Stewart ex Brandis.
Synonym: P. chinensis Bunge subspecies Integerrima (Stewart) Rech. f.
Family: Anacardiaceae.Habitat: The Himalayas from Indus to Kumaon.
Ayurvedic: Karkatashringi, Shringi, Karkatashringikaa,Family: Anacardiaceae.Habitat: Mediterranean countries. The resin is imported into India.
English: Mastic tree.Unani: Mastagi, Roomi Mastagi, Mastaki.Siddha/Tamil: Ponnuikan kungi- liyam.Action: Resin—carminative, diuretic, stimulant, astringent.
The mastic gum contains 2% essential oil. The oil sample from Spain is reported to contain 90% monoterpene hydrocarbons, the major constituents of which are alpha-pinene 79% and my- crene 3%. Chief components ofthe resin triter- penes are mastic acid, isomastic acid, oleanolic acid and tirucallol.The lyophilized aqueous extract of the aerial parts gave steroid-triterpe- nes, catechin tannins, flavonoids, saponins, resins and sugars. In some regions of Spain, the aerial parts are used against hypertension.There is some preliminary evidence that Mastic might have hypotensive and antioxidant effects. (The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons, 1999.)For prevention of gastric and duodenal ulcers, some researchers thinkMas- tic might have antisecretory and possibly cytoprotective effects. (J Ethno- pharmacol, 15(3), 1986; Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)Pistacia khinjuk Stocks is known as khinjak, Butum and Roomi Mastagi in Mumbai and Maharashtra. P. tere- binthus Linn. is known as Kabuli Mus- taki.
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