Mastic
Mastic foliage and flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Sapindales Family: Anacardiaceae Genus: Pistacia Species: P. lentiscus
Binomial name
Pistacia lentiscus L.

Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 3–4 m tall, mainly cultivated for its aromatic resin on the Greek island of Chios,^[1]. It is native throughout the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Iberia at the east through southern France and Turkey to Syria and Israel in the west; it is also native on the Canary Islands.^[2] The word mastic derives either from a Phoenician word or from the Greek verb mastichein ("to gnash the teeth", origin of the English word masticate) or massein ("to chew").^[3] Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 926 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta—liverworts Anthocerotophyta—hornworts Bryophyta—mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta—rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta—zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta—clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta—trimerophytes Pteridophyta—ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta—seed ferns Pinophyta—conifers Cycadophyta—cycads Ginkgophyta—ginkgo Gnetophyta—gnetae Magnoliophyta—flowering plants... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also called angiosperms) are the dominant and most familiar group of land plants. ... Orders See text. ... Families See text Sapindales is a botanical name for an order of flowering plants. ... Genera See text Anacardiaceae is a family of flowering plants bearing fruits that are drupes. ... Species Pistacia afghanistania Pistacia atlantica - Betoum Pistacia chinensis - Chinese Pistache Pistacia khinjuk Pistacia lentiscus - Mastic or Lentisco Pistacia mexicana - Mexican Pistache Pistacia terebinthus - Terebinth Pistacia texana - Texas Pistache Pistacia vera - Pistachio Pistacia wienmannifolia Pistacia is a genus of ten species in the family Anacardiaceae, native to the Canary Islands, northwest... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... A broom shrub in flower A shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 6 m tall. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Chios (Greek: , alternative transliterations Khios and Hios, see also List of traditional Greek place names; Ottoman Turkish: صاقيز Sakız; Genoese: Scio) is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea five miles off the Turkish coasts. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. ... Capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 13th  7,447 km²  1. ... Phoenician can mean: The Phoenician ancient civilization The Phoenician alphabet The Phoenician languages This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Mastic resin

A hard, brittle, transparent resin, also known as mastic, is obtained from the tree. The resin is collected by bleeding from small cuts made in the bark. When chewed, the resin becomes bright white and opaque. Insect trapped in resin. ... For other meanings of bark, see Bark (disambiguation). ...

Mastic shrub

Mastic resin is a relatively expensive kind of spice, used in liquors (mastica alcoholic drink) and chewing gum pastilles. It is also a key ingredient in dondurma, a Turkish ice cream, and Turkish puddings granting that confection its unusual texture and bright whiteness. It was the Sultan's privilege to chew mastic, and it was considered to have healing properties. Mastic is also used for pastry making, drinks, baked goods, chewing gum, cosmetics such as toothpaste, and lotions for the hair and skin and perfumes. It is also used in preparation of Turkish Delight. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Spirits redirects here. ... Mastica or Mastic Brandy is an anise-flavored liqueur popular in Bulgaria and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. ... Chewing gum Chewing gum is a type of confectionery which is designed to be chewed rather than swallowed. ... A shopkeeper holds a large mass of salepi dondurma. ... Missing image Ice cream is often served on a stick Boxes of ice cream are often found in stores in a display freezer. ... Pudding can be prepared with a large variety of toppings such as fresh fruit and whipped cream Christmas pudding Dessert pudding In the United Kingdom, and some Commonwealth countries, pudding is the common name for dessert. ... Sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. ... A display of Turkish Delight in Istanbul Turkish Delight, lokum, or loukoum (Greek λουκούμι) is a confection made from starch and sugar. ...

It is used in cooking of many dishes in Egypt, ranging from soup to meats to dessert. It is also chewed as a gum to sooth the stomach.

The resin is harvested from incisions in the main branches of the tree dropping onto specially prepared ground under the branches. The harvesting is done during the summer months between June and September. After the mastic is collected it is washed manually and spread in the sun to dry.

The aromatic flavoured resin, used commercially, come from mastic trees grow in the south of the Greek island of Chios in the Aegean Sea, where it is also known by the name "Chios Tears". Look up Aegean Sea in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Uses

Mastic gum is principally used either as a flavouring or for its gum properties, as in mastic chewing gum. Chios's native drinks, Mastichato, a smooth sweet smelling mastic liqueur and mastic-flavored ouzo, are made from "Chios Tears". In culinary uses, it can also be enjoyed in baking and in sweets such as biscuits, mastic ice cream, and mastic spoon sweets. In its refined form it is also used as the primary ingredient for toothpaste, shampoos and perfumes. Chio Masticha Ouzo and Masticha Liqueur Mastichato Chio (Greek: Μαστιχάτο Χίου; Μαστιχά λικέρ; Ούζο Μαστίχας) also known as Chios Masticha, (mastika, mastichat, mastikha, mastiha) and Masticha Ouzo is a Greek smooth mastic-flavored liqueur made out of resin, the Greek brandy based liqueur is native to the Aegean Island Chios, which is widely known for its... A small souvenir bottle of ouzo Ouzo (ούζο) is a Greek anise-flavored liqueur that is widely consumed in Greece. ... Spoon sweets are sweet preserves, served in a spoon as a gesture of hospitality in the Balkans, the Middle East, and in Russia. ...

People in the Mediterranean region have used mastic as a medicine for gastrointestinal ailments for several thousand years. The first century Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides wrote about the medicinal properties of mastic in his classic treatise De Materia Medica ("About Medical Substances"). Some centuries later by Markellos Empeirikos and Pavlos Eginitis^[3] also noticed the effect of mastic in the digestive system. Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. ... Many plants have traditional medical uses. ... For the Physics term GUT, please refer to Grand unification theory The gastrointestinal or digestive tract, also referred to as the GI tract or the alimentary canal or the gut, is the system of organs within multicellular animals which takes in food, digests it to extract energy and nutrients, and...

Mastic resin

Within the European Union, Chios Mastic production is granted protected designation of origin (PDO) and a protected geographical indication (PGI) name.^[4] The 'Mastichohoria' (mastic-producing villages) are located in the southern part of Chios. Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1496 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1496 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) are geographical indications defined in European Union Law to protect regional foods. ... Protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) are geographical indications defined in European Union Law to protect regional foods. ...

Medicinal use

In recent years, university researchers have provided the scientific evidence for the medicinal properties of mastic. A 1985 study by the University of Thessaloniki and by the Meikai University discovered that mastic can reduce bacterial plaque in the mouth by 41.5 percent. A 1998 study by the University of Athens found that mastic oil has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Another 1998 University of Nottingham study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, claims that mastic can heal peptic ulcers by killing Helicobacter pylori, which causes peptic ulcers, gastritis, and duodenitis. However, a more recent study from 2003 shows that mastic gum has no effect on Helicobacter pylori. Another research from 2003 also shows similar findings. The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, named after the philosopher Aristotle, is the largest university of Greece. ... Improper removal of plaque caused a build up of calculus (dark yellow colour) near the gums on almost all the teeth. ... The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greek: Εθνικόν και Καποδιστριακόν Πανεπιστήμιον Αθηνών), usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is the oldest university in the region of the eastern Mediterranean and has been in continuous operation since its establishment in 1837. ... A benign gastric ulcer (from the antrum) of a gastrectomy specimen. ... Binomial name Helicobacter pylori ((Marshall 1985) Goodwin 1989) Helicobacter pylori is a helical shaped Gram-negative bacterium that colonises the mucus layer of gastric epithelium in the stomach, and also the duodenum when it has undergone gastric metaplasia. ... A benign gastric ulcer (from the antrum) of a gastrectomy specimen. ... Gastritis is inflammation of the gastric mucosa. ... Duodenitis is inflammation of the duodenum. ...

Apart from its medicinal properties and culinary uses, it is also used in cosmetics and high grade varnish. For other uses, see Cosmetic. ... Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Pistacia lentiscus

• Greek cuisine
• Greek food products

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Greek cuisine is the cuisine of Greece and of the Greeks. ... // Greece produces more than 430,000 tons of olive oil annually, and more than 75% of that is extra virgin. ...

References

1. ^ Pistacia lentiscus L. at Mansfeld's Database Taxonomy
2. ^ Pistacia lentiscus distribution at Germplasm Resources Information Network
3. ^ ^{a b} Mastic at e-xios.gr Chios Portal
4. ^ EU PDO/PGI registration

Germplasm Resources Information Network or GRIN is an online software project of National Genetic Resources Program of USDA to provide germplasm information about plants, animals, microbes and invertebrates. ...

External links

• Union of Chios mastic producers
• Chios Rising
• The Magic Tree by Deborah Rothman Sherman, Epikouria Magazine
• Mastic Gum Kills Helicobacter pylori by Farhad U. Huwez, Debbie Thirlwell, Alan Cockayne,Dlawer A.A. Aladeen
• Monotherapy with mastic does not eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection from mice by Michael F. Loughlin, Dlawer A. Ala’Aldeen, and Peter J. Jenks
• Mastic gum has no effect on Helicobacter pylori load in vivo by James R. Bebb, Nathalie Bailey-Flitter1, Dlawer Ala’Aldeen and John C. Atherton
• a pilot study on antiplaque effects of mastic chewing gum in the oral cavity K. Takahashi, M. Fukazawa, H. Motohira, K. Ochiai, H. Nishikawa, T. Miyata, J. Periodontol. 74(4):501-5, Apr 2003.