{"id":58925,"date":"2019-10-18T19:46:40","date_gmt":"2019-10-19T02:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/?p=58925"},"modified":"2021-09-20T09:20:20","modified_gmt":"2021-09-20T16:20:20","slug":"mastic-gum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/blog\/mastic-gum\/","title":{"rendered":"5+ Mastic Gum Benefits + Side Effects, Dosage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mastic gum is a sticky substance collected from a shrub found almost exclusively on the Greek Isle of Chios. Studied since antiquity, the Greek physician Hippocrates first described its use for gut disorders. Many other health benefits have been discovered, including its ability to kill the ulcer-causing H. pylori<\/i>. Read on to learn more about how it works, with dosage and side effects.<\/p>\n

What is Mastic Gum?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Mastic gum is a type of sticky substance called resin<\/b>. Various plants produce resin, but mastic gum specifically is obtained from the trunk and stems of an evergreen shrub (Pistacia lentiscus<\/i> var. chia).<\/p>\n

This shrub is mostly found on Chios, an island of the Greek archipelago. Mastic gum is also popularly used to flavor liqueurs, which are called \u201cMastiha\u201d. The liquor is used as a digestive, while this Greek island is the biggest exporter of mastic gum and has earned the nickname \u201cthe Mastic Island\u201d.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, mastic gum has been used for thousands of years in the Mediterranean as a natural remedy for wound healing, pain relief, and various gut disorders. Its use was described by ancient Greek physicians such as Hippocrates.<\/p>\n

Aside from the Ancient Greeks, Roman emperors allegedly used mastic with honey, pepper, and eggs to make spiced wine.<\/p>\n

Currently, it is used in a variety of other ways: from seasoning food to making chewing gum and from perfume to dentistry [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Mastic gum is the sticky resin from an evergreen shrub found on an island in Greece. It is a traditional remedy for wound healing, pain, and gut disorders.<\/div><\/div>\n

Bioactive Components<\/span><\/h3>\n

Mastic gum contains many beneficial bioactive compounds. The main ones are triterpenic acids<\/b> (such as isomasticadienolic acid) and triterpenes<\/b>. These compounds are natural antibiotics<\/a> and strong anti-inflammatories [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

It also contains a large percentage of aromatic<\/b> terpenoids<\/b>: alpha-pinene (40%) as well as beta-pinene, beta-myrcene, limonene, and beta-caryophyllene. Alpha-pinene is also found in conifers, pines, and rosemary<\/a>. It has a strong woody and earthy aroma and is a potent topical antiseptic [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Snapshot<\/span><\/h3>\n

Proponents:<\/h4>\n