Mastic Gum Sources and References

By Zuzka, mastic specialist at Masticlife · Updated October 15, 2026

In short: This page lists the sources behind the information in our mastic gum articles, including a selection of published studies, with direct links. It shows where statements come from and how far they go.

How to read these sources

A source shows that something was studied, assessed or documented. It does not show that a food supplement has a particular effect. One study is not proof, and a regulatory assessment of a herbal medicinal product is not a claim about a food supplement. Mastic is a food supplement, not a medicine.

European Medicines Agency

Assessment report on Pistacia lentiscus L., resina (mastic). European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC), reference EMA/HMPC/46756/2015, dated 2 February 2016. The report assesses mastic resin as a traditional herbal medicinal product. It is a regulatory document for herbal medicines.

Published studies on mastic gum

This is a selection of published studies and reviews on mastic gum (Pistacia lentiscus), with direct links. It is not a complete list. Listing a study does not mean it shows an effect of mastic gum. Many studies are small, some were done in the laboratory or on animals, and results differ between them. One study is not proof, and further research is needed.

Digestive system and Helicobacter pylori

• Huwez FU, Thirlwell D, Cockayne A, Ala’Aldeen DAA. Mastic Gum Kills Helicobacter pylori. The New England Journal of Medicine 1998;339(26):1946. A correction to this item was published later.
• Dabos KJ, Sfika E, Vlatta LJ, Giannikopoulos G. The effect of mastic gum on Helicobacter pylori: a randomized pilot study. Phytomedicine 2010. A pilot study of 52 patients over 14 days.
• Dabos KJ, Sfika E, Vlatta LJ, Frantzi D, Amygdalos GI, Giannikopoulos G. Is Chios mastic gum effective in the treatment of functional dyspepsia? A prospective randomised double-blind placebo controlled trial. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2010. A placebo-controlled trial of 148 patients over 3 weeks.
• Paraschos S, Magiatis P, Mitakou S, et al. In vitro and in vivo activities of Chios mastic gum extracts and constituents against Helicobacter pylori. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2007;51(2):551-559. A laboratory and mouse study.
• Marone P, et al. Bactericidal activity of Pistacia lentiscus mastic gum against Helicobacter pylori. Journal of Chemotherapy 2001;13(6):611-614. A laboratory study.
• Kottakis F, Kouzi-Koliakou K, Pendas S, et al. Effects of mastic gum Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia on innate cellular immune effectors. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology 2009.
• Al-Habbal MJ, et al. A double-blind controlled clinical trial of mastiha and placebo in the treatment of duodenal ulcer. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology 1984.
• Huwez FU, Al-Habbal MJ. Mastiha in treatment of benign gastric ulcer. Gastroenterologia Japonica 1986.
• Kant R, Singh A, Raina R, Dhingra V, Bairwa M, Kanwar V. Real-world safety and effectiveness of Pistacia lentiscus (mastic gum) in patients with diabetic gastroparesis: 24-week interim analysis postintervention. Indian Journal of Pharmacology 2024.

Inflammatory bowel disease

• Kaliora AC, Stathopoulou MG, Triantafillidis JK, Dedoussis GV, Andrikopoulos NK. Chios mastic treatment of patients with active Crohn’s disease. World Journal of Gastroenterology 2007;13(5):748-753. A pilot study of 10 patients over 4 weeks, without a placebo group.
• Papada E, Forbes A, Amerikanou C, et al. 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(11):1779. A placebo-controlled trial of 60 patients over 3 months.
• Papada E, Gioxari A, Amerikanou C, et al. Regulation of faecal biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease patients treated with oral mastiha (Pistacia lentiscus) supplement: A double-blind and placebo-controlled randomised trial. Phytotherapy Research 2019.

Cholesterol, blood pressure and liver

• Triantafyllou A, Chaviaras N, Sergentanis TN, Protopapa E, Tsaknis J. Chios mastic gum modulates serum biochemical parameters in a human population. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2007. A study of 133 subjects.
• Kartalis A, Didagelos M, Georgiadis I, et al. Effects of Chios mastic gum on cholesterol and glucose levels of healthy volunteers: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, pilot study (CHIOS-MASTIHA). European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 2016.
• Gioxari A, Amerikanou C, Valsamidou E, et al. Chios mastiha essential oil exhibits antihypertensive, hypolipidemic and anti-obesity effects in metabolically unhealthy adults, a randomized controlled trial. Pharmacological Research 2023.
• Amerikanou C, Kanoni S, Kaliora AC, et al. Effect of Mastiha supplementation on NAFLD: The MAST4HEALTH Randomised, Controlled Trial. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research 2021.

Oral health

• Takahashi K, Fukazawa M, Motohira H, Ochiai K, Nishikawa H, Miyata T. A pilot study on antiplaque effects of mastic chewing gum in the oral cavity. Journal of Periodontology 2003.
• Alexiou A, Mylonopoulou IM, Papageorgiou S, Papaioannou W, Sifakakis I. The effect of Chios mastic toothpaste on halitosis and oral hygiene in orthodontic patients: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Breath Research 2025.

Reviews

• Soulaidopoulos S, Tsiogka A, Chrysohoou C, et al. Overview of Chios Mastic Gum (Pistacia lentiscus) Effects on Human Health. Nutrients 2022;14(3):590. The review states that most evidence comes from animal and laboratory studies and that human data are limited.
• Alwadi M, Sidhu A, Khaled MB, et al. Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) gum and oral health: a state-of-the-art review of the literature. Journal of Natural Medicines 2023;77:430-445.

Other

• Vojdani A, Vojdani C. Immune reactivities against gums. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 2015.
• Park J, Huh KY, Chung JY, Yu KS. Methodology for Assessing Patient Centricity and Data Integrity in Clinical Trials With Decentralized Elements: A Pilot Trial on Mastic Gum. Clinical and Translational Science 2025.

More references are listed on our page list of used literature.

Origin and cultural heritage

• Know-how of cultivating mastic on the island of Chios. UNESCO, Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, inscribed in 2014. See also our page on mastic and UNESCO.
• Masticha Chiou (Chios Mastix). Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), application document in the EU geographical indications register. See also our page on mastic as a PDO product.

Historical references

Dioscorides, De Materia Medica (“On Medicinal Materials”), 1st century. Background: Pedanius Dioscorides. Historical uses are mentioned for context only. Under EU food-supplement rules we do not describe them as benefits.

Names and etymology

Used on our page Other names of mastic.

• Wiktionary: mastic (etymology: Latin mastiche, Ancient Greek μαστίχη) and Wikipedia: Gum mastic (etymology, “Tears of Chios”).
• Rekhta Dictionary: mastakii (Hindi मस्तकी, Urdu مصطکی, Arabic origin).
• Wikipedia: Tragacanth (gond katira, genus Astragalus).
• Names in other languages, as titles of Wikipedia articles on the resin: German, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Czech, Polish, Dutch, Russian, Arabic, Chinese.

Company documents

• Allergen statement for Chios mastic gum (PDF, 2014)
• Gluten-free statement for Chios mastic gum