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Biblical plant with medicinal properties resurrected from 1,000-year-old seed
A long-lost tree species has new life after scientists planted a 1,000-year-old seed found in a cave in the Judean Desert in the 1980s during an archaeological dig.
The approach involved soaking the mysterious Judean Desert seed in water mixed with hormones and fertilizer before planting it in a pot of sterile soil. Based on historical research, Sallon had a hunch that the tree might be the source of what ancient texts from the region, including the Bible, describe as “Judean Balsam” or “Balm of Gilead” — a fragrant resin harvested to make a coveted perfume that was exported around the world at the time. Instead, the team detected some compounds known for their medicinal use, including “guggulterols,” which have been identified from the resin of the related tree species Commiphora wightii as having potential cancer-fighting properties, the study noted.
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