Studies: ANTIOXIDANT & ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF CHIOS MASTIC

In short: Chios mastic has a long history as a natural antioxidant — it was even used in Egypt in the 1970s to preserve fats and oils. More recently, researchers have investigated its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory, animal and some human studies. This page summarises that research, with citations.

Researchers have examined Chios mastic in relation to LDL oxidation, markers of atherosclerosis, inflammation and overall antioxidant capacity. The key findings are summarised below.

Summary of key studies

In these studies, researchers reported that:

1. 2002 — chewing raw Chios mastic improved saliva’s antioxidant effect on LDL oxidation (in vitro).
2. 2003 — among the resins tested, Chios mastic was the most effective at preventing LDL oxidation (in vitro).
3. 2004 — mastic protected vascular cells from oxidised LDL and reduced markers of atherosclerosis (laboratory).
4. 2005 — mastic showed strong antioxidant activity in oils such as lard and olive oil, especially combined with citric acid.
5. 2009 — in immune cells, mastic reduced nitric oxide and prostaglandins, with antioxidant effects.
6. 2010 — animal studies reported reduced inflammation and good tolerance of high doses.
7. 2011 — in a mouse asthma model, mastic decreased airway inflammation and immune responses.
8. 2011 — mastic indirectly blocked enzymes that produce reactive oxygen species.
9. 2012 — mastic essential oil reduced brain inflammation and oxidative damage in rats.
10. 2014 — encapsulated mastic extract showed improved antioxidant properties in lab tests.
11. 2018 — mastic terpenes appeared in the blood within 30 minutes and were associated with lower oxidised-LDL levels.
12. 2018 — mastic intake changed blood levels of 24 free amino acids, suggesting possible metabolic effects.

Note: Chios mastic is a food supplement, not a substitute for medical treatment. If you are considering mastic for any health purpose, consult your physician first.

References

1. Andrikopoulos N.K. et al. (2002). Biological activity of saliva against in vitro LDL oxidation after chewing commercial chewing gums. Ital. J. Food Sci., 14(3): 279–288.
2. Andrikopoulos N.K. et al. (2003). Biological activity of some naturally occurring resins, gums and pigments against in vitro LDL oxidation. Phytother. Res., 17: 501–507.
3. Dedoussis G.V.Z. et al. (2004). Antiatherogenic effect of Pistacia lentiscus via GSH restoration and downregulation of CD36 mRNA. Atherosclerosis, 174: 293–303.
4. Assimopoulou A.N. et al. (2005). Antioxidant activity of natural resins and bioactive triterpenes in oil substrates. Food Chemistry, 92: 721–727.
5. Zhou L. et al. (2009). Re-evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of mastic using activated macrophages. In Vivo, 23: 583–590.
6. Mahmoudi M. et al. (2010). Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of gum mastic. Eur. Rev. Med. Pharmacol. Sci., 14: 765–769.
7. Qiao J. et al. (2011). Mastic alleviates allergic inflammation in asthmatic model mice… Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., 45: 95–100.
8. Triantafyllou A. et al. (2011). Anti-inflammatory activity of Chios mastic gum is associated with inhibition of TNF-alpha-induced oxidative stress. Nutrition J., 10: 64–72.
9. Quartu M. et al. (2012). Effect of acute administration of Pistacia lentiscus L. essential oil… Lipids Health Dis., 11(8).
10. Gortzi O. et al. (2014). Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Chios mastic gum fractions before and after encapsulation in liposomes. J. Food Process. Technol., 5(8): 355–359.
11. Papada E. et al. (2018). Bioavailability of terpenes and postprandial effect on human antioxidant potential. Mol. Nutr. Food Res., 62(3).
12. Papada E. et al. (2018). Modulation of free amino acid profile in healthy humans administered with mastic terpenes. Nutrients, 10(6): 715.

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