Greece, Greek Chios (Xios) Mastic Gum (Mastiha or Mastixa) 50 Gr Box New

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One 2007 study found that chewing mastic gum may help prevent cavities. After 15 minutes, people who chewed mastic gum had lower levels of certain bacteria in their mouths. The bacteria levels were even lower after 135 minutes. A placebo did not provide the same results. Producing the mastic resin is a whole-year process for the local growers. The harvest is known as kentos and takes place from the beginning of July to the beginning of October. First, the area around the trees is cleared and sprinkled with inert calcium carbonate. Then, every 4–5 days, 5–10 incisions are made in the bark of each tree to release the resin. As these clear drops hang from the tree, and sparkle in the sunlight, they are said to resemble crystalline teardrops; for this reason, the mastic resin is known as the "tears of Chios". It takes about 15–20 days for the first resin crystals to harden and fall to the ground. The farmers then collect the pieces of dry mastic and wash them in natural spring water, and spend most of the winter cleaning and separating the tears from the sand. This cleaning process is performed by hand and is regulated by the legislative framework of the Mastic Growers' Association. In addition to mastic, mastic oil is also produced. There are several mechanisms by which CMG might affect insulin sensitivity. Oleanonic acid, a component of CMG, has been identified as a PPARγ agonist, and may therefore partly regulate insulin-mediated gene expression via the activation of PPARγ [ 13]. The decrease in HOMA-IR values in the mastic gum groups in our study may thus have occurred via PPARγ. In addition, the activation of PP An infection with H. pylori bacteria is a major risk factor for stomach ulcers. These bacteria may also be a risk factor for stomach cancer.

Balan, K.V.; Demetzos, C.; Prince, J.; Dimas, K.; Cladaras, M.; Han, Z.; Wyche, J.H.; Pantazis, P. Induction of apoptosis in human colon cancer HCT116 cells treated with an extract of the plant product, chios mastic gum. Vivo 2005, 19, 93–102. [ Google Scholar] The collection process begins in mid-August and ends in mid-September. The product is then sieved, washed and carefully cleaned, piece by piece and then marketed. The exploitation of the mastic tree remains the main source of income for the inhabitants of the region.

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Having high cholesterol and high blood sugar levels can increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some small studies suggest that mastic gum could help people improve their levels of both. In modern cosmetology, mastic oil is used as an essential oil for the preparation of perfumes and facial creams. Mastic oil is also used to make toothpastes and soaps. Papada, E.; Amerikanou, C.; Torović, L.; Kalogeropoulos, N.; Tzavara, C.; Forbes, A.; Kaliora, A.C. Plasma free amino acid profile in quiescent Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients orally administered with Mastiha ( Pistacia lentiscus); A randomised clinical trial. Phytomedicine 2019, 56, 40–47. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] [ PubMed][ Green Version] He, M.-L.; Li, A.; Xu, C.-S.; Wang, S.-L.; Zhang, M.-J.; Gu, H.; Yang, Y.-Q.; Tao, H.-H. Mechanisms of antiprostate cancer by gum mastic: NF-κB signal as target 1. Acta Pharmacol. Sin. 2007, 28, 446–452. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] [ PubMed] Ostovan, M.; Fazljou, S.M.B.; Khazraei, H.; Khodaei, M.A.; Torbati, M. The anti-inflammatory effect of Pistacia lentiscus in a rat model of colitis. J. Inflamm. Res. 2020, 13, 369. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] [ PubMed]

This study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the ethics committees of Waseda University (No. 2012-028). Regarding the chemical composition of CMG, poly-β-myrcene (an adhesive and insoluble polymer) constitutes approximately 25% of CMG by weight, and several triterpenoids have also been isolated. Once poly-β-myrcene is removed, the extract can be further separated into an acidic fraction, which contains major triterpenoid acids (e.g. masticadienonic acid, isomasticadienonic oleanonic acid, moronic acid, masticadienolic acid, isomasticadienolic acid, oleanolic acid), and a neutral fraction, which contains neutral triterpenic compounds (e.g. oleanolic aldehyde, 28-norolean-17-en-3-one, tirucallol, β-amyrone, isomasticadienolic aldehyde, dammaradienone). Trace components include verbenone, α-terpinolene, and linalool—which contribute to the mastic oil’s antibacterial activity—and camphene, which has fat-reducing activity [ 15]. Georgiadis et al. [ 16] remarked that CMG’s antibacterial, fat-reducing, and anti-inflammatory activities suggest synergistic effects: “a combination of several compounds is more potent than any single compound on its own.” Paraschos, S.; Mitakou, S.; Skaltsounis, A.-L. Chios Gum Mastic: A Review of its Biological Activities. Curr. Med. Chem. 2012, 19, 2292–2302. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] [ PubMed] Mastiha is, indeed, one of the most seductive spices in the Mediterranean. It is faintly reminiscent of pine and has a deep, almost musky aroma. It is definitely Greece’s most exotic spice.Tsukamoto, T., et al. (2017). Prevention of gastric cancer: Eradication of Helicobacter pylori and beyond. Qiao J, et al. (2010). Mastic alleviates allergic inflammation in asthmatic model mice by inhibiting recruitment of eosinophils. DOI: Papada, E.; Forbes, A.; Amerikanou, C.; Torović, L.; Kalogeropoulos, N.; Tzavara, C.; Triantafillidis, J.K.; Kaliora, A.C. Antioxidative efficacy of a Pistacia lentiscus supplement and its effect on the plasma amino acid profile in inflammatory bowel disease: A Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrients 2018, 10, 1779. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] [ PubMed][ Green Version] in confectionery for the preparation of a large number of sweets, confectionery and aromatic pastries, while in cooking, it gives a distinctive aroma to meat, cheese or as a spice. The most well-known Greek mastic sweets are tsoureki (Greek brioche), Greek loukoumi delight with mastic taste, and mastihopita (a type of pie).

Mastic gum is not an approved cancer treatment, but studies suggest that it may have potential as a cancer-fighting supplement. The usual dosage for this is 1 g per day, divided into three equal doses of 330 mg each. There are several limitations in the assessment of the potential contribution of diet supplements as anticancer agents in vivo, owing to the high heterogenity regarding the clinical course and the underlying signaling of the various types of cancer along with the common co-administration of cytotoxic drugs. On the other hand, the use of food-related components as an add-on weapon to specific types of cancer attracts substantial scientific interest, aiming to enhance the efficacy and the reduce toxicity of conventional treatments. The Chios Mastic Museum offers a permanent exhibition about mastic production on the island, explaining its history and cultivation techniques as well as demonstrating its different uses today. [7] Turkey [ edit ]TEMA Foundation. "Sakız Ağaçlarına Sevgi Aşılıyoruz Projesi'nde yeni bir dönem başlıyor". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14 . Retrieved 2014-06-06. Al-Habbal, M. J., et al. (1984). A double-blind controlled clinical trial of mastic and placebo in the treatment of duodenal ulcer [Abstract]. Doi, K.; Wei, M.; Kitano, M.; Uematsu, N.; Inoue, M.; Wanibuchi, H. Enhancement of preneoplastic lesion yield by Chios Mastic Gum in a rat liver medium-term carcinogenesis bioassay. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 2009, 234, 135–142. [ Google Scholar] [ CrossRef] Mastic is rather characterized by a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity, which extends beyond the H. Pylori eradication that has already been mentioned. This has been known since at least 1995, when the addition of mastic oil In broth cultures was shown to effectively inhibit the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pseudomonas fragi and Salmonella enteritidis. In fact, the inhibitory effect was proportionate to the concentration of the added oil [ 46]. More recent studies have demonstrated a strong antimicrobial action of mastic against Streptococcus species and several other common pharyngeal and ear pathogens, either when administered alone or in combination with antibiotics [ 47]. Moreover, the effective inhibition of numerous periodontal pathogens, without exhibiting any cytotoxic effects towards cells of epithelial or mesenchymal origin, makes mastic gum an ideal antimicrobial factor for oral inflammatory diseases [ 48]. Physical activity has also been shown to affect lipid metabolism. Sakamoto et al. [ 28] reported that aerobic and continuous exercise regimes are needed to improve lipid metabolism. Holloszy et al. [ 29] showed that after 6months of training, 15 male subjects (who did not exercise at all prior to the study) showed a reduction in TG from 208 to 125mg/dL. Physical activity may thus have contributed to the reduction in TG shown by M+PA in the present study. However, there did not appear to be any significant additional benefit of physical activity, with no differences in TG observed between M+PA and M.