# Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus)

**Mastiche*; the tears of Chios*

**Known today as.** The resin of *Pistacia lentiscus*, gathered almost only on the Greek island of Chios, in pale, brittle tears.

Kind: Resin & Wood

## What was it used for?

Chewed to sweeten the breath and strengthen the gums; for the stomach and liver; in plasters, and as a varnish.

## What does modern science say?

Mastic gum has shown activity against *Helicobacter pylori* in early studies, and European regulators accept it as a traditional remedy for indigestion.

## Pharmacognosy and toxicology

- **masticadienonic acid**: 
- **alpha-pinene**: 

**Mechanism.** The resin’s triterpenes kill *Helicobacter pylori* in the dish; a small trial found it reduced the bacterium in patients without eradicating it.

**Dose.** No toxicity.

**Standing.** Approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2015 as a traditional remedy for mild dyspepsia and skin inflammation.

## What lore surrounds it?

The English word “masticate” has been linked to it, the gum being chewed.

## What did the older authorities say?

**Dioscorides.** Praises the Chian mastic above all other resins, for the stomach and for the teeth.

## Sources

- Dioscorides, *De materia medica*.
- Pomet, P. (1694). *Histoire générale des drogues* (English, *A Compleat History of Druggs*, 1712).
- Huwez, F. U., et al. (1998). “Mastic gum kills *Helicobacter pylori*.” *New England Journal of Medicine* 339.
- Dabos, K. J., et al. (2010). “The effect of mastic gum on *Helicobacter pylori*: a randomized pilot study.” *Phytomedicine* 17.

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*Mastic.* In *Materia Medica*, edited by B. C. P. Statema. Version 1, revised 2026-09-30. The Thinking Press. https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/mastic

Historical description, not medical advice.