The scientific name for the Mastic Tree is Pistacia lentiscus which is part of Anacardiacea Family. Also known as the Evergreen Pistacia,it is an evergreen large irregular shrub indigenous to the Mediterranean islands, mainly on the Greek island of Chios. The tree can grow up to 15-25ft with equal or greater spread. With leaves that are evenly-pinnately compounded, dioecious flowers and rare fruits of small red berries that turn black when ripe, the Mastic Tree is really quite a lovely plant.
From this plant, mastic gum, an aromatic resin is obtained and it is this very resin that makes the Mastic a miracle plant.
You see this aromatic resin has many uses that span from cosmetics, culinary, industrial and all the way to medicinal. In the culinary affair, mastic is used as a spice for flavouring or as gum to make mastic chewing gum. In cosmetics, it is used in skin and hair products, lotions, toothpaste and even perfumes. For industrial purposes, mastic is used to produce a prized high quality varnish.
But the real reason why mastic is such a blessing is for the medicinal properties it posses.
Mastic resin chewed as gum has long been used by the Greeks to treat gastrointestinal ailments such as dyspepsia and other disorders of the digestive tract. However, in a recent study more details as to its healing properties were revealed when the Mastic Gum demonstrated how it apparently inhibits growth of H. pylori as well as act as an antibiotic against the bacterium.
H. Pylori is short for Helicobacter pylori, a type of bacteria that researchers believe is responsible for the majority of peptic ulcers. It is also one of the most common chronic bacterial infections of humans and affects most populations throughout the world. A major pathogenic factor in gastroduodenal disease, including chronic type B gastritis duodenal ulcers, and gastric adenocarcinoma, Mastic Gum is a promise of hope to such victims of the bacteria with its antibacterial properties.
And there you have it, another medicinal cure cleverly hidden among the many florae in Mother Nature’s big green garden.
I don’t remember hearing about this tree before, but it sure sounds really great, is it grown anywhere else in the world.
Well the tree is indigenous to Chios, but I do know has been introduced for cultivation in southern California, Gulf States, Italy and Portugal. But I think I’ve also heard that they produce no resin in these climates.
You told us that it is used in all these different applications, but you didn’t say why or what it does (except as a medicine).