PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS SCOTCH PINE/ 675

Leaves, Stem and Root: The tree is 10 to 30 m high with a

straight, slim, cylindrical trunk or a gnarled twisted one. It

has a girth of 1.8 to 3.6 m. The crown is umbrella-shaped.

The bark of the older trees is gray-brown on the outside and

rust red on the inside. Bark of older trees is deeply fissured

below and peeling. The bark of the young trees is fox-red

and thinly peeling. The buds are reddish, 6 to 12 mm long,

oblong-oval and somewhat resinous. The needles are in pairs

and remain on the trees for 3 years. They are various lengths,

rigid, twisted, bluish-green with interrupted rows on the

outside and minimally dentate.

Habitat: Pinus sylvestris is found in Europe, Siberia, the

Crimea, the Caucasus and Iran.

Production: Pine shoots (Pini turiones) consist of the fresh or

dried, 3 to 5 cm long shoots of Pinus sylvestris. Pine shoots

are collected at die beginning of spring. The essential oil

(Pini aetheroleum) is obtained from fresh needles, tips of the

branches or fresh branches with needles and tips of Pinus

sylvestris, Pinus mugo ssp. pumilio, Pinus nigra or Pinus

pinaster. The oil is recovered form the fresh needles and

branch tips using steam distillation with a successful yield of

0.15-0.6%. Purified turpentine oil (Terebindiniae aetherole-

um rectificatum) is the essential oil obtained from the

turpentine of Pinus species, especially Pinus palustries (syn.

Pinus australis), and Pinus pinaster.

Not to be Confused With: Pine shoots should not be confused

with the shoots of Picea abies and Abies alba. Pine oil should

not be confused with "pine oils" that are synthetically

produced.

Other Names: Dwarf-Pine, Pine Oils, Pix Liquida, Pumilio

Pine, Scotch Fir, Stockholm Tar, Swiss Mountain Pine

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS: PINE SHOOTS

Volatile oil (0.2-0.5%): including among others bornyl

acetate, cadinene, Delta3 -carene, limonene, phellandrene,

alpha-pinene

Resins

Bitter principles: pinicrin

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

EFFECTS: PINE SHOOTS

Pine shoots have secretolytic and mildly antiseptic effects

and stimulate the peripheral circulation.

COMPOUNDS: PINE NEEDLE OIL
From Pinus mugo: chief components include Delta3-carene
(up to 35%), alpha- and beta-pinene (20%), beta-phellan-
drene (15%)

From Pinus nigra: chief components include alpha-pinene

(48-65%), beta-pinene (up to 32%), germacren D (up to

19%)

From Pinus palustris: chief components include alpha-and

beta-pinene (95%)

From Pinus silvestris: chief components include alpha-

pinene (10-50%), Delta3-carene (up to 20%), camphene (up

to 12%), beta-pinene (10-25%), limonene (up to 10%),

additionally including among others myrcene, terpinolene,

bornyl acetate

EFFECTS: PINE NEEDLE OIL

The essential oil is secretolytic, hyperemic and weakly

antiseptic.

COMPOUNDS: TURPENTINE OIL, PURIFIED

Chief components of the raw turpentine oil yielded from

turpentine from Pinus silvestris include: (-)-alpha-pinene (ca.

39-87%), Delta3-carene (ca. 14-33%), (-)-beta-pinene (share

up to 27%), limonene (6%), camphene (ca. 5%), from out of

which and from out of the volatile oils of other pine species

purified turpentine oil. Therebinthinae aetheroleum rectici-

factum is realized through fractional 'distillation. It must -

contain at least 90% pinenes, but no more than 0.5 % Delta3-

carene.

EFFECTS: TURPENTINE OIL. PURIFIED

The essential oil is hyperaemic, antiseptic and increases

bronchial secretion in animal tests.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

PINE SHOOTS

Approved by Commission E:

• Blood pressure problems


• Common cold


• Cough/bronchitis


• Fevers and colds


• Inflammation of the mouth and pharynx


• Neuralgias


• Tendency to infection

Pine shoots are used internally for catarrhal conditions of the

upper and lower respiratory tract. Externally, it is used for

mild muscular pain and neuralgia.

Unproven Uses: In folk medicine, preparations of pine shoot

are used internally for uncomplicated coughs and acute

bronchial diseases and topically for nasal congestion and

hoarseness.

Homeopathic Uses: Homeopathic uses include weak liga-

ments of the upper ankle joint, inflammation of the.

respiratory tract, chronie rheumatism, eczema and urticaria.