Mastic gum evidence
I have read your advice on using mastic gum to tackle the Helicobacter pylori bacterium which, as you report, is implicated in stomach ulcers. I have it, as does my brother. This remedy appears to have cleared his and I am about to try it for mine. My GP is open-minded but needs evidence from double blind placebo trials to convince him. Can you provide this for me? I need ammunition!
I am pleased to her your brother has had such good results using mastic gum and hope you can convince your doctor that you should try it too although I have to say, I cannot provide references for double blind placebo controlled trials until someone decides to fund and execute one.
What we do have is evidence from test tube and animal studies that your GP might like to peruse and a good starting point would be a paper published by Lauk et al in the Journal of Chemotherapy 1996; 8(3):207-9 which looked at the antimicrobial activity of mastic which comes from resin in the bark of the Pistacia lentiscus tree.
There are also preliminary studies that now suggest plant bioflavonoids can also help inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori, so I would also recommend you supplement your diet with 500mg of quercetin, one of the more potent of these agents, three times a day.
*Mastica provides 500mg of mastic gum. 120 capsules cost £31.50. Take three a day, between meals. Solgar’s Quercetin Complex provides 250mg of the active agent per capsule and costs £24.85 for 100 capsules. Take two a day. Mail order both remedies from Revital (0800-252875).