Storax
Scientific names: Liquidambar orientalis, Liquidambar styraciflua, Liquidambar macrophylla
Family: Hamamelidaceae
Alternate names: American Storax, American Sweet Gum, Balsam Styracis, Balsamum Styrax Liquidus, Copalm, Copalme, Copalme d'Amérique, Copalme du Levant, Copalme Oriental, Estoraque, Estoraque Liquido, Gum Tree, Levant Storax, Liquidámbar, Liquid Amber, Liquid Storax, Liquidambar, Lu Lu Tong, Opossum Tree, Oriental Sweet Gum, Red Gum, Sigla Tree, Styrax, Sweet Gum, White Gum
Background
Storax is an oily resin (balsam) from Liquidambar orientalis or Liquidambar styraciflua tree trunks. The wood secretes storax when the bark is damaged.
Storax contains chemicals that might have antibacterial effects and reduce swelling. It's obtained by scoring the outer tree bark, then boiling the inner bark in water, and then pressing the inner bark in cold water.
People use storax for stomach pain, eczema, common cold, cough, diarrhea, epilepsy, wound healing, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Don't confuse storax with other products that are also commonly called liquid amber, including succinate and St. John's wort. These are not the same.
Storax contains chemicals that might have antibacterial effects and reduce swelling. It's obtained by scoring the outer tree bark, then boiling the inner bark in water, and then pressing the inner bark in cold water.
People use storax for stomach pain, eczema, common cold, cough, diarrhea, epilepsy, wound healing, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Don't confuse storax with other products that are also commonly called liquid amber, including succinate and St. John's wort. These are not the same.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: Storax is commonly consumed in foods. It is possibly safe when used in appropriate amounts as medicine. Side effects might include diarrhea and rash. But taking large amounts of storax is possibly unsafe and may cause serious side effects.
When applied to the skin: Storax is possibly safe when used on small areas of skin. But it is possibly unsafe when applied to open wounds. This may cause serious side effects, such as kidney damage.
When applied to the skin: Storax is possibly safe when used on small areas of skin. But it is possibly unsafe when applied to open wounds. This may cause serious side effects, such as kidney damage.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if storax is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.Effectiveness
Effective Effectiveness definitions
There is interest in using storax for a number of purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Dosing & administration
There isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of storax might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
It is not known if Storax interacts with any medicines. Before taking Storax, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
vital.ly has licensed monographs from TRC Healthcare.
This monograph was last reviewed on 31/05/2023 10:00:00. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
Natural Medicines disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. No reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. It is unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.
Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
