Abstract

The polymers from mastic gum of Pistacia lentiscose and subspecies of Pistacia atlantica, (sp. kurdica, mutica and cabolica) have been isolated and  characterised by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy as cis-1,4-poly-?-myrcenes. They were screened against Helicobacter pylori and other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria to evaluate their antimicrobial action. In order to further test their hypothesised mode of action, two polymer types were synthesized: one from myrcene, and four from polyvinyl alcohols of different molecular weights, derivatised with p-hydroxybenzoate. The anti-microbial activity of these polymers, evaluated through their ‘kill’ kinetics, was found to be related to their functional groups, their molecular weight and their solubility.

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