title: Chemical investigation and antimicrobial properties of mastic water and its major constituents.
abstract: Mastic water is a commercial flavouring obtained during the steam distillation of mastic resin (the resin of Pistacia lentiscus var. chia) for the production of mastic oil. The mastic water extracts were analysed by GC-MS. The major compounds identified were verbenone, α-terpineol, linalool and trans-pinocarveol. Overall the composition was found to be very different from that of mastic oil. Additional GC-MS revealed the enantiomeric ratio of the chiral constituents of mastic water. The antimicrobial activity of mastic water extract, as well as that of its major constituents, was examined against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida spp. including ATCC wild clinical and food-borne strains. Linalool and α-terpineol were found to be the most potent antimicrobial constituents. Finally the stability of mastic water at different temperatures was studied, showing no change in the GC-MS profile of the organic extract for a period of 4months at storage temperatures up to 4°C.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paraschos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece. Electronic address: magiatis@pharm.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Prokopios
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magiatis
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gousia
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece.
authors.forename: Vangelis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Economou
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece.
authors.forename: Hercules
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakkas
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece.
authors.forename: Chrissanthy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexios-Leandros
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Skaltsounis
keywords: Antimicrobial activity; Enantiomeric ratio; GC–MS analysis; Linalool; Mastic water; Stability; XAD4 resin; α-Terpineol