Storax balsam
Storax, often commercially sold as styrax, is a natural fragrant resin isolated from the wounded bark of Liquidambar orientalis Mill. and Liquidambar styraciflua L. . It is distinct from benzoin, a similar resin obtained from the Styracaceae plant family.
Composition
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.Uses
Storax has a balsamic, floral/lilac, and leathery smell. It and its derivatives are used as flavors and fragrances, as well as in pharmaceuticals. American storax resin, when used as a gum, is meant to work as a breath freshener and clean teeth.History
Mnesimachus, Aristotle, Theophrastus, 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.Multiple rites call for storax in the Graeco-Egyptian Greek Magical Papyri.
Pliny notes the use of storax as a perfume, while Scribonius Largus drank wine flavored with storax. Ciris mentions storax as a fragrant hair dye. Dioscorides reports its use as incense, similar to frankincense, having expectorant and soothing properties. Al-Masudi listed storax gum as a spice in his book Murūdj al-dhahab, published in the 10th century and Chao Ju-Kuan, a trade commissioner in Fukien province, said in the 13th century that liquid storax gum had come from the Arabs.
This species originated in the Southern regions of Mesopotamia, present day Iraq and in particular Babylon. Babylonians used it for respiratory related diseases.
In the nineteenth century, styrene by distilling storax balm.
In North Africa, for mystical purposes, women burn benzoin and storax in potsherds.