Supplement

Mastic (Mastic Gum)

Herbs · Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia, Mastic Gum, Chios Mastic, Mastiha

Mastic is the resin of the mastic shrub from the Greek island of Chios and has long been used for stomach complaints. For functional dyspepsia, the so-called irritable stomach, there is one positive placebo-controlled trial. Against Helicobacter pylori, the most heavily advertised use, mastic on its own is not enough in the small human studies. The EMA recognizes only a traditional use for mild digestive complaints.

What mastic is

Mastic is the dried resin of Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia, a shrub from the cashew family (Anacardiaceae). It is taken as a powder or in capsules, and applied externally as an ointment. In 2016 the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published an EU monograph that classifies mastic as a traditional herbal medicinal product: internally for mild digestive complaints, externally for mild skin inflammation and small wounds.

In the BK-Score, human evidence stands at 4 out of 10 points. This axis rates the state of knowledge, not the substance: there are individual controlled studies, but they are small and come mostly from Greece. Track record of use stands at 7 out of 10, because the resin has long been used.

How it is supposed to work

Mastic is advertised above all as a natural remedy against Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that can cause gastritis and stomach ulcers. In the laboratory, the resin acts against the germ. In humans this has not been confirmed so far: in two small studies, the germ remained detectable in most of those treated.

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects are also described, mainly from laboratory and animal experiments. How mastic might relieve the symptoms of an irritable stomach has not been clarified.

What is well supported

Fewer functional dyspepsia symptoms in a double-blind trial. In 148 people with functional dyspepsia, symptoms improved after three weeks in 77 percent under mastic and in 40 percent under placebo.
A similar finding in a second study. In a crossover study from Athens, mastic capsules relieved upper abdominal bloating, burning in the stomach area and heartburn compared with a phase without treatment, but without placebo.
Officially recognized as a traditional use. The EMA recognizes mastic for mild digestive complaints on the basis of long-standing use. In its 2024 review, it saw no reason to change the monograph.

What the studies show

Functional dyspepsia: the study from Chios

Dabos and colleagues randomly assigned 148 patients with functional dyspepsia according to the Rome II criteria to mastic, 350 mg three times daily, or placebo. After three weeks, the symptom score was 14.78 under mastic and 19.96 under placebo. A clear improvement was reported by 77 percent under mastic and 40 percent under placebo. Significantly better were stomach pain in general, stomach pain under stress, dull upper abdominal pain and heartburn.

Functional dyspepsia: crossover study 2025

Kleftaki and colleagues in Athens compared three phases of four weeks each: mastic capsules at 1.4 g per day, mastic water and no treatment. Both forms of mastic improved symptoms compared with the phase without treatment. Because there was no placebo phase, an expectation effect cannot be ruled out.

Helicobacter pylori: mastic alone

In a randomized pilot study with 52 infected people, the germ disappeared after 14 days of mastic in 4 of 13 treated with 350 mg and in 5 of 13 with 1.05 g three times daily, and in none with mastic plus pantoprazole. Standard therapy with two antibiotics achieved 10 of 13. In another small study, all 8 treated remained positive after 14 days of 1 g mastic four times daily.

Helicobacter pylori: mastic as an add-on

In a single-blind pilot study from India with 64 infected people, the usual bismuth quadruple therapy was given with or without mastic. Eradication was 85 versus 67 percent; the difference was not significant (p = 0.19). Dyspepsia symptoms improved more with mastic.

Where the data stop

Eliminating Helicobacter. In small studies, mastic alone achieved much less than standard therapy, or nothing at all. According to these data, it is not suitable as a substitute for eradication therapy.
Healing stomach ulcers. There is one paper on this from the 1980s; newer controlled studies are lacking.
Inflammatory bowel diseases. A systematic review of 8 papers, seven of them from Greece, sees favorable effects on inflammatory markers but explicitly calls for better studies.
Replication by independent groups. The positive dyspepsia trial has not been confirmed with placebo by another research group.
Duration. The studies ran for two to four weeks. There are no controlled data on longer use.

Status, approval and legal

The EMA lists mastic in a 2016 EU monograph as a traditional herbal medicinal product. Traditional means: the use is based on long-standing use, not on proof of efficacy from studies. In its periodic review in 2024, the EMA screened new papers from 2019 to 2024 and found none that would have justified a change to the monograph. Mastic is sold in Germany as a food supplement and may not be advertised there for the treatment of diseases such as a Helicobacter infection.

Safety

In the studies, mastic was well tolerated, and no serious side effects were reported. The only contraindication in the EU monograph is hypersensitivity to the resin. Allergies do occur: in one study, 13 of 18 people who were allergic to a mastic-containing medical skin adhesive also reacted to mastic. Internal use is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 because of a lack of data. If symptoms persist for more than two weeks, medical advice is indicated.

Recurrent upper abdominal complaints, difficulty swallowing, weight loss or blood in the stool should be investigated by a physician. A confirmed Helicobacter infection is treated with eradication therapy. In the BK-Score, safety stands at 4 out of 10 points; this axis measures how well safety has been studied, not how safe the resin is. Anyone comparing other approaches to stomach complaints will find pages on DGL licorice, betaine HCl and probiotics. This text is information and does not replace medical advice.

BK-Score Thin human evidence

Human evidence		4
Mechanism		3
Safety data		4
Hype gap		4
Track record of use		7

Evidence 4, because for functional dyspepsia there is one double-blind trial with 148 patients (77 versus 40 percent with clear improvement, Dabos 2010) and one crossover study without placebo (Kleftaki 2025), but for Helicobacter pylori only very small studies, in which mastic alone eliminated the germ in 4 to 5 of 13 (Dabos 2010) and in 0 of 8 treated (Bebb 2003); as an add-on to standard therapy it missed significance (Tulsian 2026). Mechanism 3, because the action against Helicobacter and the anti-inflammatory effects come mainly from laboratory and animal experiments and the finding on the germ was not confirmed in humans. Safety 4, because only studies of 2 to 4 weeks in small groups are available; in its 2024 review the EMA found no safety signal, but describes contact allergies. Hype 4, because mastic is advertised as a natural remedy against Helicobacter and stomach ulcers, while precisely this effect is not established in humans. Use 7, because the resin has long been used in the Mediterranean region and the EMA recognizes a traditional use for mild digestive complaints. Direction mixed: positive for dyspepsia symptoms, not confirmed for Helicobacter pylori.

The score rates the state of knowledge, not the substance. “Safety data 9” means well studied – not harmless. “Track record of use 9” means used long and widely – that is not proof of efficacy.
Subjective assessment by Biohacking Kompakt based on published scoring rules – not a scientific rating and not a medical recommendation. Rules and all ratings (German)

Frequently asked questions about mastic (mastic gum)

Does mastic help against Helicobacter pylori?

In humans, hardly. In a pilot study, the germ disappeared with mastic alone in 4 to 5 of 13 treated, and with standard therapy in 10 of 13. In another study, all 8 treated remained positive. As an add-on to quadruple therapy, the eradication rate rose from 67 to 85 percent, but the difference was not significant.

Does mastic help with an irritable stomach?

In a double-blind trial with 148 people with functional dyspepsia, symptoms improved after three weeks in 77 percent under mastic and in 40 percent under placebo. A second study from Greece came to a similar result, but without a placebo group. That is an encouraging but narrow finding.

Is mastic a medicine?

The EMA has an EU monograph that classifies mastic as a traditional herbal medicinal product for mild digestive complaints and, externally, for mild skin inflammation and small wounds. Traditional means that the use is based on long-standing use, not on proof of efficacy.

Does mastic have side effects?

In the studies it was well tolerated. Allergic reactions are possible, especially in people with an allergy to mastic-containing skin adhesives. Internal use is not intended for those under 18 because of a lack of data. If symptoms last more than two weeks, medical advice is indicated.

Does mastic help with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis?

A systematic review of 8 papers, mostly from Greece, sees favorable effects on inflammatory markers but calls for better studies. Mastic is not a treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases and does not replace therapy prescribed by a physician.

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Sources

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Information only, not medical advice and not a usage or dosage recommendation. Prescription-only and unapproved substances belong in the hands of a physician. Last updated: 2026-10-05.