Storax balsam
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
[edit]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
[edit]Storax has a balsamic, floral/lilac, and leathery smell.[8][9][10][11] It and its derivatives (resinoid, essential oil, absolute) are used as flavors and fragrances, as well as in pharmaceuticals (Friar's Balsam).[6][12][13] American storax resin (Liquidambar styraciflua), when used as a gum, is meant to work as a breath freshener and clean teeth.[14]
History
[edit]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.[15]
Multiple rites call for storax in the Graeco-Egyptian Greek Magical Papyri. [16]
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.[17] Ciris mentions storax as a fragrant hair dye.[18] Dioscorides (De materia medica 1.79) reports its use as incense, similar to frankincense, having expectorant and soothing properties.[19] Al-Masudi listed storax gum (mayʿa) as a spice in his book Murūdj al-dhahab (Meadows of Gold), published in the 10th century[20] and Chao Ju-Kuan, a trade commissioner in Fukien province, said in the 13th century that liquid storax gum had come from the Arabs.[21]
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.[22]
In North Africa, for mystical purposes, women burn benzoin and storax in potsherds.[23]
Safety
[edit]Storax resin is "generally regarded as safe" (GRAS) at low levels.[7]
References
[edit]- ↑ 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) - ↑ "Definition of STORAX". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
- ↑ "storax | Definition of storax in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
- ↑ "Storax dictionary definition | storax defined". www.yourdictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
- ↑ "Storax definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
- 1 2 Karl-Georg Fahlbusch; et al. (2007), "Flavors and Fragrances", Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry (7th ed.), Wiley, p. 115
- 1 2 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
- ↑ "styrax resin (liquidambar styraciflua)". Scents and Flavors. Scents and Flavors. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ "styrax (liquidambar orientalis)". Scents and Flavors. Scents and Flavors. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ "styrax oil (liquidambar styraciflua)". Scents and Flavors. Scents and Flavors. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ "styrax absolute (liquidambar orientalis)". Scents and Flavors. Scents and Flavors. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ↑ George A. Burdock (2010), "Styrax", Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients (6th ed.), Taylor & Francis, pp. 1853–1854
- ↑ "Compound Benzoin Tincture", British Pharmacopoeia, vol. 3, 2009
- ↑ James A. Duke (2008), "Benzoin (Styrax benzoin Dryander.)", Duke's Handbook of Medicinal Plants of the Bible, Taylor & Francis, p. 445
- ↑ Henry George Liddell; Robert Scott, eds. (1897), "στύραξ", Greek-English Lexicon (8th ed.), Harper & Brothers, p. 1442
- ↑ The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation. University of Chicago Press. 1985.
- ↑ "styrax", Oxford Latin Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1968, p. 1832
- ↑ "storax", Oxford Latin Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1968, p. 1825
- ↑ 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
- ↑ A. Dietrich (2004), "AFĀWĪH", The Encyclopaedia of Islam, vol. 12 (supplement) (2nd ed.), Brill, pp. 42–43
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Denis H. James; William M. Castor (2007), "Styrene", Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry (7th ed.), Wiley, p. 1
- ↑ D. S. Margoliouth (1997), "ḲĀDIRIYYA", The Encyclopaedia of Islam, vol. 4 (2nd ed.), Brill, pp. 380–383