Mastic Gum

Pistacia lentiscus · Chios mastic

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Functional dyspepsia¹ H. pylori dyspepsia symptoms² Inflammatory bowel disease³ Halitosis^4–6 Dental plaque and gingivitis⁵ Diabetic gastroparesis⁷ Total cholesterol⁸	Anacardiaceae family allergy⁹ Pregnancy or breastfeeding⁹

Mastic gum is the resin of Pistacia lentiscus, particularly the Chios variety, with a traditional Greek medicine history of more than 2500 years that is attributed to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties¹⁰. It acts through antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity along the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity.¹¹ Supplementation is used for functional dyspepsia, Helicobacter pylori infection¹¹, and inflammatory bowel disease¹². It is also used for oral hygiene, including halitosis and plaque^{4, 5}, and for blood lipids and glucose⁸. Typical patients are adults with chronic upper gastrointestinal symptoms or an interest in adjunctive support alongside standard care.

The Helicobacter pylori evidence is modest: a pilot trial found mastic alone eradicated the infection in a minority of patients, well below standard triple therapy¹¹. A 2026 pilot randomized trial found that adding mastic to bismuth quadruple therapy raised the eradication rate without reaching statistical significance, though dyspepsia symptoms improved more². Inflammatory bowel disease data come from a systematic review of a few mostly randomized trials, some in animals, that calls for more high-quality clinical trials¹². In 2026, a laboratory study of Pistacia lentiscus essential oils found leaf oil inhibited Helicobacter pylori strains more strongly than sap or berry oil, with no human trial testing it. Products are mostly capsules of powdered resin, with chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, and essential oil preparations also used; 1595 products listing mastic gum appear in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) label database; see Form comparison.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

52 sources, 34 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources