Forests Are for Kids: Stuff We Get From Trees! We get a lot more from trees than wood and paper! Did you know that trees provide us with more than 5,000 products that people use every day? It's true! From photographic film to paints and from toothpaste to tires, tree-based chemicals and other wood by-products are all around us. Resin: Wood resin is one of many tree-based chemicals. In nature, resin is the goop that forms a protective coating around a plant wound. It creates a hard coating that microorganisms and insects can't penetrate. People gather the resin of pine trees and use it in many ways. We've even classified resin into three categories: hard resins, oleoresins, and gum resins. Rosin is the most important of the hard resins. It is used in paint, varnishes, and in soapmaking. Rosin also is used to make the bows of stringed instruments sticky so they produce more beautiful music. And rosin is used by ballplayers to give them a better grip on balls and bats. Turpentine is the most widely used oleoresin.

It is a solvent -- meaning that it dissolves other substances -- that is used in paint, varnish, waterproofing, and shoe polish. Gum Resins are used to make other chemical products. Waiter! There's a tree in my Twinkie®! There are tree-based chemicals in many of our food and beverage products! Some of these chemicals are used as flavorings, while others keep the ingredients in food from separating. There's even a tree-based chemical that makes bubble gum chewier! Cellulose, the material that makes up the walls of tree cells, is used as a food thickener in such tasty treats as snack food, milk shakes, ice cream, cake frosting, and pancake syrup! Cellulose also is an important ingredient in non-edible products such as eyeglass frames, steering wheels, hairbrush handles, cellophane, and photographic film! You're surrounded! That's right! You're surrounded by stuff that comes from trees. How many different tree products can you see from where you're sitting right now? WOOD You Believe thousands? Click here to find more! Tapping the Pine Tree...

Plant Resins and their Uses | Temperate Climate Permaculture Tapping the Pine Tree… Plant Resins and their Uses I avoid saying that I love trees. That sems too trite, and it sounds blasé… because everyone “loves” trees; it says so on their t-shirts. So I choose other words like fascinated, inspired, excited. To me, there really is something magical and spiritual about walking through a forest filled with trees that are hundreds of years old. There is a sense of life that permeates the air in even the stillest of forests. There is a fair amount of quality research being released in recent years about how trees communicate. Yes, trees actually do communicate with each other in the forest although I have not seen any credible evidence for sentience in trees, and maybe this is really a topic for another article. Ultimately, I believe that there is a point of balance between using trees for our benefit and treating them with respect. I have no problem with utilizing the products that trees provide us. Trees can truly provide a sustainable supply of many things useful for humans.

Trees can even be part of a regenerative agriculture, where the air, water, soil, and ecology as a whole are improved while we still collect a harvest. But if we do not respect the trees, and the ecology surrounding them, our endeavors will be destructive and degrading. Trees cannot be treated like so many things in our modern throw-away society. With that said, there are so many products that trees provide, in their living and, yes, even in their dying. Most people are well familiar with the fruits and nuts that living trees provide. Dead trees provide firewood, building wood, and even food for certain medicinal and edible mushrooms. There are a number of trees that can be tapped to provide sweet sap that can be reduced to a tasty syrup. The most notable are the maple species, although there are actually a number of other species that can provide a good, but lower quality syrup than the maples. I want to address another product that can be obtained from tapping trees, but it is not for their sap. It is for their resin. Resin is obtained from many trees other than the pines, but that is the most common resin-producing tree in my local Temperate Climate.

We see a pine tree and we think Christmas trees, pine cones, wood, and maybe paper. A few of us think about pine nuts… delicious! There are probably a few of us who think about a tea made from pine needles that is high in vitamin C and was used to prevent scurvy in long Winters without fresh fruits and vegetables. Those with some land may consider them as good trees for windbreaks. But how many of us see a pine tree and think of turpentine, rosins (for bowed string instruments, gymnists, ballet dancers, baseball pitchers, etc.), varnish, oil-paint thinner, furniture wax, lamp oil, soap, tar, and pitch? In modern times, many of these products are now made with synthetic chemical processes that can be highly polluting and is typically unsustainable. As a Permaculturist, I am very interested in learning more about traditional products, their collection, processing, and uses. The remainder of this article provides an overview of the science, history, collection, and uses of resin. Pine Resin is naturally produced from wounds on the tree. Resins Resin is a fluid (specifically, a hydrocarbon) that is secreted from certain plants (a.k.a.

resinous plants), most commonly trees, and most commonly coniferous trees such as pine trees. Resins perform a number of functions in the plants that produce them. Resins seal over wounds, and this protects the plant from pests and infections. Resins contain antimicrobial properties that help prevent decay and fungal infections, and resins also seem to decrease water loss during droughts or plant injury. Humans have gathered and used resins from plants for thousands of years. Resins have been used for waterproofing, varnishes, adhesives, art, incense, medicines, and many other purposes. It is only recently in human history that we have started using synthetic, as opposed to natural/plant-derived, resins. Historic photo from Florida’s pine-tapping turpentine industry. Another historic photo from Florida’s pine-tapping turpentine industry. Another pine resin collection device. Resins can be collected by tapping trees. This has traditionally been achieved by notching the bark in a parallel V-shaped pattern. At the lowest notching, a bucket collects the pooled resin. Trees can be tapped for well over 20 years, and are then used for other purposes including timber, since the wood is not damaged during the tapping process.

Depending on the species of tree and the product desired, various processing techniques are used to refine the resin. While all resinous plants produce resin, some species and hybrids produce higher quality resin than others. Trees also produce other fluids (e.g. sap, latex, gums, etc.), but these are chemically quite distinct from resin. Resins can be categorized a few ways, and while I think the following is a pretty good system, there is a fair amount of overlap between categories: Mastic Hard Resins: These are, not surprisingly, hard. Here are some examples of hard resins: Dammar – obtained from the Dipterocarpaceae family of lowland, tropical rainforest trees from around the globe and the Agathis trees of southeast Asia and northern Australia. Dammar is used as a glaze for foods, crafts, incense, varnish, and more. Mastic – obtained from the Mediterranean Mastic Tree (Pistacia lentiscus). Mastic was commonly used as a natural chewing gum, but it is also used in ice creams, puddings, pastries, nougat, sauces, soups, fruit and vegetable preserves, soft drinks, coffee, liqueurs, and many other foods.

It has a long history as a medicinal and incense, and is also used in perfumes and cosmetics and even in varnishes. Sandarac – obtained from the Sandarac Tree (Tetraclinis articulata) of North Africa in a dry, Mediterranean climate. Sandarac is used for varnish and lacquer. Elemi resin ready to be harvested. Oleoresins: These are resins that contain an oil component naturally made by the tree. They typically stay soft or gum-like. Here are some examples of oleoresins: Balsams – obtained from a variety of trees and shrubs. Balsams contain certain esters (e.g. benzoic or cinnamic acid) that are aromatic, and therefore, balsam is commonly used for as a fragrance and a traditional medicine. Copaiba – obtained from the Copaifera genus of leguminous trees of South America. Used in varnishes and lacquers. Elemi – obtained from the Elemi Tree (Canarium luzonicum) tree of the Philippines. Used in varnishes, lacquers, and traditional medicine. Labdanum – obtained from the Rockrose (Cistus species) from the Mediterranean.

Used in traditional medicine and perfumes. High-Terpene Resins – obtained most commonly from Pine Trees (Pinus species). See Turpentine below for more detailed information. Frankincense Gum Resins: resins that are produced with a natural gum (sugars/polysaccharides) instead of oil. Here are some examples of gum resins: Frankincense – obtained from the Boswellia genus of trees from tropical Africa and Asia. Used as an incense, perfume, medicinal, and had many religious ties. Guggal – obtained from the Guggal Tree (Commiphora wightii) of North Africa and central Asia. Used as a traditional medicine. Myrrh – obtained from the Commiphora genus of tree of tropical Africa, Asia, and South America. Used as a fragrance and medicinal. Amber with a trapped insect. Fossilized Resins: Amber – the color “amber” is named after this amber-colored plant resin that has fossilized, although there is a blue amber that is stunning. Amber sometime contains animals or insects and is used in paleontology. Amber is used in jewelry, traditional medicine, perfumes, incense, varnishes, and lacquers.

Copal – this is a resin that has not quite been fossilized yet, so it can be considered a resin that is on its way to become an amber. It has been used as incense and medicine and varnish. The Loblolly Pine is commonly used for timber, phone poles, and paper, but is a high-terpene producing resin plant. Turpentine Many of the oleoresins from pine trees (and other trees listed below) have high levels of terpenes. Terpenes are a class of organic compounds (hydrocarbons) that a tree produces to repel pests; however, terpenes are produced and/or used in almost all living creature in the world. Some examples of natural products containing terpenes are steroids and beta-carotene. Once a terpene is altered, it is known as a terpenoid. Turpentine is a fluid obtained by distilling high-terpene oleoresins. Collected oleoresins are placed into a steam distiller, and the turpentine is evaporated off and collected in a condenser.

Turpentine can also be extracted via a process known as destructive distillation which occurs during pyrolysis (this is the process that occurs with the proper use of rocket stove technology). I can’t find a lot of information on obtaining turpentine through pyrolysis, but when I do, I will share it. Turpentine can be used as a solvent (a substance that dissolves other substances) and to produce varnish. It can also be mixed with beeswax to make a high quaility furniture wax. Turpentine can be burned in oil lamps and can be mixed with ethanol to make “burning fluid”, an illuminant. Turpentine is mainly used today, once it has been processed, as synthetic pine oil. Pine oil is used for fragrance, flavoring, and in cleaning agents to give the “pine” odor. Trees that have traditionally been primary sources of terpentine: Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis) Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii) Sumatra Pine (Pinus merkusii) Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) – produces Canada Balsam.

Used as a glue for eyeglasses, a traditional medicine, and in soaps and perfumes. Terebinth or Turpentine Tree (Pistacia terebinthus) – a very-long lived tree from the Mediterranean and Middle East. Larch (Larix species) – produces Venetian Turpentine. Used in varnish, traditional medicine, and traditional chewing gum. Red Spruce (Picea rubens) – produces Spruce Gum. Used as a traditional chewing gum. Pine Rosin Other Resin Products Rosin (aka Colophony) – ROsin (not REsin) is the substance left over after turpentine is distilled from resin. Rosin is a solid and ranges in color from yellow to black. It is used by violinists and other string instrument musicians, in sealing wax, varnishes, medications, foods, and in electronic soldering. Pine Tar – produced when heating Pine wood at high temperatures without catching fire (pyrolysis). Water and tar drip from the wood leaving charcoal behind. Used as a wood preservative and water sealant (boats, roofs, ropes, etc.) and in soaps and traditional human and veterinary medicines.

Pitch – Pine Tar is heated so that the water is evaporated. When the tar thickens, it is called pitch. Pitch was traditionally used for waterproofing seams and wooden containers (buckets, barrels, boats, etc.) and roofs. Some people consider Pine Tar and Pitch the same thing, others separate them based on consistency… Pine Tar being more liquid than Pitch. Varnishing a hand-crafted wooden canoe. Additional Definitions Varnish – This is a protective “finish” or application for wood and other materials. Varnish is usually transparent or mostly transparent. It goes on wet and dries hard. It can have various levels of sheen (high gloss, glossy, semi-gloss, satin, etc.). Traditional varnishes contain an oil, a resin, and a solvent. The oils, also known as drying oils, harden after long exposure to oxygen. Examples of drying oils are linseed oil, poppy seed oil, tung oil, and walnut oil. Resins have been discussed at length above, and varnish resins include amber, copal, balsam, copaiba, elemi, mastic, rosin, and sandarac. The most common solvent, by far, is turpentine.

Lacquer – This is a type or method of varnishing, but is typically treated separately. Most varnishes undergo a chemical reaction that causes the varnish to harden. However, lacquers only undergo evaporation. If the solvent is reapplied to the finish (i.e. the lacquer), it will soften again. The resin that is traditionally used to make lacquer is lac (you can see where the name comes from!). Lac is the secretion from the lac insects of Asia. The dried secretion is refined and cleaned with a few different methods and then dries into shellac flakes. These flakes are dissolved in a solvent (lacquer thinners or alcohols) to make liquid shellac. Modern lacquer uses synthetics like polyurethanes, acrylics, or alkyds. Because these lacquers do not contain lac, they are not called shellacs, just lacquers. Another difference between modern varnishes and lacquers is that modern lacquers/shellacs are sprayed on while varnishes are brushed on.

Homeowner Q&A about Pine Beetles | Walter Reeves: The Georgia Gardener Home » Insects and Animals » Homeowner Q&A about Pine Beetles Homeowner Q&A about Pine Beetles The following was written by Terry Price, Georgia Forestry Commission. How do I know if my trees are currently infested with bark beetles? Trees that still harbor beetles will be characterized by green to yellow needles, tight fitting bark (hard to remove from the tree when struck by a hatchet or ax) and soft gummy pitch tubes. There are exceptions to these and homeowners should seek the advice of a forester to be sure trees are still infested. What are my options for controlling an “active infestation” of Ips and southern pine beetles? Removal of infested trees is the surest way to get rid of Ips and southern pine beetles. Other options include complete saturation of the entire tree trunk with a recommended insecticide. Trees can be sprayed standing or after being cut and sectioned on the ground. The entire bark area must be sprayed to the point of runoff. Spraying standing trees in urban areas is not generally recommended due to the possibility of pesticide contamination to nearby bird feeders and baths, swimming pools etc.

Another option is to fell trees and chip them on site and spread the chips for mulch . Infested trees should never be cut and stored on site for firewood unless the wood is covered with a plastic or vinyl tarp and sealed along the edges. From April to October infested firewood should be covered for at least 35 days to insure the death of the beetles. During the cooler months from October to March, infested firewood should remain covered until after dogwoods have bloomed in the spring. Remember, Ips and southern pine beetles can complete a life cycle within 22-30 days respectively and control efforts must be done within this time frame. What are my options for controlling black turpentine beetle infestations? The black turpentine beetle is the only pine bark beetle that is confined to the lower six to ten feet of tree trunk. Except in extreme situations, the beetles do not mass attack trees as do the Ips and southern pine beetles. Rather, they tend to build up over a period of weeks thus allowing time for control by homeowners and landowners. Spraying the lower ten feet of trunk with a recommended insecticide can effectively control black turpentine beetles.

Do I need to remove trees that are already dead? (Those with brown needles or no needles.) Dead trees from which bark beetles have emerged may harbor beneficial insects such as the checkered beetle. If dead trees are no threat to property, humans, or pets, they can be left standing to provide homes for checkered beetles and cavity nesting birds. Be sure dead trees are away from property lines, powerlines, houses, cars and children’s play areas. Stay away from dead trees on windy days as they often lose branches and upper trunk sections from the swaying. Can I protect my healthy trees with an insecticide before pine beetles get them? Healthy trees that are near an Ips or southern pine beetle infestation can be protected if the entire trunk area (bottom to top) is treated with a recommended insecticide. This requires expensive equipment capable of thrusting the insecticide up to tree top level. In urban areas where bird baths and feeders, swimming pools, cars and people are often present, spraying standing trees is not a good idea. Although it’s effective in preventing bark beetle attacks, it is often impractical. Many tree companies offer to spray standing pines up to a height of about ten feet.

This is only effective against the black turpentine beetle and will not provide protection against Ips and southern pine beetles. Also, many tree companies advertise the injection of systemic chemicals to control or prevent bark beetles. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has allowed the registration of systemic insecticides for control of pine bark beetles, their effectiveness is often contraindicated. Stay with the proven methods even though they may be more costly and labor intensive. Will chips from recently ground pine trees attract pine beetles to my yard? Yes and no! The black turpentine beetle is justly named because it is highly attracted to the odor of fresh pine tree resin. Sometimes green pine chips may heighten the possibility of a black turpentine beetle attack and to a lesser extent attacks from the other bark beetles. To be safe, pine chips should be used only in and around hardwood areas. Must I have the stumps ground when I remove an infested tree? Black turpentine beetles like the smell of fresh pine resin and a green stump is a prime target for them. Stump grinding is preferred when green pines are cut.

If not, the stumps should be sprayed with a recommended insecticide unless there are no more pines left in the yard. Does pruning attract pine bark beetles? It is best to prune pine trees when pine beetles are inactive. Pruning trees between November and February is preferred to spring and summer pruning. If pruning can’t be postponed, the pruning wounds should be coated with a tree wound dressing to reduce the possibility of a bark beetle attack. Climbing spurs used by many tree surgeons and arborists when pruning can attract pine beetles. If pine beetles are on the rampage it is best to delay any pruning until the outbreak subsides. This would apply to powerline pruning as well. What should I do if my neighbor has trees infested with pine bark beetles? It is always a good practice to be aware of bark beetle activity or tree lightning strikes in your neighborhood or area. Pine bark beetles can devastate neighborhoods or woodlands and do not respect property lines. Quick action to rid an area of beetles is a must. Be sure your neighbors are aware of the situation. What are my responsibilities toward my neighbors if I have an active bark beetle infestation on my property?

Once you have been educated to the potential hazard of your infestation spreading to nearby properties, you may be liable for negligence by failing to remove the beetle hazard(s). Neighbors need to work together to solve a community problem. Are there any federal and state tax relief options for homeowners and timber owners plagued by pine bark beetles? Yes! The IRS recognizes the southern pine beetle as a casualty agent. This means homeowners can minimize losses provided they document and report the losses in an appropriate manner approved by the IRS. Generally, homeowners can have the property appraised with and without the trees (those killed by beetles). The depreciation in property value due to missing trees is the amount of the casualty allowed by the IRS. Timber growers may qualify for an involuntary conversion. Under this rule, landowners who salvage killed trees may be able to reinvest the income into “like-kind” property within 3 years and postpone taxes. Homeowners and timber owners need to refer to IRS publication 547, Casualties, Disasters and Thefts. This publication is available free of charge by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM. What type of assistance does the Georgia Forestry Commission provide to homeowners in dealing with pine bark beetles?

The Georgia Forestry Commission provides technical assistance to any homeowner/landowner or neighborhood association upon request. During community wide or statewide beetle outbreaks, a GFC representative can provide a program to citizens about how to recognize and control pine bark beetles. It can also publicize and coordinate community wide suppression activities by training various tree companies, arborists and timber harvesters on proper control procedures. As a state agency the GFC does not remove trees nor provide financial assistance to citizens for tree removal. Contact the Georgia Forestry Commission by calling your local county office or 1-800-GA TREES or go online at How to Tap a Pine Tree: 9 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Community Q&A Tapping pine trees to capture the sap for use in paint products and in making pine resin products is almost a lost art. Here are the basic steps if you would like to try this project for yourself. Because this project does inflict damage to the tree and expose it to dangers from pests and diseases, careful consideration should be given before proceeding. Steps 1 Locate some mature pine trees that you can obtain access to. You will need to have the landowner's permission before proceeding, and you must make it clear what you intend to do.

Tapping the trees will not seriously injure them if done properly, but may decrease the value of them as timber if they are harvested in the future. 2 Identify the best species of pines for this purpose. Because in general, different species of pine have similar appearance, you may need to talk to someone familiar with the pines native to your area. Southern pines that are suitable for tapping include these: Southern Yellow Pine Improved Slash Pine 3 Gather the necessary tools for your project. You will have to have a tool for cutting the bark of the tree, a catch pan, and a container to gather the collected sap into. If you choose to catch the sap in a plastic container, you will also need some lightweight sheet metal to form a funnel with to decrease waste of sap. Here is a basic list of tools and materials with a description of each one. Hacker. This is a short, machete like tool for hacking the bark and sapwood of the tree. A special tool commonly made by local blacksmiths until early in the 20th century, you may substitute a hatchet or small axe or use a very sharp machete or other large knife. Turpentine pots.

These pots were made of tinned steel or terra cotta ceramics, and are largely unavailable today. The two unique features they shared was a thin, curved rim at the top, and a hole for the hanging peg just below the rim on the concave edge. You can make your own turpentine pots from large metal cans such as institutional food containers. Simply remove the top completely, dent one side in to make it concave, and drill a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) hole in the lip of the can. Lugging buckets. This is not a technical name, just a description of the use for the bucket the turpentine used to carry the sap from the collection pots to the still or the location the product was sold as a raw material. Hammer and pegs. Any hammer suitable for driving nails will work, and if you don't have hardwood pegs, you can also use a large nail to peg your collecting pots to the tree. The advantage of using hardwood pegs is that the tree could safely be harvested later for saw logs without the risk of a steel pin or nail damaging the sawmilling equipment. Turpentine still.

Obviously this is a large and complicated assembly of equipment, and will not be discussed in detail here. Pine sap (called resin) is gathered and distilled to produce turpentine, used for paint thinning, varnishes, and cleaning solvents. 4 Choose a tree to make your tap into. Look for large, tight-barked trees to have the best results, since shag barked trees will be difficult to get a tight fit on with your collecting buckets. 5 Hack the bark away from the sap (live) wood about 3 foot (0.9 m) above the ground, and about 10 inches (25.4 cm) wide, by chopping the bark away with your machete, hatchet, or other chopping tool. Scrape away the bark to expose about a 6 inch (15.2 cm) tall section of sapwood. 6 Fit your collecting bucket tightly to the sapwood, so that when the sap begins to seep out, it will drip into it. If you use a bucket that cannot be conformed to the shape of your tree, use a piece of metal flashing to form a funnel into the bucket.

7 Hack some shallow notches in a "V" shape, with the point of the "V" directly above the center of your bucket. 8 Leave the bucket attached to the tree until the sap begins to seep out and drain into it. Rainwater will not affect the sap, since it is fairly waterproof, but you will want to collect the sap into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid every several days to keep debris from accumulating in it. Hack additional notches in the sapwood if the sap flow decreases, as the sap may begin to harden or crystallize, sealing the wood grain closed and preventing sap from seeping. 9 Remove any nails or other metal fasteners when you are finished your project and take down your collection pot. Driving a wooden peg into any penetrations may help prevent the tree from suffering further damage from insects or diseases entering through the hole. Community Q&A Will the tree feel pain when I tap it? wikiHow Contributor Not in the way that animals/humans do, because trees don't have a nervous system. However, it is not possible to rule it out completely. There's evidence that trees can respond to being damaged or eaten in various ways, and their methods of sensing these damages are not entirely understood.

Turpentine Uses, Benefits & Dosage - Drugs.com Herbal Database None well documented. Adverse Reactions The contact allergenic activity of turpentine is believed to be caused primarily by the pinenes, 3-carene, and dipentene. The resin also has irritant potential. In one survey of persons involved in the manufacture of tires, patch testing indicated that 2.6% of those tested developed hypersensitivity reactions to turpentine. Benign skin tumors have been observed in animal models following chronic topical application of turpentine. 1 , 2 Toxicology If ingested, turpentine is highly toxic and fatal poisonings have been reported in children who have ingested as little as 15 mL of the material. 3 The term “turpentine” is used imprecisely to describe either the oleoresin obtained from the longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris Mill.) or the slash pine ( P. elliottii Engelm.) along with other Pinus species that yield exclusively terpene oils, or the essential oil obtained from the above oleoresin. 1 More than a half-dozen additional Pinus species have been used in the production of turpentine.

4 The oleoresin is sometimes referred to as “gum turpentine” while turpentine or its oil (also known as spirits of turpentine) are terms for the essential oil. Following steam distillation, gum turpentine yields turpentine oil and a resin called colophony (also known as rosin). Alternately, rosin is collected by scarring the tree trunk, and then various grades of material are refined. 4 Turpentine and rosin also are obtained by the steam distillation of pinewood chips that are by-products of the lumber and paper industries, and these sources currently account for the bulk of their production. In terms of volume, turpentine is the largest volume-essential oil product in the world, with the bulk of production occurring in the United States. The labor-intensive production of rosin, however, occurs to a greater extent in Spain, Greece, India, and Morocco. History The primary use of turpentine has been as a solvent in paints. During the last century, it became an important starting material for the commercial synthesis of many widely used compounds, including camphor and menthol.

Various products derived from turpentine have been used in chewing gums, and steam-distilled turpentine oil has been used as a food and beverage flavoring in very small quantities (typically about 20 ppm). Turpentine and its related products have a long history of medicinal use primarily as topical counterirritants for the treatment of rheumatic disorders and muscle pain. A gum derived from turpentine was used in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve the pain of toothaches. Other extracts (including the semi-synthetic derivative terpin hydrate) have been used for the treatment of cough and cold symptoms; 5 the cis-form of terpin hydrate is used as an expectorant. 6 A variety of gum and resin products had been derived from pines for use in the early naval industry as tars and pitches. Consequently the terms “wood naval stores” and “gum naval stores” came to be associated with these pine-derived products. 4 Chemistry Turpentine is composed primarily of monoterpene hydrocarbons, the most prevalent of which are the pinenes, camphene, and 3-carene.

Rosin contains mostly diterpene resin acids, such as abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid, palustric acid, and isopimaric acid. Numerous other compounds are present in small quantities in all turpentine products. Canada turpentine or Canada balsam is an oleoresin obtained from the stems of the balsam fir, Abies balsamea (Family Pinaceae). Uses and Pharmacology Turpentine and its related products (the oil and rosin) are important in commerce and traditional medicine. These products can pose a toxicity problem and should be handled and stored carefully. Literature primarily documents turpentine being utilized in experimental models of inflammation to induce a systemic inflammatory immune response in animals. 7 Antibacterial activity Animal data Turpentine possesses antibacterial activity in vitro 1 and has been applied topically to debride severe wounds infested with fly larvae. 8 Clinical data Research reveals no clinical data regarding the antibacterial activity of turpentine. Sclerosis Research reveals no animal data regarding the use of turpentine for sclerosis.

Clinical data Preliminary reports from Russia suggest that turpentine baths may assist in the treatment of disseminated sclerosis, 9 but the safety of this treatment has not been established. Sexual dysfunction Research reveals no animal data regarding the use of turpentine for sexual dysfunction. Clinical data One study from Russia documents the use of turpentine white emulsion baths in patients with sexual dysfunctions, but the safety of this treatment has not been established. 10 Miscellaneous When applied topically, turpentine causes skin irritation and, therefore, has been shown to exert rubefacient and counterirritant actions. Turpentine inhibits bone resorption in rats dose dependently. 11 Dosage None well documented. Adverse Reactions The contact allergenic activity of turpentine is believed to be caused primarily by the pinenes, 3-carene and dipentene. The resin also has irritant potential. In one survey of persons involved in the manufacture of tires, patch testing indicated that 2.6% of those tested developed hypersensitivity reactions to turpentine. Benign skin tumors have been observed in animal models following chronic topical application of turpentine.

1 , 2 Toxicology Turpentine has been used for traditional self-medication in the United States, and fatal poisonings have been reported in children who have ingested as little as 15 mL of the material. 3 Turpentine is among the most commonly ingested poisons among childhood cases reported to poison control centers. 12 Turpentine will irritate the respiratory pathways. 13 A case report documents a male, 20 years of age treated with oxygen, steroids, and eventually intercostal tube drainage after turpentine-induced chemical pneumonitis that evolved into a bronchopleural fistula. 14 Toxic effects of turpentine ingestion include headache, insomnia, coughing, vomiting, hematuria, albuminuria, and coma. 1 Bibliography 1. Leung AY. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1980. 2. Rudzki E, Berova N, Czernielewski A, et al. Contact allergy to oil of turpentine: a 10-year retrospective view. Contact Dermatitis Research Group in Comecon Countries.

Contact Dermatitis . 1991;24:317-318. 3. Boyd EL, et al. Home Remedies and the Black Elderly: A Reference Manual for Health Care Providers . Levittown, PA: Pharmaceutical Information Associates, Ltd.;1991. 4. Trease GE, Evans WC. Trease and Evans' Pharmacognosy . 13th ed. London, England: Balliere Tindall; 1989. 5. Ziment I. History of the treatment of chronic bronchitis. Respiration . 1991;58 (suppl 1):37-42. 6. Morton JF. Major Medicinal Plants . Springfield, IL: Thomas Books; 1977. 7. Pous C, Chauvelot-Moachon L, Lecoustillier M, Durand G. Recombinant human interleukin 1 beta and tumor necrosis factor affect glycosylation of serum alpha 1-acid glycoprotein in rats. Inflammation . 1992;16:197-203. 8.

Agarwal DC, Singh B. Orbital myiasis—a case report. Indian J Ophthalmol . 1990;38:187-188. 9. Ludianskii EA. The extension of the use of physical methods of treatment to patients with disseminated sclerosis [in Russian]. Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult . 1992;34-37. 10. Karpukhin IV, Li AA, Gusev ME. Turpentine white emulsion baths in the rehabilation in patients with sexual dysfunctions [in Russian]. Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult . 2000;32-33. 11. Muhlbauer RC, Lozano A, Palacio S, Reinli A, Felix R. Common herbs, essential oils, and monoterpenes potently modulate bone metabolism. Bone . 2003;32:372-380. 12. Melis K, Verbeke S, Bochner A. Chemical pneumonia in children [in Dutch]. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd .

1990;134:811-814. 13. Filipsson AF. Short term inhalation exposure to turpentine: toxicokinetics and acute effects in men. Occup Environ Med . 1996;53:100-105. 14. Rodricks A, Satyanarayana M, D'Souza GA, Ramachandran P. Turpentine-induced chemical pneumonitis with broncho-pleural fistula. J Assoc Physicians India . 2003;51:729-730. Copyright © 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health CHAPTER 8 Chapter 8 TURPENTINE FROM PINE RESIN DESCRIPTION AND USES Turpentine is the volatile oil distilled from pine resin, which itself is obtained by tapping trees of the genus Pinus. The solid material left behind after distillation is known as rosin. Both products are used in a wide variety of applications but only turpentine is discussed in detail here (rosin is briefly referred to in PRODUCTS OTHER THAN OIL, below).

Turpentine, rosin and derivatives of these which have been obtained via tapping of living pine trees (whether natural stands or plantations) are known collectively as gum naval stores (and the turpentine and rosin as gum turpentine and gum rosin, respectively). This distinguishes them from turpentine and rosin which have been recovered as by-products from chemical pulping of pines and which are referred to as sulphate naval stores; and wood naval stores, which are similar materials obtained from aged pine stumps. Neither sulphate nor wood naval stores are discussed further. Traditionally, turpentine has been employed as a solvent or cleaning agent for paints and varnishes and this is still often the case today, particularly in those countries where the pine trees are tapped. There are also some specialized uses, in the pharmaceutical industry, for example. Most turpentine nowadays, however, is used as a source of chemical isolates which are then converted into a wide range of products. Many of these, including the biggest single turpentine derivative, synthetic pine oil, are employed for fragrance and flavour use, although there are also many important non-aromatic applications such as polyterpene resins.

Pine oil is used in disinfectants, cleaning agents and other products having a "pine" odour. Derivatives such as isobornyl acetate, camphor, citral, linalool, citrinellal, menthol and many others are used either in their own right or for the elaboration of other fragrance and flavour compounds. Many of the odours and flavours in use today, which are associated with naturally occurring oils, may well be derived, instead, from turpentine. A few of the minor constituents of turpentine, such as anethole, are employed for fragrance or flavour use without the need for chemical modification. WORLD SUPPLY AND DEMAND TRENDS Markets No more than some general comments and an indication of markets are given here. Trade statistics are complex and difficult to analyze in terms of gum turpentine alone: firstly, because it is not always disaggregated from sulphate turpentine and secondly, because there is considerable trade in turpentine derivatives, with a consequent loss of identity in terms of the type of turpentine used as feedstock.

GREENHALGH (1982) estimated world production of all types of turpentine to be approximately 250,000 tonnes in 1979. Of this, about 110,000 tonnes was gum turpentine, most of the remainder being sulphate turpentine. COPPEN (1993) estimated annual production of gum turpentine from the seven major producers at 140,000 tonnes based on 1987-89 data (Table 12). Most recently, DAWSON (1994) has estimated total world production of turpentine at 335,000 tonnes, of which around 100,000 tonnes is believed to be gum turpentine. The USA and the People's Republic of China are the world's largest producers and consumers of turpentine. Most American requirements are met by domestic sulphate turpentine production but gum turpentine is also imported for fractionation and conversion into derivatives. Chinese requirements are met by her own production of gum turpentine.

Japan, Western Europe (particularly France, which imports Portuguese turpentine for fractionation), India and some Latin American countries (Mexico and Brazil, for example) are all major consumers of turpentine, but many other countries import or use domestically produced turpentine to a greater or lesser degree. Small producers such as Kenya and Thailand consume all their turpentine (a hundred tonnes or so each) locally. Others, such as Indonesia, which produces around 6,000 tonnes pa, export a major part of their production. Recent export of gum turpentine from Indonesia, and their destinations, are shown in Table 13. There are a large number of importing countries but India is by far the biggest importer - over 4,000 tonnes in 1992 and making up for her own declining production. Any new producer, therefore, or, indeed, an existing one who is able to expand production, is likely to find a ready market. Importers and end-users of turpentine (and rosin) are always anxious to widen their supply base. In addition, there is usually an ample domestic market.

Supply sources The largest producer of gum turpentine in the world is the People's Republic of China (Table 12), although most is consumed domestically and does not enter international trade. Portugal accounts for the greater part of world trade in gum turpentine but volumes have decreased in recent years as a result of falling resin production. The estimate of 16,000 tonnes for Portuguese turpentine production given in Table 12 (1987-89 data) needs to be revised downwards by a significant amount to reflect current levels. Only around 20,000 tonnes of resin was produced in 1993, equivalent to about 4,000 tonnes of turpentine, although this is forecast to rise to 25-30,000 tonnes of resin in the 1994 crop year. The decline in resin production in Portugal has been brought about by increasing labour costs and a growing unwillingness of people to undertake the arduous task of tapping pine trees.

Countries other than Portugal have experienced the problem and the USA, France, Spain and several others, which were formerly very significant producers of gum turpentine (and rosin) from tapping operations, now produce either none or very little. Production in Mexico and India has also suffered. In many other countries, however, production has either commenced (where none previously existed) or increased in recent years. The prime example of this is Indonesia, where resin production has increased dramatically over the last decade and it is now one of the world's largest producers. Gum turpentine exports from Indonesia increased from around 3,400 tonnes in 1988 to 7,200 tonnes in 1992 (Table 13). Brazil is also now a significant producer although most of its production of turpentine is consumed domestically. Argentina is another South American producer of gum turpentine. Some other producing countries are noted below (see PLANT SOURCES) although for most of the smaller ones (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Thailand, Greece and Turkey) production is confined to meeting domestic needs rather than exports.

Quality and prices An international (ISO) standard exists for "gum spirit of turpentine" but this is for turpentine intended for use in paints and varnishes. Turpentine purchased by the chemical industry as a source of isolates for conversion to pine oil and fragrance and flavour compounds is assessed on the basis of its composition. The most versatile and widely used constituents of turpentine are alpha- and beta-pinene. Of these, the latter is the more valuable, although the former is usually more abundant. (The dependence of turpentine composition on the species of pine from which it is obtained is discussed in more detail below.) A total pinene content of 90 percent or greater would be regarded as good, becoming excellent as the beta-pinene contribution increases above 30-40 percent. Portuguese, American and Brazilian turpentines are all high in pinenes. Anything much less than 70-80 percent pinene would be of limited value for derivative manufacture, at least if the turpentine were offered for sale on the international market.

The presence of certain compounds in the turpentine lowers its value; the most common of these is 3-carene, which may comprise 50 percent or more of Indian turpentine. Gum turpentine is traded in much higher volumes than other essential oils and is often imported direct from source by the end-user or fractionator. Prices are therefore subject to negotiation although they are very dependent on the quality (composition) of the turpentine: the greater the proportion of beta-pinene compared to alpha-pinene, the higher its value. The price of gum turpentine intended as a source of pinenes is also influenced by the price of sulphate turpentine and in the United States there has been an oversupply of this in the last year, leading to a softening of the market. Where turpentine is intended for smaller, miscellaneous applications rather than fractionation, imports are usually made through dealers who specialize in naval stores. Prices are still dependent on the source and characteristics of the turpentine as well as the supply situation.

A general shortage of turpentine in early 1989, for example, led to a sharp increase in the price of Portuguese turpentine (to about ?580/tonne FOB Lisbon). The price had fallen to around ?385/tonne FOT by mid-1991. In the last two years it has risen again to ?480 (mid-1992) and ?550/tonne FOB, early 1994 (= US$825 FOB or approximately US$920 CIF London). By comparison, prices for Chinese and Indonesian turpentine in early 1994 were approximately US$640 and US$520 per tonne, respectively, on a CIF London basis. The higher price for Portuguese turpentine is due in part to its better quality, particularly the absence of 3-carene (which Indonesian turpentine contains), and part to the tightness of supplies following the fall in resin production in 1993. The price should ease somewhat if Portuguese resin production improves, as forecast, in 1994, although the longer-term trend is less certain.

PLANT SOURCES While most pines yield resin of some sort upon tapping, the question of whether it is economic to do so depends on its quality and the quantities that are produced. Those species of Pinus that are currently tapped, and the countries that are known to utilize them for this purpose, are listed below. Where tapping is solely or mainly carried out on natural stands, as distinct from plantations, this is indicated by (n). Botanical/common names Turkey Description and distribution Pines are coniferous species, native to many parts of Central and North America, Europe and Asia, and small areas of North Africa. At one point their natural distribution extends south of the Equator (P. merkusii in Sumatra, Indonesia). In addition, they are widely planted for timber and pulpwood and there are extensive plantations in Africa and South America (as well as elsewhere). Those species which are tapped include temperate and tropical ones and they may grow near sea level or at altitudes of 1,000 m or more. In some parts of the world, such as Mexico and Central America, mixed stands are tapped.

Recent research in South Africa and Brazil has demonstrated that some Pinus hybrids which have been developed for improved wood production also give enhanced resin yields. Crosses of P. elliottii x P. caribaea, one of the most promising hybrids, may therefore be the trees of choice for tapping in the future. Effects of resin production on the natural resource If done properly, and using methods which involve removal of bark only, tapping trees causes no damage whatsoever to them and they may be (and are) tapped for up to twenty years or more. The absence of any adverse effects caused by tapping is demonstrated by the fact that plantation pines are tapped in many parts of the world. No loss in quality of the log is observed after felling, whether it is destined for timber or pulp production, and although there is some loss of volume increment during the period of tapping this is more than compensated for by the revenue earned from resin production. Even more traditional methods of tapping which involve some removal of wood from the tree (see below) may not be damaging to its survival, and trees can be seen in the wild which show evidence of very old tapping scars but which are otherwise quite healthy.

The risk of damage, however, is undoubtedly heightened by use of these methods and if wood is removed too deeply from the tree, or over too wide an area, then it will suffer. HARVESTING/PRIMARY PROCESSING Unlike tapping Boswellia and Commiphora species, which results in discrete, hard "tears" forming on the exposed surface of the tree which are then removed by hand (see OLIBANUM, MYRRH AND OPOPANAX RESINS), pine resin is collected in a manner more akin to rubber tapping. A cup and gutter system is installed on the tree into which the resin flows, albeit more slowly than rubber latex. Over the course of many years, and in different countries, several different systems of tapping have evolved. It is now recognized that tapping, however it is done, should be carried out carefully and in such a way as to avoid permanent damage to the tree, and the older methods in which deep cuts were made into the tree have generally given way to those which involve removal of bark alone ("bark chipping"). In the case of plantation pines, the use of a particular style of tapping is also influenced by the fact that the tree is to be felled for saw timber or pulpwood.

In this case it is common to tap fairly intensively, using a wide face, for four years or so prior to felling. Traditional forms of tapping (practised in Indonesia, Thailand and India, for example) entail removing a 10 cm-wide sliver of wood from the tree in a vertical direction using a specially designed tool. Exposure of the resin ducts causes resin to flow down the tree and it is directed into the receiver by a small metal gutter. After a while, the resin ducts become sealed and the tapper has to re-visit the tree every 3-4 days to repeat the operation, gradually moving up the tree with each removal of wood. The resin is collected from the trees at regular intervals (but not necessarily at each visit by the tapper) and placed in drums which, when full, are taken to the factory for distillation. If tapping is continued for the whole year, then the tapped portion of the tree will extend upwards approximately 60 cm, less for a shorter season. The cup and gutter are removed at the end of each season and replaced just above the face in preparation for the new season.

Tapping continues up the tree as far as the tapper can comfortably reach, at which point it can commence again near the base of the tree and to one side of the original face (keeping a short distance between the two faces). In this way a tree may be tapped for 20 years or more. The preferred method of tapping to the one just described entails only removal of bark and is practised in most of the major (and many minor) producing countries. After installation of a suitable cup and gutter system near the bottom of the tree a horizontal strip of bark 2-2.5 cm high is removed, just above the gutter. (In Brazil, a specially designed plastic bag is tied flush to the face of the tree to hold the resin and this eliminates the need for a cup and gutter.) A chemical formulation, either a spray or a paste in which sulphuric acid is usually the "active" ingredient, is then applied along the top edge of the exposed tissue. The combination of bark removal and acid treatment makes it unnecessary to cut into the wood to open the resin ducts.

Equally important, the acid maintains resin flow for a longer period of time than is the case in traditional methods of tapping and the task need not be repeated until 2-3 weeks later, the removal of bark being made above and adjacent to the first one. Labour requirements are, therefore, much reduced compared to tapping methods which do not involve acid treatment. One aspect of the bark chipping method which gives rise to two slightly different versions is the width of bark which is removed. In the United States, Brazil, Zimbabwe and several other countries where even-aged plantation trees are utilized, tapping is intensive and bark removal extends across the diameter of the tree. In some other countries (Portugal and South Africa, for example), where a long tapping life is preferred over higher short-term yields, a narrow face is used and bark removal is limited to a width of 10 cm. This also enables a simpler system of guttering to be used. Once it has arrived at the factory, the resin is steam distilled to furnish two co-products, turpentine and rosin. In contrast to direct distillation of plant tissue for essential oils, resin has to be cleaned before it goes into the still.

Typically, crude resin comprises 70-75 percent rosin, 15-20 percent turpentine and 10 percent foreign matter (pine needles, bark, insects, etc) and rain water. After dilution of the resin with turpentine (from a previous distillation) insoluble material is removed first by filtration. Ideally, although it does not always take place, water-soluble impurities are then removed by washing the resin with hot water. The cleaned resin then passes to the distillation vessel where the turpentine is recovered. At the end of the distillation the hot, molten rosin which remains in the still is drained into drums or other suitable containers and set aside to cool and solidify. Yields and quality variation As an approximate guide, mean annual yields of resin should not be much less than 2 kg per tree if tapping is to be economically viable. Around 3 kg per tree is probably a realistic maximum of what one can expect. This means that for an operation aimed at producing 1,000 tonnes of resin per year, 0.3-0.5 million trees are required.

Distillation of this quantity of resin will produce approximately 650-700 tonnes of rosin and 150 tonnes of turpentine. Intrinsic quality and yields of resin from the tree are both determined by genetic factors and so the species of Pinus that is tapped is crucial to the viability of any tapping operation and the marketability of the turpentine. P. patula, for example, although widely planted as an exotic species in Africa and elsewhere, does not give good yields of resin and the quality of the turpentine and rosin is extremely poor. As a consequence it is not tapped anywhere in the world. A species such as P. elliottii on the other hand, which is also quite widely planted for timber, is tapped because it gives good quality resin and in reasonable yields. In Thailand, where natural stands of both P. merkusii and P. kesiya exist, only the former is tapped; yields of resin from P. kesiya are too low. Although one can make some generalizations about the relative merits of different species of pine for tapping, resin yields and turpentine quality (chemical composition) can sometimes vary markedly within a species, according to provenance origin.

In natural stands, therefore, it may be advantageous to tap trees only in certain areas (although in practice, providing yields are not impossibly low, and if the turpentine is to be used ultimately in whole form rather than as a source of isolates, all trees are usually tapped). In plantations, however, where there may be large-scale planting of a particular provenance, these differences can be important. In the case of P. caribaea, a species with much potential for tapping, there are some differences in turpentine composition between the three varieties (var. caribaea, var. hondurensis and var. bahamensis). Resin yields for this species are, on the whole, higher than for P. elliottii, the usual yardstick by which performance is judged, although again there are varietal and provenance differences. There can also be significant differences in resin yield and turpentine composition between individual trees within a provenance and this can be taken advantage of in breeding programmes aimed at improving the long-term performance of a plantation resource base. In addition to genetic factors, resin yields are also influenced by climatic conditions.

High ambient temperatures are conducive to good resin flow, while prolonged periods of rainfall are not, and the extent of seasonal changes will largely determine the period during the year when it is profitable to tap the trees. Altitude is important insofar as it affects temperature, and it may be that where trees are growing over a range of elevations, only those at the lower, warmer sites can be tapped. VALUE-ADDED PROCESSING If the volumes of turpentine being produced are sufficiently high (at least several hundreds of tonnes annually, and preferably much more), and the pinene content is also high, then fractionation and production of value-added derivatives can be considered. In most cases, however, a new producer of naval stores would look first to selling whole turpentine to established end-users or fractionators. PRODUCTS OTHER THAN TURPENTINE/RESIN As explained earlier, rosin is always produced with the turpentine at the distillery and so plays a vital role in determining the overall viability of the gum naval stores operation. As with the turpentine, a new producer may be able to serve the domestic market or, if quality is acceptable, export it.

If plantation pines are tapped then the felled trees provide income from sale of the logs for timber or pulp. Distillation of freshly cut foliage to yield pine needle oil is a possibility, although the market for this is rather specialized and its size is vastly smaller than for turpentine. It is not normally something that is undertaken at the same time as turpentine production. DEVELOPMENTAL POTENTIAL Rising labour costs and decreased supplies of gum naval stores from traditional producers mean that there are opportunities for those countries with a standing resource of pine trees, either natural stands or plantations, who do not presently produce turpentine and rosin. Apart from domestic use or exports of turpentine (and rosin), there may be opportunities for a new producer for regional trade in crude resin. Many existing producers of gum naval stores (in Africa, for example) cannot obtain enough resin from domestic resources and would welcome supplementary supplies. In the first instance, therefore, a tapping operation with no processing might be an option. The production of resin (and from it turpentine and rosin) by tapping brings with it many social and economic benefits.

It: - provides employment and income opportunities for people in rural areas, including women; - improves the profitability of primary forest activities (when plantation pines are tapped) by co-production of non-wood forest products; N. 10 : Traditional form of tapping practised in Indonesia, Pinus merkusii [ J. Coppen, NRI ] N. 11 : Tapping Pinus merkusii in Thailand, wich also involves removal of wood from the tree [ J. Coppen, NRI ] N. 12 : Tapped face of Pinus elliottii showing bark removal (wide face), South Africa, [ J. Coppen, NRI ] N.13 : Tapped face of pinus elliotii showing bark reoval ( narrow face), South Africa [J.Coppen, NRI] N. 14 : Tapping Pinus elliottii in Brazil illustrating use of plastic bags for resin collection [ J. Coppen, NRI ] N. 15 : Pinus Caribaea in third year of tapping, South Africa [ J. Coppen, NRI] N. 16 : Quality assessment: Collection of a sample of resin from Pinus merkusii Thailand, [ J.

Coppen, NRI ] Table 12 Principal producers and production volumes of gum turpentine (and rosin) (tonnes) Turpentine and Kerosene Remedies Turpentine and Kerosene Remedies Jan 17, 2017 Turpentine and kerosene have been used as natural remedies for a variety of health problems for generations! Perhaps your great-grandmother used turpentine for a yearly "cleansing" for your grandpa when he was a boy. Maybe your great aunt used it for her rheumatism or to cure a nagging cough. While the thought of using paint brush cleaner sounds harsh and foolish, turpentine could be classified as an herbal remedy. Herbal remedies are medicines made from plants, and that is just what true turpentine is! Turpentine is made by distilling pine resin from pine trees. Many essential oils are made by distilling plant material into a concentrated natural medicine. What Heath Conditions Can Be Treated with Turpentine? Parasites Turpentine has been discussed often at Earth Clinic as a natural and highly effective remedy for parasites.

Long ago farmers and even school nurses gave turpentine as a matter of course to children twice a year to eliminate parasites like pinworms. The easiest way to do this is to put a few drops of turpentine on a sugar cube. This tastes like pine candy and is simple for children and adults alike to take. Gigi from Edison shared this astounding story with us: "I've been taking the gum spirits (1 teaspoon) every other day for four dosages, took 4 days off. Took it again for two dosages, ended up expelling a tapeworm, swiveled and rolled up the size of a golf ball. I just stared at it..not what I expected. My energy level is so much better, lungs feel cleaner. Can't tell me this stuff doesn't work. Sixteen years - 6 doctors told me it was my thyroid, yet none of the thyroid medications did anything for me. They made me feel worse. All the women out there complaining about pain and low energy levels, wonder how many have some sort of parasite?" Fungus and Candida Earth Clinic's Bill Thompson has patiently answered many questions at Earth Clinic about using turpentine as part of his anti-candida protocol.

You can read more about this protocol here . Turpentine is an inexpensive remedy for nail fungus. One drop can be massaged into affected nails twice a day. This treatment will take some time, especially with toenails, but all remedies tend to take a while to treat nail fungus. Autism Turpentine has been part of protocols used for autistic children. Heavy metals and candida are common problems among autistic children, making turpentine a popular remedy. Head Lice Lice has been a problem among school children since the advent of schools! Over the counter remedies and prescriptions for lice can be dangerous, especially if they need to be used repeatedly. There has also been increased resistance to these treatments as well. Turpentine can be mixed with coconut oil as a safer and effective alternative. Use no more than 1 part turpentine to 10 parts of coconut oil (or olive oil or mayonnaise.) Carefully massage into the scalp and spread the oil down over the hair. Cover with plastic wrap and then a towel for an hour. Remove towel and wrap. Wash oils out of hair. Repeat this process in one week, using a nit comb to remove any leftover nits in the meanwhile.

Arthritis and Gout A massage oil can be made with turpentine to massage into pained joints. Because castor oil is also good for arthritis, it is a good medium to be mixed with turpentine. Use 1 part turpentine and 2 parts castor oil, olive oil, or coconut oil. Do not use this oil on sensitive skin, broken skin or mucous membranes. Cold and Flu Viruses Earth Clinic readers have reported success treating cold symptoms with turpentine. Sore Throat - Swab the back of the throat with turpentine. Follow with some honey to mask the taste if you do not care for it. Sinuses - Mix together 1 part turpentine and 3 parts olive oil. Drop several drops into each nostril to deliver turpentine to the nasal passages to relieve congestion and infection. Cough - Use the same mixture as for sinuses (1 part turpentine and 3 parts olive oil) and massage into the back and/or chest to relieve a cough. 1-3 drops of turpentine can be used on a sugar cube and taken internally instead. Inhalation - Another old-time remedy for cold viruses is simply to inhale the vapors of turpentine.

This delivers the turpentine vapors into the lungs, throat and nasal passages. Turpentine Dosages Dosages of turpentine range from a drop to a teaspoon depending upon what you are trying to cure. Always start with less, increase slowly, and monitor your own personal response to turpentine. A common way to take turpentine is on sugar cubes. This is a simple way to get turpentine into the system. Bill Thompson recommends, "If you want to take consecutive turpentine doses for a particular problem then I would take turpentine for five days and then have two days off turpentine and do it like this for about 6 weeks only. This protocol will help to get rid of most pathogens and parasites from your body." Bill also says, "Start with small dosages of turpentine -- best to start with drop dosages of your choice or start with 1/4 teaspoon and slowly work up to the full 1 teaspoon dose. Take turpentine just before meals. Start taking turpentine just twice a week then work towards taking turpentine on a one day on, one day off protocol.

Take plenty of breaks from this protocol because this regimen kills a large range of pathogens including parasites, candida, bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma etc...Adjust the dosage accordingly to reduce the stress." Dosage Information for Candida and Fungal Infections According to Bill, "The preventative dose is on a one day on and one day off basis and is meant to help those who have massive initial Herx die-off reactions by having a day off after you take the turpentine-- this makes for a gentler ride for the user when you initially kill all that candida." Bill recommends taking turpentine with castor oil when treating pathogens and candida in the intestinal tract. The castor oil coats the digestive tract and helps to spread out the turpentine. The castor oil also has a laxative effect, important to help the body eliminate the pathogens that the turpentine is killing off. What is the Best Turpentine to Use for Medicinal Purposes? Be sure to read the reader feedback in this section with suggestions for where to buy the best turpentine. Many Earth Clinic contributors prefer the Diamond G Forest Products Brand because it is organic and very pure.

Do be sure to read labels and make sure that the turpentine you use is truly made from pine resin and has no other added ingredients. Some products sold as turpentine are not actually made from pine resin but from a petroleum product. These are not recommended to be used medically. Turpentine Side Effects As with most natural and even not-so-natural remedies, turpentine can have side effects. You will find more information about turpentine side effects and how to avoid them here . What About Kerosene as a Natural Remedy? Kerosene, like turpentine, is a distilled product. While it can be distilled from wood, most kerosene these days is distilled from petroleum. While kerosene has been used medicinally in the past, like turpentine, because most kerosene is derived from petroleum, it is not recommended that kerosene be used medicinally, unless it is for an emergency and no other remedy is available. If you remember your grandmother using kerosene to treat an illness and want to do the same, consider that the kerosene she had available was likely a more natural and safe product that what can be found today.

Read on to see how Earth Clinic readers have used turpentine for their own health conditions. If you have used turpentine for health issues, please be sure to share you story with us! Arthritis

Question: From what type of tree do we get Turpentine?
Answer: PINE TREES