Pistacia lentiscus L.
Anacardiaceae
- Lentisque
- Mastic Tree
- butm / butum بطم
- mustaka مصطكي
- mustaqra المصطقرا
- saris سريس
- אֵלַת הַמַּסְטִיק
- elat ha-mastiq
Tree
- Mediterranean maquis and forest
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distribution and other botanical details.
Medicinal Complaints / Uses
Pistacia lentiscus L.
| System/State | Traditional Complaint/Use |
Activity / Interpretation | Traditional Preparation/ Administration |
Parts Used | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dermatological | Ringworm (Tinea) |
Anti-fungal | Cook resin + tar (residue left after distilling coal tar) + bees' wax (Cera flava) + egg yolk + butter until paste; spread over affected area. |
Resin | Z |
| Dermatological | Warts |
Anti-Infective | 1. Crush resin + myrtle (Myrtus) + olive leaves + little salt + olive oil, mix & apply to warts. (Z) |
Leaf, Resin | Z, B |
| Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT) | Worms in ear (see NOTES 1) |
Anthelmintic | Warm resin over fire + apple or quince leaves; apply drops of liquid extract into ear. |
Resin | Z |
| Gastrointestinal | Abdominal pain |
Carminative | 1.Chew & swallow 1-2 pieces of plant gum (chewed resin). (See NOTES |
Leaf, Resin | B |
| Gastrointestinal | Anal haemorrhage |
Haemostatic | Use resin. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Resin | Z |
| Gastrointestinal | Carminative & stomachic (improves appetite/ digestion/ relieves flatulence etc.) |
Carminative, Stomachic | 1. Decoct leaves in water, cool, filter & drink x1 cup after meals. |
Leaf, Resin | Z |
| Gastrointestinal | Diarrhea & Dysentery (Z) Diarrhea (B) |
Anti-Infective, Anti-diarrheal | 1. Cook leaves & stems in water & drink. (Z) |
Leaf, Resin, Stem | Z, B |
| Gastrointestinal | Haemorrhoids |
Anti-haemorrhoidal | Sprinkle leaves on surface of hot bath & sit in water for 30 min. |
Leaf | Z |
| Gastrointestinal | Heal liver |
Hepatic | Use resin. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Resin | Z |
| Gastrointestinal | Heartburn |
Antacid | Use resin. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Resin | Z |
| Gastrointestinal | Inflammation & swelling of intestines |
Anti-inflammatory, Demulcent | Use resin. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Resin | Z |
| Gastrointestinal | Jaundice |
Hepatic | Prepare infusion of leaves & drink x 3/day. |
Leaf | B |
| Gastrointestinal | Stomach ulcer |
Anti-ulcer | 1. Prepare infusion of leaves & drink x3/day. |
Leaf | B |
| Gastrointestinal | Vomiting |
Anti-emetic | Grind resin + mint (Mentha sp.), cook in water & drink. |
Resin | Z |
| General | Swellings in body |
Anti-hydropic | Melt resin, spread over cloth & bandage affected area. |
Resin | Z |
| Kidney & Urinary Tract | Cleanse urinary tract of sand/ stones |
Anti-lithic | Cook resin in hot water for 30 min & drink. |
Resin | Z |
| Musculoskeletal/ Joints | Back & jaw pain |
Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory | Make compress/ poultice with resin & apply to painful area. (see NOTES |
Resin | Z |
| Musculoskeletal/ Joints | Reset badly healed bone fracture |
Vulnerary | Cook Dittrichia viscosa in water in closed pot + "feijan" (Ruta) + "maryameyeh" (Salvia sp.) + branches of "el-ghar" (Laurus) + "el-butum" (Pistacia atlantica) + "saris" (Pistacia lentiscus) + "sarw" (Cupressus sp.). Place affected area in steam for few minutes. When removed, bone fracture can be tapped lightly to reset it correctly. |
Leaf, Stem | Z |
| Musculoskeletal/ Joints | Rheumatism |
Analgesic, Anti-arthritic, Anti-inflammatory | Add resin to Dorema ammoniacum in vinegar & heat mixture until it turns red; cool a little, spread on cloth & apply to painful area. |
Resin | Z |
| Oral Health | Teeth health |
Anti-caries | Chew gum (resin). (See NOTES |
Resin | B |
| Oral Health | Teeth whitener |
Dentifrice | Decoct bark & gargle x3/day. |
Bark | B |
| Respiratory | Chest pain with cold |
Analgesic | Mix 20 gm ground fruits + 20 gm sugar & eat x I teaspoon/day. |
Fruit | B |
| Respiratory | Cough |
Anti-tussive | Grind resin, cook + egg & eat. |
Resin | Z |
| Respiratory | Ease respiration in Tuberculosis |
Pectoral | Use resin. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Resin | Z |
| Respiratory | Lung healing |
Pectoral | Use resin. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Resin | Z |
| Surgical/ Trauma | Hernia |
Hernia reduction | Dissolve resin in "'araq" (anise flavoured alcoholic drink/ liquor) + Boswellia sp., spread on cloth & tie well around abdomen. |
Resin | Z |
| Women`s Health | Activate foetal movement in the womb |
Non-specific | 1.Chew & swallow x1-2 pieces of plant gum (resin). (See NOTES 2). |
Leaf, Resin | B |
| Women`s Health | Uterine haemorrhage |
Haemostatic | Use resin. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Resin | Z |
| Wound Healing | Wound healing |
Vulnerary | Use resin. (Preparation/ Admin. not specified.) |
Resin | Z |
The authors of FLORAPALE, (Flora Palaestina Ethnobotanical) web site do not take responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of the plants described here. Always seek advice from a health professional before using a plant medicinally or for other purposes. See DISCLAIMER.
1. In the complaint of worms in the ear, a free-living nematode (genus Rhabditis) can infect the outer ear canal.
2. The ivory-coloured resin produced by Pistachia lentiscus, also known as "mastic" is at first liquid. On exposure to cold it hardens into drops or patties of hard, brittle, translucent resin. When chewed, resin softens becoming a white opaque gum. 3 .In several recipes a poultice or compress is used; a poultice is a soft moist mass of material (e.g. plant or flour) spread on cloth & placed over skin; a compres or fomentation is a folded cloth or pad soaked in a strong herbal solution & applied externally to the affected body part.