Research on Mice Finds Myrrh to Be a Natural Painkiller : Science File / An exploration of issues and trends affecting science and the environment
From Times staff and wire reports
Why did the three Wise Men bring myrrh to the baby Jesus along with the more obvious gold and frankincense when they arrived on Jan. 6, commonly known as the Epiphany. Perhaps because the material, secreted by shrubs, is a natural painkiller, Italian scientists reported in the journal Nature.
The team placed mice on a warm hot plate and measured how long it took them to register pain by licking their feet. Mice given myrrh lasted nearly 20 minutes, compared to 14.4 minutes for those that did not receive the compound. The researchers have subsequently isolated and identified the painkilling substance.
