The Mastic tree is a perennial shrub usually 2-3 meters high but can grow up to 5 meters. It is the only variety that produces the aromatic ivory colored resin known as "mastiha" or mastic gum. It reaches full development in 40-50 years and lives up to 100 years. The unique soil and climate conditions favored the production of the mastic resin on Chios, a Greek island in North-Eastern Aegean Sea.
According to historical references the Mastic tree was cultivated on Chios since the 1st century and was used for pharmaceutical purposes. The name Chios in the Phoenician language means mastic (mastiha) due to the fact that the resin was only produced by the particular variety which grows only on the island.
The mastiha resin legend
Legend has it that the Romans in 250 AD tried to force Saint Isidore to change his faith. In his attempt to escape he went to the south of Chios. When he saw his prosecutors closing up on him he prayed to God for help and then the trees lowered their branches hiding the saint. This did not save him so his prosecutors caught and decapitated him. The Mastic tree touched by the martyrdom of Saint Isidore started shedding aromatic tears. These tears became the mastic resin.
Uses according to Hippocrates and other ancient physicians
The first historical record is by Herodotus in the 5th century BC. Hippocrates considered the mastic resin a medicine against gynecological conditions. The Greek physician and botanist Discorides, in his treatise "De Materia Medica", referred to the medicinal properties of mastic against conditions of the digestive system. Galen wrote: "the mastic enhances the blood condition, cures chronic coughing, bronchitis and haemoptysis". It is used against snake bites, scabies, stomach and intestinal inflammation and baldness. Pliny and Theophrastus refer to the toning, soothing and antiseptic properties of the mastic resin.
In the Roman era doctors prescribe mastiha in combination with other herbs as medicine.
In the Byzantine, the trade of mastic was a monopoly of the emperor that created high revenues estimated to be as high as 1/5 of the total revenues of the empire. The conquest of Chios by the Genoese (1346-1566) had the main purpose of controlling the mastic resin trade. During the Turkish domination the Mastihohoria villages enjoyed special privileges.
Uses according to tradition
The leaves are excellent food source for domestic animals. To date shepherds use the mastic wood to make crooks and other helpful tools. The flexible mastic ferules are used to make canes, wooden utensils for food while fishermen use the wood to make props for the oars and oarlocks and for the crown of their dip net.
Properties and uses in the 21st century
The mastiha oil is very aromatic with stimulating, antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal properties and no toxic effects. Extensive research has been conducted in regards to the use of the mastic resin in medicine, dentistry, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It has been proven that the chewing of mastiha helps digestion. It prevents the formation of microbial plaque. Surgical stitching that is absorbed by the body is produced from mastic resin. It is extensively used in creams for the treatment of burns and skin conditions. In cosmetic products, when combined with plant oils, mastiha has hydrating, soothing, cooling and antiaging action. Mastic gum has also been used in clinical trials on patients with peptic ulcers; the administration of small doses relieved the pain and healed the stomach in the majority of the patients within 2 weeks. Moreover, there are culinary uses of mastic, for example, in the production of liqueurs and ouzo, biscuits, ice cream, and mastic "sweets of the spoon" served in water known in Greece as "submarine".
Uses... by APIVITA
APIVITA uses mastic in the Whitening Toothpaste with mastic & propolis to protect against caries and gingivitis, prevent the formation of plaque and add to the products flavor.
APIVITA handcare Cream for Dry-Chapped Hands with balsam & mastic helps restore dry and cracked skin, preserve its moisture and improve its texture and elasticity.
Disclaimer: Information on this particular article is intended for information purposes only. It is not the intention of the editor to advise on health care. Please see a medical professional about any health concerns you have.
