The famous and unique Chios Mastic Resin, only produced in the southern part of the northwestern island of the Aegean, has finally been granted official approval as a natural remedy by the European Medicines Agency (E.M.A.). The Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (H.P.M.C.), reaching a unanimous agreement, classified Chios Mastic Gum to the category of traditional herbal medicines with two therapeutic indications: dyspeptic disorders as well as skin inflammation and skin wound healing.
The remedial properties of Chios Mastic Gum were eventually approved after producing, submitting and defending the resulting pharmaceutical monograph-that is all the existing scientific literature supporting its healing effects conducted by the Research and Development of Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association, under the supervision of Ioanna Chinou, Associate Professor at the University of Athens of the School of Pharmacy, of the Division of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products. E.M.A’s decision is the first among many which the Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association is aiming at acquiring from European and non-European agencies, so as to make Chios Mastic Gum world-wide accepted by the pharmaceutical industry.
As Dr. Ioanna Chinou stated to reporters “by the completion of this process, Chios Mastic Gum is approved as a pharmaceutical product within EU as well as within countries which follow the European pharmaceutical monographs. As a result, Chios Mastic Gum preparations can circulate all over Europe with health claims authorized by the European Medicines Agency.” Dr. Ilias Smyrnioudis, Director of Research and Development of Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association underlined the fact that “today we are in the position to present plenty of lab and clinical studies which allow us to negotiate from a position of strength the prospect and future of Chios Mastic Gum. The findings of scientific research in recent years, combined with the historical and folkloric references concerning Chios Mastic Gum formed the approving framework of the monograph on this product, accomplished by the assistance of the Greek Medicines Agency and the School of Pharmacy of the University of Athens.”
It’s noteworthy that Chios Mastic Gum Growers Association collaborates with ten Universities, three research centers, and four hospitals in Greece as well as with five Universities and a research center abroad. Meanwhile, two clinical studies (Chios/Athens, England) on Crohn’s disease, on diabetes and on cholesterol are already in progress.
Chios Mastic Gum, containing more than 70 different classified substances, has proven its beneficial properties on gastrointestinal diseases, on reducing the levels of diabetes and of the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) of cholesterol. It’s also beneficial on improving oral hygiene (gum inflammation, dental plaque) due to its antimicrobial action and generally on supporting health because of its antioxidant activity.
Source: visitgreece.gr
