Pine as a remedy: Everything about the effect and application

In fact, the Scots pine can not only decorate our forests and gardens, but 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 a modern invention: the effect of the pine 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 sorts of ailments.

1. Ingredients: Therefore, the pine has healing properties

Even if hardly any of the jaws as medicinal plant knows, the plant contains numerous ingredients that have a health-promoting effect. The concentration of these is highest in the pine needles and pine shoots in particular, 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 substances, 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 pinene, camphene, 3-carene, phellandrene and limonene. The ingredients have a skin-irritating and antiseptic effect, but can also have a secretion-promoting and antispasmodic effect in the bronchial area.

2. Healing effect: The pine helps against this

The pine can provide relief and relief for many different ailments as a home remedy. The healing effect of the pine is particularly popular with respiratory problems such as a stubborn cough, bronchitis, sore throat or hoarseness. Inhalation with pine needle oil or tea made from pine shoots has been proven to have an expectorant and calming effect - this is how 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 bronchial area and makes it easier to cough up the secretion.

But pine oil can not only bring relief for colds, the medicinal plant can also be helpful for muscle or joint pain. Since pine needle oil is a mild tissue irritant, it will increase blood flow to the area and may reduce pain as a result. Turpentine oil can also be used in this way for rheumatic complaints, but is used less frequently because of possible side effects.

3. Products with pine

Although pine needles and pine cones can also be used in their original form as home remedies, they are mostly processed. The essential oils of the pine are often used as a component of various cough medicines or as an addition to inhalation. They are also processed into or mixed into cough-relieving teas. 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: How to use the pine as a remedy

If you have a Scots pine in your garden, you can use it as a natural home remedy. The needles are particularly good for this - they are best collected in May when they are still as young as possible and processed fresh or dried for later use. For colds, a handful of pine needles can be roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle and mixed with a liter of boiling water in a large bowl. With a large towel over your head, you can now 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 handy, you can use five drops of store-bought pine needle oil as an inhaler additive.

A bath with pine as an additive can also be very relaxing: you can either use pine needle oil 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 in a full bath not only helps the respiratory tract, but also has a relaxing effect and relieves muscle and joint pain. The pine needle brew can also have a positive effect on the respiratory tract as a sauna infusion.

Even as a tea, pine is a healing home remedy. For this, a teaspoon of finely chopped pine needles or pine shoots is brewed with a cup (150 milliliters) of hot water and left covered for about five minutes. After that, the needles or sprouts are strained. The soothing essential oils of the tea and the high vitamin C content of the needles help to get back on your feet quickly, especially with colds and flu.

tip: If you don't like the slightly tart taste of the tea, you can sweeten it with a bit of honey.

However, one should exercise caution when using pine as a remedy: especially the essential oils and turpentine oil should never be used pure, as they have a strong irritating effect and, if overdosed, can even lead to spasms of the respiratory tract or symptoms of poisoning be able. For this reason, pine products should only be used with children in consultation with a doctor.

5. Healing Conifers: Other plants with medicinal 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 medicinal properties. From the needles of the mountain pine (Pinus mugo), a close relative of the Scots pine, mountain pine oil can be obtained, for example, which Similar to pine needle oil used against respiratory diseases and muscle and joint pain will. Also spruces (Picea) have a healing effect that is very similar to that of pine, so that pine needles can be exchanged 1:1 for spruce needles when making tea or bath additives. Also the most well-known coniferous tree, the fir (abies), can have a healing effect: the young pine tips in May are an old medicine for coughs, which is particularly popular made into syrup. And 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 can be used as a remedy, numerous herbs also have a healing effect. In our special article you will find 11 immune-boosting herbs from the garden.