Effects of Chios Mastiha essential oil on cholesterol levels of healthy volunteers: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study (MASTIHA-OIL)

• Published in: Hellenic journal of cardiology Vol. 77; pp. 63 - 69
• Main Authors: Kartalis, Athanasios, Afendoulis, Dimitrios, Didagelos, Matthaios, Ampeliotis, Michail, Moutafi, Maria, Voutas, Petros, Smyrnioudis, Nikolaos, Papagiannis, Nikolaos, Garoufalis, Stefanos, Boula, Eirini, Smyrnioudis, Ilias, Vlachopoulos, Charalambos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01-05-2024
• Subjects: Adult; atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; Chios Mastiha essential oil; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - drug effects; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia - blood; Hypercholesterolemia - drug therapy; lipids; Male; Middle Aged; Oils, Volatile - administration & dosage; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Oils, Volatile - therapeutic use; Plant Oils - administration & dosage; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Plant Oils - therapeutic use; Prospective Studies; terpenes; Treatment Outcome; atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease; lipids; terpenes; Chios Mastiha essential oil
• ISSN: 1109-9666; 2241-5955; 2241-5955
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hjc.2023.08.011

Chios Mastiha essential oil (CMO) is a natural product extracted from the resin of Mastiha, possessing antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-ulcer, anti-neoplastic, and cholesterol-lowering capabilities in vitro, and its hypolipidemic effect was confirmed in animal studies. Yet, there are no randomized, placebo-controlled clinical studies in the literature regarding CMO's hypolipidemic effects in humans. A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study was designed to study the hypolipidemic effect of CMO capsules on healthy volunteers with elevated cholesterol.
192 healthy volunteers were screened and 160 of them with total cholesterol> 200 mg/dl participated in the study. They were randomized with a 2:1 ratio of receiving CMO capsules (200 mg mastiha-oil/capsule) and placebo for 8 weeks respectively. 113 patients received CMO and 47 were randomized in the control group, and all of them completed the follow-up period.
After 8 weeks of CMO administration, total and LDL cholesterol were significantly lower in the CMO compared to the placebo group 215.2 ± 27.5 vs 237.0 ± 27.9 mg/dl (p < 0.001) and 135.0 ± 26.1 vs 153.0 ± 23.3 mg/dl (p < 0.001) respectively. No gastrointestinal adverse events or liver or renal toxicity were reported. Additionally, in the CMO group total cholesterol was significantly decreased by 20.6 mg/dl (9%), LDL by 18.1 mg/dl (12%), triglycerides by 21.8 mg/dl (15%), and glucose by 4.6 mg/dl (5%) and HDL was increased by 2.4 mg/dl (5%), compared to their baseline values.
The MASTIHA-OIL study showed the efficacy and safety of CMO in reduction of total and LDL cholesterol after 8 weeks of administration in healthy volunteers with elevated cholesterol levels.
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