Flora Palaestina Ethnobotany

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Pistacia lentiscus L.

Family

Anacardiaceae

Synonym(s)

English name(s)

Lentisque
Mastic Tree

Arabic Name(s)

butm / butum بطم
mustaka مصطكي
mustaqra المصطقرا
saris سريس

Hebrew Name(s)

elat ha-mastiq

אֵלַת הַמַּסְטִיק

Life Form

Tree

Habitat

Mediterranean maquis and forest

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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) 2. Prepare infusion of leaves & drink x3/day. (B)	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 2.) 2. Decoct leaves & drink x1 cup as needed.	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. 2. To stimulate appetite: add 1 spoonful of resin to 1 cup of water & drink (can also add Boswellia sp.).	Leaf, Resin	Z
Gastrointestinal	Diarrhea & Dysentery (Z) Diarrhea (B)	Anti-Infective, Anti-diarrheal	1. Cook leaves & stems in water & drink. (Z) 2. Cook resin in water + mint (Mentha sp.) & drink followed by drinking lemon juice. (Z) 3. Decoct stems & leaves, filter & drink 1 cup x3/day for 2 days. (B)	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. 2. Decoct leaves & drink x1 cup as needed.	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 3.)	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 2.)	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). 2. Decoct leaves & drink x1 cup as needed.	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.

Notes

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.