✵The article gives records of the herb Storax, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Liquidambar orientalis Mill., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Storax, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Styrax(Storax).
Pin Yin Name: Sū Hé Xiānɡ.
English Name: Storax.
Latin Name: Styrax.
Property and flavor: warm, pungent.
Brief introduction: The Herb Styrax is the purified, semi-fluid, viscid balsam obtained from the trunk of Liquidamber orientalis Miller, used as an aromatic stimulant for treating loss of consciousness due to apoplexy, and also for relieving angina pectoris. The herb is commonly known as Styrax, Storax, Storesin, Oriental Sweetgum, Sū Hé Xiānɡ.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics and other famous herbal classics defined the herb Styrax (Storax) as the purified, semi-fluid, viscid balsam (resins) obtained from the trunk of the species (1). Liquidambar orientalis Mill. It is a plant of the Acorus L. genus, the Hamamelidaceae family (witch hazel family) of the Arales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Liquidambar orientalis Mill.
Botanical description: The plant, Liquidambar orientalis Mill is commonly known as Sū Hé Xiāng Shù. Trees, the tree grows up to 10~15 meters tall. Leaves are alternate; with long petioles; stipules (peraphyllum) are small, caducous; Leaf blade is palmately 5-lobed, occasionally 3-lobed or 7-lobed, lobes are oval (egg-shaped), rectangular ovate, or oblong-ovate, the apex is sharp-pointed, the base is cordate, the margin is serrate.
Flowers are small, unisexual, and monoecious; many flowers form a circular capitulum (flower head); and flowerets are yellow-green. The inflorescence of male flowers is racemose; male flowers are achlamydeous (having no perianth), only have bracts, many stamens; anthers are oblong, 2-loculed and longitudinally split; and filaments are short. The inflorescence of female flowers is solitary; pedicels (flower stalks) are pendulous; the perianth is fine and tiny; the pistil has many carpels, the base is connate, the ovary is semi-inferior, 2-loculed, has several ovules, two styles, and is curved.
Infructescence is spheric (globular), about 2.5 cm in diameter; many capsularfruits grow in a cluster; and it has a persistent spinous style; the front tip of capsularfruit is beaked; the tip is dehiscent at maturity. 1 or 2 seeds, narrowly oblong, flattened, and the apical end has wings.
Ecological Environment: The tree likes to grow in fertile, moist soil. The tree originally grows in the southern areas of Asia Minor, such as Turkey and the northern Syria region; it is also introduced and cultivated in the upper reaches of the Zhujiang River, and other southern areas of China.
Growth characteristics: The tree, Liquidambar orientalis Mill prefers to grow in moist and fertile soil.
Characters of herbs: The herb is a semi-fluid spissus liquid, brown or dark-brown, translucent. The texture is viscous, gelatinous when picked up, and seriate. It is heavier than water. The herb has an aromatic fragrance; it tastes bitter and spicy and is sticky to the teeth when chewed. The herb is soluble in 90% ethanol, acetic acid glacial, and slightly soluble in ether. The herb of a better grade is sticky like caramel, delicate, translucent, shredded when picked up, free of impurities, and has a strong fragrance.
Modern uses: In addition to being used as traditional Chinese medicine, storax can also be used as a spice, home fragrance, mosquito, insect repellent, and cosmetic.
Spice: Styrax can be used as a spice, which can remove odor, prevent corruption, and have a good fresh-keeping effect. In the process of food processing, styrax can be added to meat, eggs, and other foods as a condiment, which can add flavor and improve food quality.
Home fragrance: Styrax can be used for home fragrance and is widely used in indoor environments. The fragrance of Styrax can not only eliminate the odor but also improve a person's spirit and mood, thus achieving the purpose of reducing stress.
Anti-mosquito and insect repellent: Styrax could be used as an anti-mosquito and insect repellent. Placing storax indoors can drive away mosquitoes and reduce the occurrence of bites. At the same time, Styrax can also remove the adverse effects of chemical mosquito-repellent products, such as mosquito-repellent incense.
Cosmetics: Styrax has been widely used in cosmetics, such as face cream, hand cream, and other products. The volatile oil components of Styrax can penetrate deep into the skin and promote blood circulation, thus keeping the skin healthy and young.
Pharmacological actions: ①.anti-platelet aggregation; ②.cardiovascular effects; ③.antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.
Medicinal efficacy: Inducing resuscitation, clears the smut, expelling stagnation, eliminating phlegm, promoting the circulation of qi, relieves the pain. It is indicated for apoplexia, phlegm syncope, sudden fainting, convulsive epilepsy (frightened epilepsy), coma with qi disorder and obstructed by cold (syncope resulting from a disorder of vital energy), thoracic obstruction and heartache, cold pain in chest and abdomen, warm malaria (characterized by the patient's running a fever followed by feeling cold), dampness and turbidity with vomiting and dysentery, sudden pain in abdomen and chest, chilblain and scabies, etc.
Administration of Styrax (Sū Hé Xiānɡ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Styrax (Sū Hé Xiānɡ)
TCM Books:
①.Internally: 0.3~1 grams, better prepare to pill, powder; ②.Internally: 0.3~1 grams, prepared to pill, powder;or soup, not add to decoction. Externally:proper amount, dissolve in ethanol or prepare to ointment or liniment, and apply smear.
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions: the herb Styrax should forbidden using in conditions Yin deficiency with excessive fire.
✵The article gives records of the herb Storax, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Liquidambar orientalis Mill., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Storax, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Sū Hé Xiānɡ.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics and other famous herbal classics defined the herb Styrax (Storax) as the purified, semi-fluid, viscid balsam (resins) obtained from the trunk of the species (1). Liquidambar orientalis Mill. It is a plant of the Acorus L. genus, the Hamamelidaceae family (witch hazel family) of the Arales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
Botanical description: The plant, Liquidambar orientalis Mill is commonly known as Sū Hé Xiāng Shù. Trees, the tree grows up to 10~15 meters tall. Leaves are alternate; with long petioles; stipules (peraphyllum) are small, caducous; Leaf blade is palmately 5-lobed, occasionally 3-lobed or 7-lobed, lobes are oval (egg-shaped), rectangular ovate, or oblong-ovate, the apex is sharp-pointed, the base is cordate, the margin is serrate.
Flowers are small, unisexual, and monoecious; many flowers form a circular capitulum (flower head); and flowerets are yellow-green. The inflorescence of male flowers is racemose; male flowers are achlamydeous (having no perianth), only have bracts, many stamens; anthers are oblong, 2-loculed and longitudinally split; and filaments are short. The inflorescence of female flowers is solitary; pedicels (flower stalks) are pendulous; the perianth is fine and tiny; the pistil has many carpels, the base is connate, the ovary is semi-inferior, 2-loculed, has several ovules, two styles, and is curved.
Ecological Environment: The tree likes to grow in fertile, moist soil. The tree originally grows in the southern areas of Asia Minor, such as Turkey and the northern Syria region; it is also introduced and cultivated in the upper reaches of the Zhujiang River, and other southern areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The herb is a semi-fluid spissus liquid, brown or dark-brown, translucent. The texture is viscous, gelatinous when picked up, and seriate. It is heavier than water. The herb has an aromatic fragrance; it tastes bitter and spicy and is sticky to the teeth when chewed. The herb is soluble in 90% ethanol, acetic acid glacial, and slightly soluble in ether. The herb of a better grade is sticky like caramel, delicate, translucent, shredded when picked up, free of impurities, and has a strong fragrance.
Modern uses: In addition to being used as traditional Chinese medicine, storax can also be used as a spice, home fragrance, mosquito, insect repellent, and cosmetic.
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