Chewing the resin
Spruce resin has been used for chewing since ancient times. It is one of the oldest forms of natural “chewing gum.”
A natural ingredient from the Slovenian forests
Spruce resin
What is spruce resin?
Spruce resin is a natural protective substance that the spruce tree releases when it is damaged. People use it for chewing, skin care, wound protection, and as a base for ointments.
What is spruce resin?
Spruce resin is a natural substance that the tree secretes when it is damaged – as its protection against external influences. It is a thick, sticky resin that acts as a natural “shield” of the tree.
Because of these properties, people have been using it in practice for a long time – and today it is also found in spruce resin products.
Why does the spruce tree produce resin?
Spruce resin is a natural protective substance that the spruce tree releases when it is damaged. Its role is to seal the wound, protect the tree from microorganisms and pests, and prevent further damage.
It is a thick liquid secretion that forms in specialized tissues within the trunk and beneath the bark, as well as on its surface. The resin begins to be released when mechanical damage occurs, such as a break, cut, or natural wear, and acts as a natural defense mechanism of the tree.
Scientists began to study the composition of spruce resin in greater detail with the development of modern analytical methods such as spectrometry and chromatography, while the mechanisms of its formation were explored through advances in microscopy and botany.
Today we know that resin contains more than 80 different organic compounds.
The volatile fraction consists mainly of monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene), which play an important role in protecting the tree from pests and microorganisms. The non-volatile fraction is composed of diterpene acids, among which abietic acid is the most important.
It is precisely this combination of substances that explains why spruce resin has been attributed numerous traditional uses for centuries – from chewing to skin care and use in various preparations.
The resin used for Smrekovit products is collected exclusively from damaged trees, whether due to natural breakage, logging, or other factors. The trees are not harmed in the process; instead, we use the resin that the tree has already released as part of its natural defense mechanism.
You can find the sources and references on this page →
How does spruce resin form?
Spruce resin forms as a natural response of the tree to damage. When the bark is injured, the spruce begins to release resin that seals the wound and protects it from external factors.
Resin is produced in specialized resin ducts that run through the trunk, branches, and bark. When damage occurs, the pressure in these ducts changes, triggering the release of resin to the surface.
When it comes into contact with air, the resin gradually thickens and partially hardens. This creates a protective layer that prevents the entry of microorganisms, fungi, and insects, and helps stabilize the damaged tissue.
It is one of the key defense mechanisms of coniferous trees, allowing the tree to survive mechanical damage and environmental influences.
How is it used?
Spruce resin has been used for a long time, mostly in a very simple way – just as nature provides it. People used it directly from the tree, without special processing, based on knowledge passed down from generation to generation.
In folk tradition, it was also known by names such as “pilpuh,” and its use was largely taken for granted – something that was simply “used,” without much explanation.
Traditional use
- Chewing resin – a very widespread practice, especially during work in the forest
- Uporaba na ranah – smolo so nanesli neposredno na poškodovano mesto
- Use on wounds – the resin was applied directly to the affected area
- Use in animals – especially in udder care in cows
- Homemade ointment preparation – the resin was mixed with fat or oil
- Unlike today’s approach, its use was very direct – without precise instructions, mainly based on intuition and experience.
Today
Today, spruce resin is still used, but mostly in the form of preparations that allow for easier and more controlled use.
The most common form is spruce resin ointment, which combines the traditional use of resin with more practical application.
In addition, more modern forms are now available, such as spruce creams, capsules, and other products that further simplify use.
Is spruce resin safe?
Spruce resin has been used for a long time, and today its use is also standardized. It is included in the Austrian Pharmacopoeia, where requirements for its quality and composition are defined.
In practice, most people tolerate spruce resin well, but – as with many natural substances – it can cause an allergic reaction in a certain proportion of users.
Based on experience and available data, allergic reactions occur in approximately 3–4% of people.
Most commonly, these include:
- a local (topical) reaction at the site of application (redness, itching)
- much less commonly for a reaction elsewhere on the body
Therefore, it is advisable to perform a simple 4-day test on a small area of skin before first use.
Spruce resin is inherently a complex substance containing dozens of different compounds, some of which may trigger a reaction in sensitive individuals. This is not unique to spruce resin – the same applies to other natural resins and plant extracts.
In case of sensitivity to spruce resin, boswellia resin can also be used, which is generally less allergenic.
Despite this, most users use spruce resin without any issues, and its use has a long tradition both in folk practice and in more modern forms of preparations.
Spruce resin in practice
Spruce resin is not just theory. Below are short videos that show its traditional use, harvesting, and a basic explanation of why it has been so valued throughout history.
How we collect spruce resin
The resin for Smrekovit products is collected from damaged trees without causing any additional harm. This video shows how the collection process works in practice.
Poglej videoNatural antiseptic
When you see a drop of resin in the forest, you are seeing the tree’s natural protective response. That is exactly why resin has traditionally been valued for use on wounds.
Why spruce hardly rots
Resin helps the tree seal damage and protect itself from external influences. This video briefly shows why it is such an important part of its defense.
More similar content
On Instagram, we regularly publish short videos about spruce resin, its use, harvesting, and Smrekovit products.
Follow @smrekovitWhat makes spruce resin so special?
7000
years of documented use of spruce resin in folk healing
80
different organic compounds make up spruce resin
40
million
years can preserve the cellular structures of insects trapped in spruce resin
History of use
Ibn Sina
Ibn Sina was a Persian scholar and is considered one of the greatest thinkers and physicians of the Islamic Golden Age. In his works, he also described the healing properties of spruce resin.
Hippocrates
Hippocrates described methods of using spruce resin in his works, and physicians continued to apply them successfully well into the Middle Ages.
Folk medicine (Slovenia)
In the Gorenjska region it was called “smrdljivc”, elsewhere “pilpuh”, and spruce resin was used to treat mastitis, arthritis, wounds, burns and rheumatism.
Pater Ašič and modern usage
Father Simon Ašič described the effects of spruce resin on muscles, immunity and the skin in his writings. Today, it is also being studied by scientists.
Spruce resin in medical records throughout history
As early as around 5000 BC, people living in the area of present-day Finland chewed spruce resin. In 2007, Finnish archaeologists discovered traces of chewing, showing that the resin had been used as a natural chewing gum and as a remedy for oral and digestive issues.
Between 460 and 370 BC, Hippocrates – the father of Western medicine – described methods of using spruce resin that physicians continued to apply successfully well into the Middle Ages. The Roman writer and orator Pliny the Younger (61–113 AD) reported that rural women in ancient Rome wore amber necklaces not only as adornment, but also as a remedy for swollen lymph nodes and sore throats – and amber is, in fact, fossilised resin.
The Persian physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna), one of the most influential thinkers of the Islamic Golden Age, attributed healing properties to resin in the early 1st millennium in his writings, especially in the Kanon of Medicine. In the 16th century, we also find interesting examples: the Prussian duke Albert of Brandenburg sent Martin Luther a remedy made from solidified spruce resin for the treatment of kidney stones.
In the 19th century, the American chemist Henry R. Gray developed “Gray’s Syrup” from red spruce resin, a popular remedy for coughs, colds, sore throats and bronchitis. Around the same time (in 1848), John B. Curtis, inspired by the use of resin among Native Americans, created the first commercial chewing gum made from spruce resin.
You can find the sources and references on this page →
Spruce resin in folk and cultural use
Find with tooth marks
In 2007, a 7,000-year-old piece of resin with tooth marks was found in Finland – the first “chewing gum”.
Native Americans and spruce resin
Native Americans chewed spruce resin to clean their teeth and soothe inflammation – a natural antiseptic from the forest.
The first commercial chewing gum
John B. Curtis took the idea from Native Americans and, in 1848, created the first chewing gum made from spruce resin.
Spruce resin in livestock care
It was used on cows to treat mastitis, wounds and other inflammations. Local names included: smrdljivc, pilpuh...
Spruce resin in traditional folk use
Spruce resin has a long tradition of use in practice in folk medicine. In Finland, it was combined with butter to make a traditional ointment used for wound care. Native Americans used resin for wound healing, for mastitis in livestock, and for throat and digestive issues. It was from this knowledge that the American Curtis drew inspiration when he created the first chewing gum.
In Slovenia, the use of spruce resin was very widespread. Farmers prepared various ointments and preparations from it, mainly for use in mastitis in cows, wounds, and inflammations in both people and animals. In the Gorenjska region, this ointment was called smrdljivc due to its characteristic smell. Until 1971, it was produced by the Sodja family from Nemški Rovt in Bohinj. Children sold the product in nearby villages and used the earnings to buy shoes.
In some regions, pure conifer resin, especially from spruce, larch, and fir, was called pilpuh. Fresh drops of resin were collected and used for various issues such as boils, pain, and wounds. A well-known herbalist, Prežla from Lesce in the Gorenjska region, applied dark spruce resin to different parts of the body to relieve discomfort, especially for back pain.
Slovenian herbalist Father Simon Ašič described spruce resin as a natural aid for skin issues, rashes, wounds, and muscle strain, and also mentioned it in connection with overall body resilience.
The tradition has also been preserved in modern folk use. Spruce resin is used for various issues such as abrasions, burns, boils, rheumatism, arthritis, colds, cough, sore throat, digestive problems, headaches, and wounds.
You can find the sources and references on this page →
Znanstvene raziskave
Bacteria
2007
Scientists have found that spruce salve made with spruce resin according to the traditional Finnish recipe inhibits the growth of all tested Gram-positive bacteria.
- It was also effective against Proteus vulgaris (a Gram-negative bacterium).
- Important: It was also effective against highly resistant strains such as MRSA and VRE.
Fungi
2011
Finnish researchers also examined the antifungal activity of the traditional spruce salve made with spruce resin.
- The resin strongly inhibited the growth of dermatophytes, the fungi responsible for most fungal skin infections in humans.
- The findings confirm the centuries-old folk use of spruce resin against fungal infections.
Wounds
92
%
Such a high percentage of patients experienced healed pressure ulcers when using spruce ointment in a study conducted across 11 institutions.
- In the hydrogel group, however, the success rate was only 44%.
- Spruce resin has proven to be a natural and effective alternative for treating stubborn wounds.
Spruce resin – where ancient wisdom meets modern science
Spruce resin is among the rare natural substances that have endured through the centuries – not only in folk tradition, but also in modern scientific research. What our ancestors once knew from experience is now confirmed by numerous studies from around the world.
In Finland, spruce ointment is still prepared today using a traditional method from resin and butter, and is used for wound and skin care. These effects encouraged scientists to study it more closely. The results are interesting – in clinical studies, the ointment proved effective for pressure ulcers, bacteria, and fungal infections.
Research has shown that spruce ointment has a bacteriostatic effect against Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, as well as against more resistant strains like MRSA and VRE. In addition, antifungal properties of spruce resin have also been confirmed against dermatophytes – fungi that commonly cause skin infections.
In a 2007 study conducted in 11 hospitals, it was found that 92% of wounds treated with spruce ointment healed successfully. This is almost a twofold better result compared to the use of a medically recognized hydrogel.
The use of spruce resin is not limited to modern research. In folk medicine, it has long been used for various issues – from abrasions and burns to arthritis, colds, digestive problems, inflammations, as well as wounds and tumors. This knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation and today connects tradition, experience, and scientifically confirmed findings.
You can find the sources and references on this page →
Frequently asked questions
What is spruce resin?
Spruce resin is a natural protective substance that the spruce tree releases when it is damaged. Its role is to seal the wound and protect the tree from external influences.
How does spruce resin form?
Resin forms as a response of the tree to mechanical damage. It is released from resin ducts and, when exposed to air, forms a protective layer that prevents the entry of microorganisms.
Can spruce resin be chewed?
Yes, chewing spruce resin was very common in the past, especially during work in the forest. It was considered one of the oldest forms of natural “chewing gum.”
How did people traditionally use spruce resin?
Resin was used directly from the tree – for chewing, applying to the skin, and preparing homemade ointments. Its use was mainly based on experience passed down from generation to generation.
Does spruce resin really help with fungal skin infections?
Yes. Finnish studies have shown that spruce resin strongly inhibits the growth of dermatophytes – the fungi responsible for most fungal skin infections in humans.
How was spruce resin used on wounds?
Traditionally, resin was applied directly to the damaged area as a protective layer.
Today, it is most commonly used in the form of ointments, which allow for easier application.V kliničnih opazovanjih so pripravki na osnovi smrekove smole pokazali dobre rezultate,
kar potrjuje tudi njihovo dolgoletno uporabo v praksi.Is traditional resin ointment as effective as modern preparations?
Scientific research has confirmed that it is the traditionally prepared ointment — without additives — that has the strongest effect. The key lies in its natural composition and the method of preparation, which preserves the active compounds in the resin.
Is the use of spruce resin safe?
Most people tolerate spruce resin well, but in a small proportion it may cause an allergic reaction, most commonly at the site of application. It is recommended to test it on a small area of skin before first use.
Does spruce resin have a long history of use?
Yes, spruce resin has been used for centuries. Its use has been widespread across different cultures, mainly due to its availability and versatility.
Where can I find the scientific sources you mention?
You can find the sources and literature used on this page →