Article
Forestry
Paula Munoz, Alba Cotado, Sergi Munne-Bosch
Summary: The study found that mastic trees acclimate to winter conditions and higher elevations by activating antioxidant defenses and phenological adjustments, regardless of gender. Sexual dimorphism in mastic trees plays a significant role in sensitivity to photo-oxidative stress during winter and altitudinal conditions.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Stergios Soulaidopoulos, Aikaterini Tsiogka, Christina Chrysohoou, Emilia Lazarou, Konstantinos Aznaouridis, Ioannis Doundoulakis, Dimitra Tyrovola, Dimitris Tousoulis, Konstantinos Tsioufis, Charalambos Vlachopoulos, George Lazaros
Summary: Chios mastiha, a natural herbal product with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, has gained scientific interest and is mainly used for the production of natural chewing gum.
Article
Agronomy
Ioanna Dasenaki, Petri-Christina Betsi, Dimitris Raptopoulos, Maria Konstantopoulou
Summary: This study demonstrated the larvicidal effect of Pistacia lentiscus fruit extract and its metabolites on Lobesia botrana larvae, with the main contributor to bioactivity being identified as the major fraction PLFHe2, consisting of triglycerides and oleic and linoleic acid as the toxic components.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mitsutoshi Kitao, Hisanori Harayama, Kenichi Yazaki, Hiroyuki Tobita, Evgenios Agathokleous, Naoyuki Furuya, Toru Hashimoto
Summary: Based on a combination of a glasshouse experiment and a field survey, this study found that soil water conditions have a significant impact on the competitiveness of Japanese white birch against perennial weeds. The research shows that under waterlogging conditions, Japanese white birch has a lower competitiveness for light resource, while the competitive weed Eupatorium showed the opposite response. The findings suggest that maintaining soil moisture levels that are not excessively high is favorable for the photosynthetic performance and growth competitive ability of Japanese white birch.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Dimitrios E. Anastasiou, Anastasios C. Patsidis, Aikaterini K. Andreopoulou
Summary: This study presents a method for the epoxidation of poly-beta-myrcene, a biopolymer extracted from the natural resin. The resulting products, called MASTEP, exhibit self-curing properties and have a high green carbon content. One specific product (MASTEP A) showed superior strength as an adhesive compared to commonly used epoxy adhesives. Another product (MASTEP B) demonstrated the ability to transform into a semi-crystalline form through thermal conversion. Overall, this research represents a significant advancement in developing environmentally friendly epoxies and opens up possibilities for further exploration.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wei Liu, Jie Gao, Miaomiao Li, Haji Akber Aisa, Tao Yuan
Summary: Phytochemical investigation of mastic isolated and identified 16 tirucallane triterpenoids from resin produced by Pistacia lentiscus, including 13 undescribed compounds. Compounds 7, 8, 14, and 16 showed stronger anti-inflammatory activity, while compound 1 exhibited comparable cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cells to doxorubicin.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Nazli Boke Sarikahya, Gaye Sumer Okkali, Furkan Ozan Coven, Fulya Isen, Ahmet C. Goren, Ayse Nalbantsoy
Summary: This study analyzed the chemical components of mastic gum and leaves from different ages of Pistacia lentiscus trees in Turkey, and evaluated their antiviral and cytotoxic activities. The results showed that mastic gum and leaves have potential biological activities, and can be used as additives and flavorings in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Aikaterina L. L. Stefi, Varvara Papaioannou, Theodora Nikou, Maria Halabalaki, Dido Vassilacopoulou, Nikolaos S. S. Christodoulakis
Summary: This study found that environmental stress can alter the anatomical features of leaves, accumulation of phenolics, and synthesis of biogenic products in Pistacia lentiscus plants. Heat stress resulted in increased concentration of reactive oxygen species in leaves, while cold stress led to reduced biomass. Additionally, significant variations in concentrations of biogenic amines/amino acids were observed under different stress conditions.
Article
Plant Sciences
Foteini D. Kalousi, Federica Pollastro, Evgenia C. Christodoulou, Aikaterini G. Karra, Ioannis Tsialtas, Achilleas Georgantopoulos, Stefano Salamone, Anna-Maria G. Psarra
Summary: This study isolated acetonic extracts of leaves of Pistacia lentiscus L. var. chia and evaluated their cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities as well as their interference with the glucocorticoid receptor signaling. The results showed that polar fractions exhibited the highest cytotoxicity, while medium-polar fractions demonstrated enhanced glucocorticoid-associated biological activities.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maryam Afsharpour, Mehdi Elyasi, Hamedreza Javadian
Summary: The paper reports the synthesis of nitrogen-doped porous bio-graphene and a WO3/N-doped porous bio-graphene nanocomposite, characterized through various analyses. The synthesized nanocomposite shows promising potential in photocatalytic degradation of dyes and drugs, with enhanced performance in charge separation and reduction in recombination rate.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Tanja Jovic, Ivona Elez Garofulic, Patricija Culina, Sandra Pedisic, Erika Dobroslavic, Ena Cegledi, Verica Dragovic-Uzelac, Zoran Zoric
Summary: The objective of this study was to examine the influence of different carriers, carrier concentrations, and drying temperatures on the physiochemical properties, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of Pistacia lentiscus leaf extract powders. The results showed that carrier mixtures with gum arabic and dried at 150 degrees C yielded powders with desirable physicochemical properties, high phenolic content, and antioxidant activity. This finding suggests that microencapsulation using spray drying techniques can enhance the stability and bioavailability of the phenolic compounds in Pistacia lentiscus.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Foteini D. Kalousi, Federica Pollastro, Aikaterini G. Karra, Ioannis Tsialtas, Achilleas Georgantopoulos, Stefano Salamone, Anna-Maria G. Psarra
Summary: Chios Mastiha, the resin of Pistacia lentiscus L. var. chia, is a natural chewing gum widely used in Mediterranean cuisine and traditional medicine. It is rich in triterpenes, which have anti-inflammatory activities similar to glucocorticoids. Different polarity fractions of Chios Mastiha have been found to exhibit anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic activities, and interfere with glucocorticoid receptor signaling.
Review
Microbiology
Egle Patrizia Milia, Luigi Sardellitti, Sigrun Eick
Summary: Pistacia lentiscus L. (PlL) has a long history of use in traditional medicine and its antimicrobial properties make it a potential alternative for oral infections. This review highlights the effectiveness of PlL polyphenol extracts in inhibiting periodontal pathogens and C. albicans, reducing inflammation, and preventing intraoral dysbiosis. The use of these extracts in toothpaste, mouthwashes, and local delivery devices could be beneficial for clinical management of oral diseases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yi-Hu Yu, Ya-Ping Feng, Wei Liu, Tao Yuan
Summary: Eight new triterpenoids were isolated from the resins of Pistacia lentiscus, including one apotirucallane-type, six tirucallane-type, and one oleanane-type triterpenoids. These compounds showed moderate inhibitory effects on NO production.
CHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Sabrina Djebari, Magdalena Wrona, Asma Boudria, Khodir Madani, Cristina Nerin
Summary: This study determined the profile of bioactive volatile organic compounds and odorous compounds in Pistacia lentiscus L. vegetable oil. Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were found to be the most abundant compounds. Compounds such as beta-myrcene, d-limonene, and linoleic acid ethyl ester were identified as the most abundant. Furthermore, compounds known for wound healing and anti-inflammatory effects were detected. A panel of experts detected 38 different odorous compounds with herbal, citrus, and vegetable aromas. The research confirmed that the oil has pleasant aromas suitable for medicinal use.
FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL
(2023)