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“The formula for mastiha soap: two ounces white soap, one fourth mastiha, one eighth southernwood resin, and one fourth borax.”
*Today mastiha is widely used in cosmetology thanks to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action
Historic Reference: 16th century - “Manual de Mujeres”, Spanish medical manual
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“Chios produces the best and greatest quantity of mastiha, noting that it is indicated for coughing and stomach ailments, to sweeten the breath, and for facial masks.”
*Today this ancient belief is strongly supported by modern scientific research
Historic Reference: 1st century, Dioscurides – founder of pharmacology
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“Mastiha is used to flavor even the bread.”
* Mastiha is still traditionally used as a flavoring for festive breads, brioches and biscuits all over Greece
Historic Reference: 20th century - Cyprus
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“Takes place the first locum production. Ingredients: sugar syrup, pistachios and mastiha.”
*Mastiha is nowadays widely used in chocolates, halva, ice creams etc.
Historic Reference: Mid-18th century, Sultan palace, Constantinople
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“Saliq is a rice porridge cooked with meat and flavored with cardamom and mastiha. It is still a classic Saudi Arabian dish.”
*Chefs all over the world claim that mastiha spice with its unique aromatic, wood-and pine-like, exotic taste can go along with almost everything
Historic Reference: 6th–21st century – Saudi Arabia
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“For Arabs, mastiha is considered as a great luxury for flavoring food, sweets or milk.”
*Chefs use mastiha in salad dressings for its delicate taste
Historic Reference: 6th-21st century - Middle East
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“Contains a recipe for a cordial (drink with a wine base flavored with various spices called) named “Grace of God” for which twenty-five ingredients, including mastiha, are boiled in white wine.”
*Oriental teas and Turkish coffee are passionately related to the discreet taste of mastiha
Historic Reference: Late 14th century – Sloane manuscript - England
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“The distillers of vodka used to flavor their product with various substances. One version, designated for the salons of nobility, was vodka with mastiha.”
*Famous cocktails of margarita and mojito are flirting with mastiha
Historic Reference: 17th century – Russia
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“From 1959 the Iranian Law requires the use of Mastiha as the main ingredient in its local drink called arak.”
*Famous Greek drinks like ouzo or raki contain mastiha as an essential ingredient
Historic Reference: 18th century – Iraq
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“The chew of Mastiha contributes to teeth whiteness and fresh breath.”
*At 2006 Sterer N. proved that Chios Mastiha may be utilized as a potential non-toxic agent in treating oral malodor and gum disease
Historic Reference: 5th Century – Istanbul and Rome
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“The use of Mastiha contributes to training the gums.”
*Farella et al (2001) focused on examining the effects of prolonged gum chewing on pain, fatigue and pressure tenderness of the masticatory muscles
Historic Reference: 18th Century – Thomas Mc Gill – England
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“He created an effective balsam "The Jerusalem Balsam" as un unguent to heal wounds.”
*Nowadays there are adhesive plasters with mastiha reducing the risk of skin infections due to its anti - inflammatory activities
Historic Reference: 16th Century – Antonio Menzani di Cuna - Italy
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“A poultice of quince, dates, nardo (valeriana) and mastiha treated an upset stomach.”
*In 2015 the European Medicines Agency (EMA) considers mastiha as a herbal medicine for stomach disorders
Historic Reference: 2nd Century – Aretaeus - Cappadocia
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“Due to mastiha’s styptic and lenitive properties it is recommended for inflammations of the stomach, intestines and liver.”
*In 2015 the European Medicines Agency (EMA) considers mastiha as a herbal medicine for stomach disorders
Historic Reference: 2nd Century – Galen - Greece
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“The main ingredients of a varnish recipe for boots are mastic, white poppy oil, white wax and grated ebony wood.”
*Many Italian manufacturers use mastiha as a main substance in their musical instruments, artworks and varnishes
Historic Reference: 16th Century – manuscript “Der Schuster (Περί παπουτσιών)” - D.G Schreber, Germany
