Natural resin of Norway spruce (Picea abies)

Spruce resin

Spruce resin is a complex mixture of substances secreted by spruce trees as part of their defence system. It contains volatile terpenes, resin acids and other compounds. People have used it for centuries both directly and in various preparations, and today it is also the subject of scientific research.

What is spruce resin?

Spruce resin is a complex mixture of organic compounds produced in the resin ducts of spruce trees and released to the surface when the tree is injured. Unlike tree sap, it is not primarily water containing dissolved substances, but a mixture of resin acids, terpenes and other organic compounds.

In the tree, resin primarily has a defensive role. At the site of injury, it forms a physical and chemical barrier that helps the tree limit the effects of pests and microorganisms. After it is released, its composition gradually changes: volatile compounds evaporate, while some of the remaining constituents undergo chemical changes over time.

Contents

spruce resin on a tree after damage

What does spruce resin contain?

Spruce resin is not a single substance, but a complex and variable natural mixture. Its composition can differ depending on the tree, the location and type of injury, the time since secretion, and the changes that occur as the resin ages.

Volatile components

Fresh resin contains volatile terpenes, including monoterpenes such as α-pinene, β-pinene and limonene. These contribute significantly to the characteristic aroma, fluidity and properties of fresh resin. Over time, some of the volatile compounds evaporate, so older resin generally becomes harder and less aromatic.

Non-volatile components

An important part of the non-volatile fraction consists of diterpene resin acids, including abietic, dehydroabietic, pimaric, isopimaric and other related acids. Oxidised and hydroxylated resin-acid derivatives, lignans, hydroxycinnamic compounds and other phenolic compounds have also been documented in spruce resin materials.

Spruce resin therefore cannot be described by a single “main active compound”. Different types of resin can have markedly different chemical profiles, and their composition continues to change after secretion. Current research also does not support a simple rule that older resin is necessarily better or worse than fresh resin because of these changes.

use of spruce resin on the skin and its traditional use in nature

What do we know about the medicinal properties of spruce resin?

The term “medicinal properties of spruce resin” is very broad. Traditional use shows the purposes for which people have used resin over time, but tradition alone does not demonstrate a therapeutic effect. Assessing possible effects requires modern research and careful attention to the specific resin material that was actually studied.

Research on spruce resin and related resin materials includes laboratory studies on microorganisms and biofilms, cell-based experiments, and some clinical studies of spruce resin preparations in wound care. Individual resin constituents, including various resin acids, have also been investigated.

The findings of an individual study therefore cannot automatically be applied to every type of spruce resin or every product containing it. Likewise, a result obtained with an isolated compound does not mean that the same effect can be attributed to the resin as a whole.

stylized illustration of a bacterium

Bacteria

2007

In a laboratory study of traditionally prepared spruce resin ointment and spruce resin, researchers observed inhibition of growth mainly among Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA and VRE strains.

stylized illustration of fungi

Fungi

2011

Finnish researchers found that spruce resin strongly inhibited the growth of dermatophytes in laboratory conditions, a group of fungi that can cause infections of the skin and nails. The results were not the same for all types of fungi.

stylised illustration of a plaster

Wounds

92

%

In a small randomised clinical study, complete healing of all pressure ulcers was achieved in 12 of the 13 patients who completed follow-up in the group treated with a specific spruce resin preparation. The study was small, so the result cannot be generalised to all wounds or all resin preparations.

Traditional use of spruce resin

The use of spruce resin is also well documented in Slovenian folk tradition. Ethnographic records describe the direct use of resin as well as various homemade preparations in which it was combined with fat, oil, wax and other ingredients. Historical local names include terms such as “pilpuh”.

Similar practices are documented in other parts of Europe. In Finland and the wider Nordic region, resin ointments were traditionally prepared, and specially selected spruce resin was also chewed. In North America, various communities likewise used spruce and other conifer resins for chewing and in locally prepared applications.

These records demonstrate historical use, but do not in themselves prove effectiveness. The tree species, type of resin and methods of preparation differed, so these historical practices cannot all be treated as a single material or preparation.

stylised illustration of an archaeological find

Archaeological find

10,000 years

At the Huseby klev site in Sweden, archaeologists found pieces of resinous material approximately 10,000 years old bearing tooth impressions. The find documents resin chewing as early as the Early Mesolithic.

stylised illustration of a representative of the Indigenous peoples of North America

North America

A long tradition

The use of spruce and other conifer resins for chewing and for locally prepared applications is documented among various Indigenous communities of North America.

stylised illustration of chewing gum

First commercial chewing gum

1848

John B. Curtis began selling chewing gum made from spruce resin in the United States, bringing a traditional natural material into early commercial production.

stylised illustration of a cow

Use in livestock

Ethnographic records

Slovenian folk tradition also contains documented examples of resin and resin preparations being used in livestock, particularly for the local care of various problems.

How and when is spruce resin collected?

The method used by Smrekovit is not limited to a single season. We collect resin that has already been exuded, often partly or fully hardened, from sites of older injuries. Such resin can remain on the tree for several years.

We do not cut into trees or reopen old injuries in order to obtain resin. We collect resin that the tree has already released following a previous natural or mechanical injury.

When collection is actually possible also depends on conditions in the forest and the arrangements for a particular area. Collection takes place in agreement with forest owners or managers.

Is spruce resin safe?

Spruce resin is natural, but this does not mean that it cannot cause an adverse reaction in some people. Resin acids, and particularly some of their oxidation products, are known contact allergens and may cause allergic contact reactions in susceptible individuals.

These may appear as redness, itching or eczema-like changes at the site of contact. The likelihood of a reaction depends on individual sensitivity, the type and condition of the resin material, the formulation and the type of exposure.

People with a known allergy to colophony or related resin materials should therefore take particular care. If a marked skin reaction occurs after contact, use should be discontinued.

More about safety, allergies and research limitations →

spruce resin on a damaged spruce trunk

From resin to product

This short documentary follows spruce resin from its collection in the forest through further processing and its use in the production of Smrekovit products.

Frequently asked questions about spruce resin

What is spruce resin?

Spruce resin is a complex natural mixture of organic compounds produced in the resin ducts of spruce trees and released to the surface following injury. Its main role in the tree is defensive, and its chemical composition continues to change after it has been released.

What does spruce resin contain?

Fresh spruce resin contains volatile terpenes, including α-pinene, β-pinene and limonene, as well as non-volatile compounds, particularly various diterpene resin acids. Oxidised resin-acid derivatives, lignans and other phenolic compounds have also been documented. Its composition varies with its origin and with changes that occur as the resin ages.

How is spruce resin used?

Historical and ethnographic sources document the direct use and chewing of resin, as well as the preparation of ointments, plasters and other resin preparations. Today, spruce resin is also used in various modern formulations. More about the traditional use of spruce resin →

What do we know about the medicinal properties of spruce resin?

Spruce resin and related resin materials have been investigated in laboratory studies, cell-based experiments and some clinical studies. The findings are of interest, but they cannot automatically be applied to every type of resin or every product containing resin. Review of scientific research →

What does research show about bacteria and fungi?

In laboratory studies, certain spruce resin materials and preparations inhibited the growth of some Gram-positive bacteria and dermatophytes. A laboratory finding alone, however, does not demonstrate that a bacterial or fungal infection in humans can be treated in the same way.

What does research show about wounds?

Clinical studies of specific spruce resin preparations have also been published. In one small randomised study of pressure ulcers, complete healing of all ulcers was achieved in 12 of the 13 patients who completed follow-up in the resin-preparation group. The study was small, so the finding cannot be generalised to all wounds or all resin preparations.

When and how is spruce resin collected?

The method used by Smrekovit is not limited to a single season. We collect resin that has already been released and has often hardened at sites of older injuries. We do not cut into trees or reopen old injuries in order to obtain resin. More about collecting spruce resin →

Can spruce resin be chewed?

Chewing spruce resin is documented in historical and ethnographic sources from different regions. This should not be taken as a recommendation to chew arbitrary resin collected in the wild, as resin materials can differ in composition, purity and suitability for a particular use.

Is spruce resin safe?

Spruce resin is a natural substance, but it can cause an allergic contact reaction in susceptible individuals. This may appear as redness, itching or eczema-like changes. Particular care is appropriate for people with a known allergy to colophony or related resin materials.

Is older spruce resin better than fresh resin?

There is no simple rule that older resin is necessarily better or worse than fresh resin. As resin ages, volatile compounds evaporate and other constituents undergo chemical changes, altering the overall chemical profile of the resin.

What is the difference between spruce resin and spruce resin ointment?

Spruce resin is a raw material, while spruce resin ointment is a finished preparation in which resin forms part of a specific formulation. The properties of an individual resin material or the result of a particular study therefore cannot automatically be attributed to every ointment. More about spruce resin ointment →

Author Matic Konc, biomedical laboratory engineer
Last substantive update

Sources and scientific basis

Chemistry and biology of spruce resin

  • Langenheim JH. Plant Resins: Chemistry, Evolution, Ecology, and Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 2003 – a comprehensive reference on plant resins, their formation, chemistry, ecological roles, history and ethnobotanical use. It is used primarily for the broader framework of distinguishing resin materials and understanding their biological and ecological roles in plants.
  • Composition of callus resin of Norway spruce, Scots pine, European larch and Douglas fir Holmbom T, Reunanen M, Fardim P. Holzforschung, 2008;62:417–422 – the study demonstrates important chemical differences between oleoresin and callus resin. In the Picea abies callus resin studied, lignans and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were prominent, whereas oleoresin showed a different profile more strongly characterised by resin acids. This supports the point that the term “spruce resin” does not necessarily describe a single, chemically uniform material.
  • Ultra High-Performance Supercritical Fluid Chromatography for the Quantitation of Diterpene Resin Acids in Norway Spruce Samples Goels T et al. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022;13:906411 – the authors quantified eight diterpene resin acids in Picea abies balm samples, including pimaric, isopimaric, abietic, dehydroabietic and neoabietic acids. Analysis of 22 Norway spruce balm samples and five commercial products also demonstrates variation in chemical profiles between different resin materials.
  • Norway Spruce Balm: Phytochemical Composition and Ability to Enhance Re-epithelialization In Vitro Goels T et al. Planta Medica, 2020;86:1080–1088 – a phytochemical study of Picea abies balm in which hydroxycinnamic acids, pinoresinol, dehydroabietic acid and hydroxylated derivatives were among the compounds isolated. Fractions and individual compounds were subsequently tested in a keratinocyte cell model. This is an in vitro model and not clinical evidence of wound healing.

Microbiological and clinical research

Ethnographic and historical sources

  • Field records of the Slovene Ethnographic Museum For the Slovenian part of this article, we systematically reviewed a corpus of 1,252 transcribed field records and identified 29 records that were directly or supportively relevant to resin materials. The material documents direct resin use, various homemade resin preparations, combinations with fat, oil and wax, application to cloth or paper, straining and settling, and regional terminology including the term “pilpuh”. Ethnographic records document practice and historical context; they do not in themselves demonstrate medical effectiveness.
  • Sámi plants use and relations with nature – an interview study in northern Sweden Liu-Helmersson J et al., 2023 – an interview study documenting a range of Sámi plant practices in northern Sweden and contributing to the wider understanding of Nordic traditions involving natural materials. It is used as ethnographic context rather than as evidence of clinical effectiveness.
  • Maine Bureau of Industrial and Labor Statistics – reports on the spruce-gum industry, 1893 and 1906 Official historical reports from the State of Maine describe the collection, grading, trade and processing of spruce resin for chewing. J. B. Curtis is identified as an early commercial producer of spruce gum beginning in 1848; the later report also describes processing the material by melting it and adding a small amount of butter.
  • Capturing the moment: chewing today and 10 000 years ago Kjellström A, Nordqvist B, Snäll A, Welinder S, 2010 – an archaeological study of resin lumps bearing tooth impressions from the Early Mesolithic site of Huseby klev in Sweden. The authors discuss the finds in the context of chewing resinous material during everyday tasks approximately 10,000 years ago.

Safety and professional assessment

  • Colophony allergy: a review Downs AMR, Sansom JE. Contact Dermatitis, 1999;41:305–310 – a review of contact allergy to colophony. It particularly highlights the allergological relevance of oxidation products of colophony and some resin acids formed as resin materials change. This source is used for the wider allergy context of related resin materials; it is not a direct safety study of Smrekovit raw material or products.
  • Assessment of Norway Spruce Resin Safety and Its Potential Use Prof. Stanko Srčič, 2023 – a professional literature-based assessment of the composition, traditional use, toxicology and safety aspects of Norway spruce resin. The assessment was commissioned by Smrekovit and is therefore used here as an additional scientific synthesis rather than as independent clinical evidence.

The scientific sources cited on this page concern different resin materials, concentrations, formulations and experimental models. Findings from an individual laboratory, cellular or clinical study therefore cannot automatically be applied to every type of spruce resin or every product containing it. Ethnographic and historical sources document use but do not in themselves demonstrate effectiveness. Information describing the collection method and the route from resin to finished product includes documented Smrekovit practice. As the author is associated with the manufacturer of Smrekovit products, a commercial interest exists; scientific statements are therefore based on the cited external sources, while practical Smrekovit information is presented separately.