Pine

Pine
(Pinus supp.) P. strobus bark: G

Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars
Element: Air
Deities: Cybele, Pan, Venus, Attis, Dionysus, Astarte, Sylvanus
Powers: Healing, Fertility, Protection, Exorcism, Money
Magical Uses: Cones from pine trees are carried to increase fertility and to have vigorous old age. A pine cone gathered on Midsummer (still retaining its seeds) is an awesome magical object, for its possessor eats one pine nut from it every day, it will make him or her immune to gunshots.
   Pine needles are burned during the winter months to purify and cleanse the house. Scattered on the floor they drive away evil, and when burned, exorcise the area of negativity. They are also used in cleansing baths. Pine needles are burned to reverse and send back spells.
  Branches of pine placed above or over the bed keep sickness away (or, if they were't placed in time, aid the ill). In Japan it was customary to place a pine branch over the door of the house to ensure continual joy within, for the leaves are evergreen.
  A cross made of pine needles placed before the fireplace keeps evil from entering through it. Pine is also used in money spells, and its sawdust is a base for incenses.
[From: "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs"]

Pine is a Winter Solstice sacred plant:

Bringing Evergreens into the home is an ancient practice that dates back to Mesopotamian times. The branches were brought in to give warmth and chase away evil spirits. Evergreen branches stood for everlasting life. They were believed to be supernatural plants because they stayed green and alive during the winter months. Many countries still include Yule logs as part of the celebrations. This could be anything from a large tree to a log only big enough to fit into a fireplace. The log was often covered with wine, salt and evergreens; then set ablaze. Some logs were burned outdoors while people danced and sang around. The preferable type of wood used for the Yule log is Oak, but Birch, Willow and Holly can be used.


EVERGREENS

SYMBOLIZES: Continuity of Life, Protection, & Prosperity
TYPES: Pine, Fir, Cedar, Juniper, Oak, Yew, Birch, & Willow
FORMS: boughs, wreaths, garlands, & trees
TRADITIONAL TO: Christianity, Roman, Celtic, & Teutonic
DIVINITIES: Green Goddesses & Gods; Hertha; Cybele, Attis, Dionysius (Pine); Woodland Spirits traditions

Pines are among the most important commercial trees. Most of them have straight, unbranched, cylindrical trunks, which furnish large amounts of excellent saw timber. On account of the straight grain, strength, and other qualities of pine timber, it is used for nearly every sort of constructional work and the trade in it is enormous.


All the Pines yield resin in greater or smaller quantities, which is obtained by tapping the trees. The crude resin is almost entirely used for the distillation of Oil of Turpentine and Rosin, only small quantities being employed medicinally - for ointments, plasters, etc. When the Oil of Turpentine is entirely distilled off, the residuum is Rosin or Colophony, but when only part of the oil is extracted, the viscous mass remaining is known commercially as common Crude Turpentine.

Oil of Turpentine is a good solvent for many resins, wax, fats, caoutchouc, sulphur, and phosphorus, and is largely employed in making varnish, in oil-painting, etc. Medicinally, it is much employed in both general and veterinary practice as a rubefacient and vesicant, and is valuable as an antiseptic. It is used for horses and cattle internally as a vermifuge, and externally as a stimulant for rheumatic swellings, and for sprains and bruises, and to kill parasites.

Rosin is used not only by violinists, for rubbing their bows, but also in making sealing wax, varnish, and resinous soaps for sizing paper and papier maché and dressing hemp cordage, but one of its special uses is for making brewer's pitch for coating the insides of beer casks and for distilling resinous oils, when the pitch used by shoemakers is left as residuum. Pitch is also used in veterinary practice.

Tar is an impure turpentine, viscid and brown-black in colour, procured by destructive distillation from the roots of various coniferous trees, particularly from Pinus sylvestris. Tar is used medicinally, especially in veterinary practice, for its antiseptic, stimulant, diuretic and diaphoretic action. Tar-water is given to horses with chronic cough and used internally and externally as a cutaneous stimulant and antiseptic in eczema. Oil of Tar is used instead of Oil of Turpentine in the case of mange, etc.

A considerable industry has grown up in the United States in the distillation of Pine wood by means of steam under pressure. One of the products thus obtained, which has considerable commercial importance, is known as Pine Oil. It has a pleasant odour, resembling that of caraway or Juniper Oil, and has been largely used for making paints which dry without gloss and as a 'flatting' material. It flows well under the brush and is a powerful solvent, and is useful for emulsion paints such as are now employed for inside work.

Pine resins are largely employed by the soap-maker for the manufacture of brown soaps.

The trade in resins was for many years almost exclusively a French industry, and only in France were the Pine forests turned to account for the production of resin on a commercial scale. Now, however, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia and North America furnish quantities, though, from the point of view of quality, the Pines which flourish near Bordeaux furnish a resin still much in request, and the turpentine extracted therefrom is abundant and one of the best qualities produced.

---Medicinal Action and Properties---Rubefacient, diuretic, irritant. A valuable remedy in bladder, kidney, and rheumatic affections and diseases of the mucous membrane and respiratory complaints; externally in the form of liniment plasters and inhalants.

---Preparations and Dosages---Oil of Turpentine. Spirits of Turpentine, B.P., 2 to 10drops As a vermifuge, 2 to 4 drachms. Tar, B.P., Pin. Sylv. Tar, U.S.P., Pin. Palust. Ointment Tar, B.P. Syrup Tar, U.S.P., 1 drachm.

 

Aromatic Pine in Herbal Medicine


Biological Description

The aromatic pine plant is a member of pinaceae family which is made up by a big number of species varieties. The family of coniferous pine trees counts more than 115 species and is native to the Northern Hemisphere; spread in Asia, Africa, and North America. Some pine species (such as Sumatran Pine) reach over the Equator, too. Typical pine tree has a straight, smooth cylindrical trunk that reaches up to 80 m high (average – 10-45 m). The spiral branches in the middle and at the top of the trunk carry needle-shaped leaves, that grow in stages through seed, juvenile and scale. The cones on the pines can be both male and female on the same tree, or, in other species, just of one gender. They mature (or fall – in some species) after pollination and release small winged seeds. Pine is considered as a bitter aromatic herb and is known for its resin widely used in production and medicinal applications.

Growing

Most pines prefer well drained soil with a good acidity, rich in calcium. The majority of species grows well in sandy ground with a good sun exposure. Within species, pines tolerate latitude and elevation, and extreme conditions such as dry and hot climate.

Parts Used

Pine leaves are usually picked in summer and dried for herbal preparations, such as infusions and pine extracts. They are also used fresh. Branches and needles is the source of the essential oil extracted for medicinal and aromatherapy uses. Its fresh camphor-like aroma is highly valued for a variety of household and personal care uses. Also, antioxidant properties of pine bark make it a popular component in herbal blends. In addition, nuts of some pines are edible and considered a delicacy.
Market

Pine is not only the world's favorite Christmas tree, but its components serve as a source for a variety of personal care products, as well as medicinal preparations. Branch tips, needles and shoots are rich in resin from which the pine oil is distilled. It is often found in detergents, perfumes, massage oils and cold and cough preparations. Pine bark and oil are used in topical applications for skin and circulation disorders; and the tea brewed from bark extract or the needles is effective against inflammations. Pine bark is also available in tablets, tinctures and capsules.

Action

The rich chemical content makes pine one of the most valuable plants in herbal medicine. The bark is rich in bioflavonoids (natural antioxidants), acts as anti-inflammatory and antihistamine agent.

Cortisone-like compounds in pine help relieving pain in a variety of conditions, and pinolenic acid in the nut oil affects appetite stimulating the release of a hormone responsible for appetite suppression. Other chemical compounds in the plant include amino-acids, fats, and Oligomeric proanthocyanidins known as vitamin P (enhancing vascular functions).

In herbal medicine pine is known as an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, diuretic, rubefacient, anti-neuralgic, anti-microbial, antiseptic and anti-viral herb.

Health Benefits

Applied externally, remedies containing pine oil are helpful for improving circulation and their mild irritant effects provide blood supply into the application area. These properties are highly beneficial for the patients experiencing muscle pain, rheumatism and neuralgia.

The action of so-called vitamin P in pine bark is characterized by the prevention of permeability of blood vessels and capillaries. It strengthens the whole vascular system and also helps reversing the scurvy effects.

Anti-oxidant properties of bark preparations work well when fighting arthritis, gum disease, ulcers, bruises, varicose veins and other disorders of vascular system, as well as inflammation, cerebral or cardiac infraction. Moreover, these components are able to balance collagen and elastin in the skin, improving its elasticity; and provide antihistamine action which is beneficial in treating allergies.

Used internally, pine extract is effective in treating the conditions of lower and upper respiratory tract, bronchial disorders with heavy secretions. As a vapor agent, pine oil is good against colds, coughs and asthma, sinusitis and even hangover.

Those concerned with weight loss might find it helpful to know that pinolenic acid in the nut oil provides appetite suppression actions by enhancing the release of hormone curbing the appetite.

Also, added into a bath or massage oil, pine oil is known to be effective against cellulite.

Pine oil should be used with a special care, though, since in high concentrations it can be toxic and irritate the skin.

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