Pistacia lentiscus

Pistacia lentiscus, also known as mastic tree, is a medicinal plant with a rich history of traditional uses across the Mediterranean region. This evergreen shrub from the Anacardiaceae family has been utilized for various therapeutic purposes for centuries.

Botanical Description and Distribution

Pistacia lentiscus is primarily found in Mediterranean countries including Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Jordan, Israel, Iran, and Turkey. It's an evergreen shrub that produces a valuable resin known as mastic, which has been the focus of much of its medicinal use.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

The medicinal applications of Pistacia lentiscus vary by geographical region:

In Sardinia, Italy: Used for oral cavity inflammation, tooth pain, osteoarthritis, bronchitis, cough, fever, allergies, asthma, ulcerations, gastrointestinal disorders, and wound healing.

In Southern Italy: Applied for mouth inflammation, tooth pain, mycosis, herpes, and as a foot refresher.

In Spain and Central Italy: Used for hypertension and cardiac diseases.

In Tunisia: Employed as an antipyretic, astringent, treatment for eczema, paralysis, antimicrobial agent, and for throat infections, asthma, hypertension, cardiac diseases, diuretic properties, renal stones, jaundice, and gastrointestinal diseases.

In Algeria: Used for stomach ache, dyspepsia, peptic ulcer, diarrhea, and rheumatism.

In Morocco and North Africa: Applied for hypertension, cardiac diseases, and diabetes.

In Jordan: Used to ameliorate jaundice.

In Israel: Used for heartburn and to soothe the stomach.

In Iran: Used to strengthen gum tissue, as a breath deodorizer, brain and liver tonic, and for gastrointestinal ailments.

In Turkey: Applied for throat infections, asthma, eczema, stomach ache, renal stones, paralysis, diarrhea, jaundice, and as an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antipyretic, stimulant, and astringent.

Veterinary Applications

In Sardinia, the wood is used to treat gastrointestinal disorders in domestic animals, while the bark is applied to wounds and skin diseases. In Spain, the leaves are used specifically to treat canine distemper.

Scientific Evidence for Medicinal Properties

Antidiabetic Effects

Recent research has demonstrated significant antidiabetic properties of Pistacia lentiscus:

• In alloxan-induced diabetic mice, hydro-methanolic leaf extract (300 mg/kg) reduced blood glucose levels by 36% and increased plasma insulin levels.
• Crude Pistacia gum (100 mg/kg) showed effectiveness comparable to glibenclamide in maintaining glucose homeostasis.
• Ethanol extracts of leaves and fruits (50 mg/kg and 125 mg/kg) substantially reduced blood glucose levels in STZ-induced diabetic mice, with leaf extracts restoring normal blood glucose values after just two hours.

Antimicrobial Properties

Pistacia lentiscus essential oils have demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity:

• When encapsulated into (2-hydroxypropyl)-beta-cyclodextrin, the essential oils showed enhanced antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli compared to free essential oils.
• The encapsulation improved the oils' aqueous solubility, stability, and penetration ability, resulting in significantly higher antibacterial efficacy.

Industrial and Other Applications

The resin (mastic) obtained from Pistacia lentiscus has numerous applications:

• Used in high-grade varnishes, as a fixative in perfumes, toothpastes, glues, and for embalming.
• Applied to seal the edges of microscope mounts.
• Chewed to preserve teeth and gums.
• Oil from the seeds is used for lighting and soap making.
• The leaves contain up to 19% tannin and are sometimes used as an adulterant of sumac (Rhus coriaria).

Pistacia lentiscus represents a valuable medicinal plant with diverse applications supported by both traditional knowledge and modern scientific research, particularly for its antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.