Mastic Oil for ulcers

February 8, 2004

Mastic oil comes from the sap of a rare cousin of the pistachio tree. In ancient times, doctors, including Hippocrates and Galen, prized it for its ability to cure stomach ulcers and gum disease.

Now researchers are beginning to confirm that mastic kills Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for most ulcers in the stomach and small intestine.

For centuries, people of the Mediterranean have cooked with the tree's oil and chewed gum made from its resin to freshen their breath and soothe stomach pains. But it long ago fell out of favor with Western doctors.

"Mastic disappeared from medicine for many centuries because when universities were established, pharmacological knowledge was not included," says John Riddle, PhD, professor of history at North Carolina State University. "Learned men of the time did not trust folk cures based on herbs."

But in 1982 the discovery that H. pylori causes most ulcers in the stomach and small intestine spurred a search for new treatments. Middle Eastern doctors who remembered the ancient remedy decided to test mastic scientifically.

In one such study, reported in the September-October 1984 issue of Clinical Experiments in Pharmacological Physiology, researchers assigned 38 patients with duodenal (intestinal)ulcers to two groups. One group took a gram a day of mastic and the other group took a placebo. Of those taking the mastic, 70% healed, compared with only 22% of the patients taking the placebo. Patients reported no side effects, and further experiments showed that mastic can kill H. pylori in test tubes.

Now John Atherton, MD, a gastroenterologist at Nottingham University, England, is testing mastic in patients known to be infected with H. pylori. "There are a handful of scientific papers from the Middle East showing how mastic cures ulcers and reduces heartburn," says Atherton. "But there are no good studies from the U.S. or from Britain. (And) we want to see if mastic works by killing the bacterium H. pylori or by some other protective action on the stomach."

Some researchers think mastic may ease ulcer symptoms by stimulating the stomach to thicken the lining of mucus that shields it from acid.

The treatment is still virtually unknown in the United States. "We have not heard of that yet," says Jennifer Rittman, communications director for the American College of Gastroenterology. The British herbal products company Goldshield Healthcare sells mastic in British pharmacies under the trade name Mastika and plans to sell the treatment to U.S. customers through its web site (http://www.mastika.com). The company is

marketing mastic as a food supplement because the research is so preliminary that neither the British nor the U.S. government have approved it as a medicine.

A Bargain Treatment

Little research has tested mastic's long-reputed power to fight gum disease; scientists have focused on its potential as an ulcer treatment because ulcers can be deadly, H. pylori increases the risk of gastric cancer, and the standard antibiotic treatments are expensive.

Not only are antibiotics more expensive than mastic, they often cause side effects. And H. pylori is becoming resistant to metronidazole, the current first-choice antibiotic for ulcers in many poor nations. So far, no one has tested mastic and antibiotics head-to-head to see which is most effective for ulcers.

Mastic gum is obtained from a shrub found scattered over the Mediterranean region in Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Turkey, Northern

Africa and the Canary Islands. It’s botanical name is Pistacia lentiscus. The part used is the resinous exudate from the stem.In addition to being a traditional medicinal agent, mastic gum has traditionally been used in the perfume industry and as chewing gum in many cultures. Reported Uses: Mastic gum's main potential benefit involves support of the stomach lining. Studies suggest that mastic may inhibit the growth of H. pylori, a bacterial invader that lives in the mucous of the stomach lining and can lead to stomach ulcers and other complications.Additionally, studies suggest that mastic gum may be able to exert overall protective support for the stomach lining and may provide benefit for patients with stomach ulcers. It may also protect the

body from various fungi and other bacteria. PrecautionsGeneral Precaution: Be sure to tell your pharmacist, doctor or other health care providers about any dietary supplements you are taking. There may be a potential for interactions or side effects. taking. There may be a potential for interactions or side effects. Allergy: Some individuals experience an allergic reaction when taking this dietary supplement. Discontinue use and call your doctor or seek medical attention if you have fast or irregular breathing, skin rash, hives or itching. Pregnancy/Breast-Feeding: To date, the medical literature has not reported any adverse effects related to fetal development during pregnancy or to infants who are breast-fed. Yet little is known about the use of this dietary supplement while pregnant or breast-feeding. Therefore, it is recommended that you inform your healthcare practitioner of any dietary supplements you are using while pregnant or

breast-feeding.

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