to relieve a sore throat.
  • 1 teaspoon of myrrh tincture or 1/2 teaspoon of powder
  • 1 or 2 cups of water
Dissolve the myrrh tincture or powder in 1 or 2 cups of water. Gargle and swallow the mixture. Repeat every three or four hours until you notice improvement; then reduce the frequency.

Add the myrrh resin to herbal formulas for sore throats and other infections, or dilute with goldenseal and licorice tinctures and rub on the gums with a clean fingertip.

Tincture: Take 1/2 teaspoon, two or three times a day. Note: Do not mix myrrh resin or tincture into water as the resinous extract will come out of the tincture and stick to the sides of the glass of water. This will reduce bacteria in the glass, but it won't help your throat!

Myrrh Precautions and Warnings

Do not exceed recommended doses or frequencies. Use myrrh for several weeks only to treat an infection and then discontinue use. Do not use myrrh during pregnancy.

Side Effects of Myrrh

In small doses, myrrh is usually well tolerated. Larger doses, exceeding 1/2 teaspoon of tincture, or frequent doses of myrrh can promote fever, burning sensations in the throat and bowels, sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea.

To learn more about treating common medical conditions at home, try the following links:
  • For an overview of all of our herbal remedies, go to the main Herbal Remedies page.
  • To learn more about treating medical conditions at home, visit our main Home Remedies page.
  • One of the best things you can do for your health and well being is to make sure you are getting enough of the vital nutrients your body needs. Visit our Vitamins page to learn more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Brett, N.D. is director of the Acupuncture Institute for the University of Bridgeport
, where she also serves on the faculty for the College of Naturopathic Medicine. A recognized leader in her field with an extensive background in treating a wide variety of disorders utilizing nutritional and botanical remedies, Dr. Brett has appeared on WABC TV (NYC) and on Good Morning America to discuss utilizing herbs for health.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

Before engaging in any complementary medical technique, including the use of natural or herbal remedies, you should be aware that many of these techniques have not been evaluated in scientific studies.   Use of these remedies in connection with over the counter or prescription medications can cause severe adverse reactions. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about whether practitioners are required to be professionally licensed. If you plan to visit a practitioner, it is recommended that you choose one who is licensed by a recognized national organization and who abides by the organization's standards. It is always best to speak with your primary health care provider before starting any new therapeutic technique.