Storax balsam

Resin from the genus liquidambar

For the storax tree, see Styrax.

Dry storax

Storax (Latin: storax; Greek: στύραξ, stúrax),[1][2][3][4][5] often commercially sold as styrax, is a natural fragrant resin isolated from the wounded bark of Liquidambar orientalis Mill. (Asia Minor) and Liquidambar styraciflua L. (Eastern US, Mexico, Central America) (Altingiaceae).[6] It is distinct from benzoin (also called "storax"), a similar resin obtained from the Styracaceae plant family.

## Composition

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Purified storax contains about 33–50% storesin, an alcoholic resin, 5–15% cinnamic acid, 5–15% cinnamyl cinnamate, about 10% phenylpropyl cinnamate, as well small amounts of ethyl cinnamate, benzyl cinnamate, and styrene. Some may contain traces of vanillin or triterpenic acids (oleanolic and 3-epioleanolic acids).[7]

## Uses

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Storax has a balsamic, floral/lilac, and leathery smell. It and its derivatives (resinoid, essential oil, absolute) are used as flavors and fragrances, as well as in pharmaceuticals (Friar's Balsam).[6][8][9] American storax resin (Liquidambar styraciflua), when used as a gum, is meant to work as a breath freshener and clean teeth.[10]

## History

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Mnesimachus, Aristotle, Theophrastus (Historia Plantarum), Herodotus, and Strabo mention the storax tree and its balsam. In ancient Greece, storax also denoted the spike at the lower end of a spearshaft.[11]

Pliny (Historia Naturalis 12.98, 15.26; 24.24) notes the use of storax as a perfume, while Scribonius Largus drank wine flavored with storax.[12] Ciris mentions storax as a fragrant hair dye.[13] Dioscorides (De materia medica 1.79) reports its use as incense, similar to frankincense, having expectorant and soothing properties.[14]

The 10th century Arab historian al-Masudi listed storax gum (mayʿa) as a spice in his book Murūdj al-dhahab (Meadows of Gold).[15]

Chao Ju-Kuan, a 13th century trade commissioner in Fukien province, described liquid storax gum as a product of Ta-shï (the Arabs).[16]

This species originated in the Southern regions of Mesopotamia, present day Iraq and in particular Babylon. Babylonians used it for respiratory related diseases. 8

In the nineteenth century, styrene by distilling storax balm.[17]

In North Africa, for mystical purposes, women burn benzoin and storax in potsherds.[18]

## Safety

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Storax resin is "generally regarded as safe" (GRAS) at low levels.[7]

## References

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1. ^ Company, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing. "The American Heritage Dictionary entry: storax". www.ahdictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-09-20. `{{cite web}}`: `|last=` has generic name (help)
2. ^ "Definition of STORAX". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
3. ^ "storax | Definition of storax in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
4. ^ "Storax dictionary definition | storax defined". www.yourdictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
5. ^ "Storax definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
6. ^ a b Karl-Georg Fahlbusch; et al. (2007), "Flavors and Fragrances", Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry (7th ed.), Wiley, p. 115
7. ^ a b James A. Duke (2008), "Storax (Liquidambar orientalis Mill. and L., Styraciflua L.)", Duke's Handbook of Medicinal Plants of the Bible, Taylor & Francis, pp. 258–259
8. ^ George A. Burdock (2010), "Styrax", Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients (6th ed.), Taylor & Francis, pp. 1853–1854
9. ^ "Compound Benzoin Tincture", British Pharmacopoeia, vol. 3, 2009
10. ^ James A. Duke (2008), "Benzoin (Styrax benzoin Dryander.)", Duke's Handbook of Medicinal Plants of the Bible, Taylor & Francis, p. 445
11. ^ Henry George Liddell; Robert Scott, eds. (1897), "στύραξ", Greek-English Lexicon (8th ed.), Harper & Brothers, p. 1442
12. ^ "styrax", Oxford Latin Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1968, p. 1832
13. ^ "storax", Oxford Latin Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1968, p. 1825
14. ^ Dioscorides (1902), "Styrax", in Julius Berendes (ed.), De materia medica (PDF), PharmaWiki.ch, p. 89, archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24, retrieved 2014-10-10
15. ^ A. Dietrich (2004), "AFĀWĪH", The Encyclopaedia of Islam, vol. 12 (supplement) (2nd ed.), Brill, pp. 42–43
16. ^ Hirth, F.; Rockhill, W. W. (1911). Chau Ju-Kua: His Work on the Chinese and Arab Trade in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries, entitled Chu Fan Chï. Saint Petersburg: Printing Office of Imperial Academy of Sciences. p. 200.
17. ^ Denis H. James; William M. Castor (2007), "Styrene", Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry (7th ed.), Wiley, p. 1
18. ^ D. S. Margoliouth (1997), "ḲĀDIRIYYA", The Encyclopaedia of Islam, vol. 4 (2nd ed.), Brill, pp. 380–383