Pistachio

Scientific Name(s): Pistacia vera L.
Common Name(s): Pistachio

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 23, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Pistachio nuts have been clinically evaluated for use in hypercholesterolemia. Limited antiviral, antifungal, and antiprotozoal activity has been demonstrated in in vitro experiments, and anti-inflammatory actions have been reported.

Dosing

Hypercholesterolemia: unroasted pistachio nuts 65 to 75 g/day (equivalent to 20% of total daily calorie intake).

Contraindications

None identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Most adverse reactions are associated with hypersensitivity to the plant or with allergic reactions.

Toxicology

Studies are lacking.

Scientific Family

• Anacardiaceae

Botany

P. vera is a native of Central and West Asia, and also is distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin. It is grown in California and Arizona and other countries where it has been introduced.PLANTS 2008, Alma 2004 A related species is Pistacia lentiscus, commonly known as mastic.PLANTS 2008

It is a spreading tree and partially deciduous and grows up to 10 m high. Leaves occur in 1 to 5 pairs of thick, oval leaflets. Tiny, brown-green flowers give way to clusters of the oblong pistachio kernel.Alma 2004, Gentil 2007 The exudate of the plant forms a gum that is traditionally used for medicinal purposes.Alma 2004

History

Records of the consumption of pistachios as a food date to 7000 BC.Tsokou 2007 Pistachio is commonly used for flavoring candy and cakes, and in toothpaste and dentistry.Alma 2004, Tsoukou 2007

Traditional uses include treatment of toothache and other periodontal ailments, blood clotting, dyspepsia, asthma, jaundice, diarrhea, renal stones, and as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral agent.Alma 2004, Tsokou 2007, Bozorgi 2013

The gum has been used for respiratory (anti-infective) and stomach diseases and as a lip balm. It is also used as a protectant for glass, porcelain, bone, wood, and metal objects.Alma 2004

Chemistry

The fruits of the pistachio are high in protein, oil, and vitamin E, compared with hazelnuts. Unsalted, they are high in potassium and low in sodium. The kernels are rich in linoleic and linolenic fatty acids.Ozcelik 2005

The essential oil of the leaves contains alpha-pinene (30%), terpinolene (18%), and bornyl acetate (11%), while the essential oil of the fruits contains alpha-pinene (55%), terpinolene (approximately 30%), limonene, 3-carene, and beta-pinene (approximately 1% each), which is similar to mastic gum oil. Alpha-pinene and terpinolene have shown antibacterial and antifungal activity, while terpinolene has some antioxidant activity.Tsokou 2007 Reviews of the chemical composition are available.Bozorgi 2013, Rauf 2017

Vitamin E alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, vitamin C, proanthocyanidins, transresveratrol, isoflavones, daidzein, and genistein have been identified in the edible nut.Gentile 2007, Tsokou 2007 The antioxidant activity is substantially affected by toasting.Gentile 2007<...