Background Chios Mastiha essential oil (CMO) is a natural product extracted from the resin of Mastiha, possessing antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-ulcer,anti-neoplasmatic 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.~Design A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study was designed to study the hypolipidemic effect of CMO capsules on healthy volunteers with elevated cholesterol levels.~Methods 192 healthy volunteers were screened and eventually 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 (containing 200 mg mastiha oil per capsule) and placebo for a total of 8 weeks respectively. 113 patients received CMO and 47 were randomized in the control group, and all of them completed the follow-up period.
A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study was designed to study the hypolipidemic effect of CMO capsules on healthy volunteers with elevated cholesterol levels.