Question

The biological name of Indian Bdellium is:

• A. Commiphora mukul
• B. Commiphora berryi
• C. Commiphora wightii
• D. Commiphora molmol

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

The correct option is (C): Commiphora wightii.

Answer 2

Indian Bdellium, an oleo-gum-resin used in traditional medicine and popularly known as guggul, needs to be traced to its correct botanical source among four Commiphora species. Let's look at what each one is actually known for.

1. Commiphora mukul: This name has historically been used loosely for gum-resin producing Commiphora trees in India, but current pharmacognosy references reserve it as an older or overlapping designation rather than the standard accepted binomial for Indian Bdellium.
2. Commiphora berryi: This is a separate Commiphora species found in parts of India, but it is not the species officially recognized as the source of Indian Bdellium (guggul) in pharmacognosy texts.
3. Commiphora wightii: This is the species officially documented as the source of Indian Bdellium, also called guggul. It is a small, thorny, deciduous shrub native to arid regions of India, and its oleo-gum-resin is the material collected and used medicinally under this name.
4. Commiphora molmol: This species is the source of myrrh, an aromatic gum-resin with a distinct, sweeter fragrance profile, used and traded separately from Indian Bdellium.

Since Indian Bdellium as an official drug is documented under Commiphora wightii, that is the biological source named in standard pharmacognosy references.

The correct answer is Commiphora wightii.