Lentisk is a plant that has played a role in the ethnobotanical tradition and economy of the Mediterranean and of this Archipelago since ancient times. Its trunk and branches, when carved, produce an aromatic resin known as 'Chios mastic', after the Greek Island that was once its greatest producer, chewed by women in Greece and the eastern Mediterranean basin to scent their breath, clean their teeth and protect their gums. On the Island of Chios itself, knowledge and practice of mastic production are listed as UNESCO-protected heritage. Particularly in ancient times, its drupes would have been used for flavouring dishes and seasoning and marinating fish, meat and game on these islands as well, and the ripe drupes were also used to produce an oil for cooking. This same oil was used in lamps as well.

According to Elba's folklore, a herbal tea made from the leaves and berries was drunk to lower blood pressure or used as mouthwash to relieve toothache and inflamed gums. In animal husbandry, the fruits were added to chickenfeed to make egg yolks redder. On the Island of Giglio, warmed lentisk resin was traditionally applied to abscesses, having an anti-inflammatory and painkilling effect. In the Grosseto area, this same resin was used on wounds to aid healing. Lentisk wood was used together with that of other maquis plants to produce an excellent charcoal. In Greece, lentisk mastic is still used to produce a commonly-used liquor called 'Mastika'.

In the past, harvesting of the ripe drupes was performed by women, who walked through the maquis woodlands rich in lentisk bushes. One of these lands was the Island of Pianosa. In 1905, the writer Mario Pratesi, who took down the memories of an old commander of the 19th-century garrison of the then almost uninhabited flat island during the first half of that century, recounts, "... they never saw anyone on those rocks, except wild goats and seagulls... Luckily, now and then, some women would come from Elba to gather lentisk to make a little oil, and then it was a great party for those soldiers...".