In fact, not only can the Scots pine decorate our forests and gardens, but it also has healing properties. We reveal what pine oil and Co. can be used against and how to use the pine as a remedy.
It is one of the most common trees in Germany - but only a few know about the healing properties of the pine. The medical use of the mystical conifer is not an invention of modern times: the effect of the jaw on ulcers and coughs was already known in ancient Greece. Even today the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is still used as a home remedy and can help with all kinds of ailments.
1. Ingredients: This is why the pine has healing properties
Even if hardly anyone has the jaw as Medicinal plant knows, the plant contains numerous ingredients that have a health-promoting effect. The concentration of these is particularly high in the pine needles and pine shoots, so that pine needle oil or the dried pine shoots are preferably used as home remedies. As an active ingredient, these mainly contain essential oils, which mainly consist of pinenes, but also resins, bitter and tannins and flavonoids. In combination, these have an expectorant and expectorant effect, but can also be calming and antibacterial. Turpentine oil (
Oleum terebinthinae), which consists mainly of pines, camphene, 3-carene, phellandren and limonene. The ingredients have a skin-irritating and antiseptic effect, but can also have a secretion-promoting and antispasmodic effect in the bronchi.2. Healing effect: The jaw helps against this
The jaw can be used as home remedies to provide relief and relief for many different ailments. The healing properties of the jaws are particularly popular, however, for respiratory problems such as a stubborn cough, bronchitis, sore throat or hoarseness. Inhalation with pine needle oil or a tea made from pine sprouts has been shown to have an expectorant and calming effect - so the application relieves colds in a natural way. But turpentine oil can also be beneficial for colds. An ointment applied to the chest or back has an antispasmodic effect in the area of the bronchi and makes it easier to cough up the secretion.
But pine oil can not only bring relief from colds, the medicinal plant can also be helpful for muscle or joint pain. Since pine needle oil has a slightly irritating effect on tissue, it promotes blood flow to the area in question and the pain can subside as a result. Turpentine oil can also be used in this way for rheumatic complaints, but is used less often because of possible side effects.
3. Products with pine
Although pine needles and pine cones can also be used as home remedies in their original form, they are mostly processed further. The essential oils of the pine are often used as a component of various cough suppressants or as an addition to the inhalation. They are also processed into cough-relieving teas or added to them. For external use, pine needle oil or turpentine oil are mixed in cough balm, alcoholic solutions such as the well-known rubbing alcohol are also possible.
4. Application: This is how the jaw is used as a remedy
If you have a Scots pine in the garden, you can use it as a natural home remedy. The needles are particularly suitable for this - these are best collected in May, when they are still as young as possible, and freshly processed or dried for later use. For colds, a handful of pine needles can be roughly crushed with a mortar and mixed with a liter of boiling water in a large bowl. With a large towel over your head you can inhale the vapors for about five to ten minutes to achieve an expectorant effect and soothe the irritated mucous membranes. If you don't have pine needles on hand, you can use five drops of purchased pine needle oil as an inhalation additive.
A bath with the jaw as an additive can also be very relaxing: you can either use pine needle oil again for this use or simmer about 100 grams of pine needles with two liters of water for 20 minutes, strain and add to the bath water give. The essential oil not only helps the airways in a full bath, but also has a relaxing effect and relieves muscle and joint pain. Pine needle brew can also have a positive effect on the respiratory tract as a sauna infusion.
Even as a tea, the pine is a healing home remedy. For this purpose, a teaspoon of finely chopped pine needles or pine shoots is brewed with a cup (150 milliliters) of hot water and left to stand for about five minutes, covered. Then the needles or sprouts are strained. The soothing essential oils of the tea and the high vitamin C content of the needles help you to get back on your feet quickly, especially with colds and flu.
tip: If you don't like the slightly bitter taste of the tea, you can sweeten it with a little honey.
However, caution should also be exercised when using the pine as a remedy: especially the essential oils and turpentine oil should never be used neat, as they are very irritating and if overdosed they can even lead to cramps in the respiratory tract or symptoms of intoxication can. For this reason, especially with children, you should only use pine products after consulting your doctor.
5. Healing conifers: other plants with healing properties
The Scots pine is not the only conifer that can be used as a medicinal plant - in fact, many of the forest trees we know have healing properties. From the needles of the mountain pine (Pinus mugo), a close relative of the Scots pine, mountain pine oil, for example, can be obtained Used similarly to pine needle oil for respiratory diseases and muscle and joint pain will. Also spruce (Picea) have a healing effect that is very similar to that of the pine, so that pine needles can be exchanged 1: 1 for spruce needles when making tea or bath additives. Also the most famous conifer, the fir (Abies), can have a healing effect: The young pine tops in May are an old cough medicine that is particularly popular with making syrup. The essential fir oil also strengthens the respiratory tract. which Conifer species can even be planted in the garden, you can find out in our special article.
Not only pine trees can be used as a remedy, numerous herbs have medicinal properties as well. In our special article you will find 11 immune-boosting herbs from the garden.
