In this holiday season, there’s a lot of talk about the three wise men and the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh they brought to the baby Jesus. New laboratory research suggests that one of those gifts, myrrh, may have cholesterol lowering properties.

What exactly is myrrh? Like frankincense, myrrh is a resin (dried sap) derived from trees growing in the Middle East, Somalia and Ethiopia, and also like frankincense, is used today for making incense. In natural healing, its oil is used to treat ulcers, sores and chapped skin.

In ancient Greece, myrrh was carried by soldiers into battle for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and to prevent the spread of gangrene. In ancient Rome it was used as incense at funerals and as an embalming ointment. In the Christmas Bible story, the three kings brought the Christ child gold, symbolizing his royalty, frankincense, symbolizing his divinity, and myrrh, foretelling his death.

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