Abstract
Despite the remarkable development of the medical industry in the current era, herbal products with therapeutic potentials arise as attractive alternative treatments. Consequently, Chios mastiha, a natural, aromatic resin obtained from the trunk and brunches of the mastic tree, has recently gained increasing scientific interest due to its multiple beneficial actions. Chios mastiha is being exclusively produced on the southern part of Chios, a Greek island situated in the northern Aegean Sea, and its therapeutic properties have been known since Greek antiquity. There is now substantial evidence to suggest that mastiha demonstrates a plethora of favorable effects, mainly attributed to the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties of its components. The main use of mastiha nowadays, however, is for the production of natural chewing gum, although an approval by the European Medicines Agency for mild dyspeptic disorders and for inflammations of the skin has been given. The aim of this article is to summarize the most important data about the therapeutic actions of Chios mastiha and discuss future fields for its medical application.
Highlights
Accepted: 26 January 2022Mastiha is a natural, aromatic resin obtained from the trunk and brunches of the mastic tree
The aim of this article is to summarize the most important therapeutic actions of Chios mastiha and discuss scientific evidence supporting the expansion of its medical application
Despite the great progress that has been made on human health and the remarkable ongoing development in medical products, there is an increasing interest, nowadays, for natural supplements that may exert beneficial health effects
Summary
Aromatic resin obtained from the trunk and brunches of the mastic tree It is known as Chios mastic gum, being exclusively produced on the southern part of Chios, a Greek island situated in the northern Aegean Sea. Pistacia species are widespread across the Mediterranean basin and the surrounding regions, mastiha is produced only by the mastic trees grown on the island of Chios, where 24 villages (Mastichochoria in Greek) maintain the region’s cultural heritage and participate in the resin’s production. After the induction of small cuts on the tree’s bark and branches, the resin is produced and collected in “tears” or droplets, which are initially translucent white or pale-yellow, acquiring a more yellowish and opaque color as they age [1]
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