pine buds

Pine buds are a valuable natural raw material from a medical point of view. To get the most out of your buds, you need to know what they look like, when they are harvestable, and what exactly they have.

Appearance of shoots of pine and spruce

In early spring, in a coniferous pine forest, you can feel a pleasant resinous smell. It is emitted by pine buds – in late February and early March they appear on the branches of a coniferous tree. It is during this period that they contain the maximum amount of medicinal resin.

In appearance, the buds of pine and spruce differ from ordinary buds of deciduous trees. In the absence of experience, they are easy to confuse with the beginnings of young branches. Coniferous buds look like short shoots no longer than 2-3 cm, tightly surrounding the so-called crown – a part of the bud covered with dry resinous scales. In color, pine and spruce buds are pinkish-brown, and brown-green at the break.

For medicinal purposes, very young coniferous shoots are used, which have not yet begun to open. As the kidneys mature, the amount of valuable substances in them begins to decrease, respectively, and the benefits of raw materials become less.

Medicinal properties of pine buds

Useful properties of pine buds are very extensive, since the chemical composition of raw materials contains many vitamins and other valuable substances. Pine buds contain:

• vitamins B and A;
• tocopherols and ascorbic acid;
• vikasol;
• resins and essential oils;
• pinene, limonene, cadinene, borneol;
• tannins;
• a bitter substance, or pinicin;
• phytoncides and starch;
• oleic acid.

Due to the rich composition, pine shoots have a pronounced beneficial effect on human health.

• The kidneys have a strong antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. Pine raw material lowers the temperature and promotes expectoration, soothes inflammation in the throat and respiratory tract, eliminates viruses and microbes.
• Pine buds are a good choleretic and diuretic. Drinks based on them not only remove excess fluids from the body, but also stimulate contractions of the smooth muscles of the biliary tract, which contribute to an increased separation of bile.
• The beneficial properties of pine buds include their ability to stop blood. The high content of tannins in the composition of the shoots contributes to the thickening of the blood and the formation of blood clots, in some situations this can be dangerous to the body, but with bleeding it is of great benefit.
• Pine buds disinfect any damage to the skin and mucous membranes. Vitamin C in their composition, as well as flavonoids and resinous substances, inhibit bacteria and contribute to the rapid healing of wounds.
• Pine shoots effectively relieve internal inflammation. They are useful not only for the common cold, but also for very serious ailments such as influenza, tuberculosis or dysentery.
• Pine shoots increase the immune defenses. When using raw materials for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes, the body receives a huge amount of vitamins, useful resins and phytoncides. Thanks to this, overall endurance increases, blood vessels, the heart and nervous systems are strengthened.

Means based on pine shoots not only relieve inflammation, but also eliminate swelling and pain. Because of this, they are often used for joint ailments and muscle injuries – the kidneys are beneficial for both external and internal use.

Rules of raw material procurement

The collection of useful pine buds must be carried out at the very beginning of spring, in February or March, when individual shoot scales are tightly pressed against each other. As soon as the buds begin to open, their healing power will greatly decrease, and the procurement of raw materials will simply lose its meaning. The best weather for picking pine buds is an overcast day with no rain and no strong sun. Under such conditions, the shoots contain the maximum amount of resin.

• To carry out the collection, it is necessary to choose a clean forest located far from roads, settlements and industrial enterprises. The fresher and cleaner the air in a pine forest, the more beneficial coniferous buds are.
• Since the shoots are cut directly from the branches of the tree, it is better to go for raw materials in a fairly young forest with low pines.
• The collection itself is carried out with a knife or sharply sharpened scissors. It is necessary to collect the buds located on the side branches, it is not recommended to touch the apical shoots – this will damage the growth of the tree.
• When collecting, you need to use thick gloves, since pine resin sticks strongly to your hands, and it is very difficult to wash it afterwards.

For long-term storage, immediately after collection, the shoots must be dried. It is impossible to use an oven, a dryer, or even a heating battery for this – the raw materials should dry exclusively naturally, at room temperature and with sufficient ventilation. Drying time takes about 2 weeks, as soon as the shoots no longer seem wet when squeezed in the hand, they can be stored.

The use of pine buds

The valuable properties of pine buds are used in the treatment of many ailments. Traditional and official medicine recommends using raw materials:

• with colds and bronchopulmonary diseases – from bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, lung abscess, a decoction of the kidneys will help well;
• with diseases of the oral cavity – with stomatitis, gingivitis, caries, as well as with tonsillitis, SARS and tonsillitis, rinsing with decoctions and infusions of shoots will benefit;
• with ailments of the genitourinary system – with cystitis, prostatitis, gynecological inflammation, as well as with problems with the separation of bile, there will be benefits from water decoctions;
• with beriberi, scurvy and anemia – a decoction of the kidneys inside will make up for the deficiency of vitamins in the body;
• with increased bleeding of the gums, both the internal intake of decoctions and rinsing will benefit;
• with increased pressure – decoctions from the kidneys are especially useful for hypertensive patients;
• with joint and muscle pain – pine shoots have a good antispasmodic effect and relieve pain and inflammation during internal use and during rubbing;
• with poor blood clotting – the use of teas and decoctions on pine shoots will improve blood composition;
• with migraines, sleep disorders and increased anxiety – if you regularly drink tea with the kidneys shortly before bedtime or use syrup, this will have a beneficial effect on the nervous system;
• with a tendency to gain excess weight – drinks on the kidneys bring a good effect for weight loss;
• with a decrease in libido in men and women, both teas and decoctions based on shoots, as well as sweet treats from pine buds, help;
• with poor blood circulation – decoctions based on pine shoots accelerate blood flow and improve brain function.

With a wide range of skin diseases, it is customary to use an alcohol tincture on pine buds or homemade ointment. The funds have not only an antiseptic, but also a regenerating effect, so damage and irritation pass much faster.

Pine Bud Recipes

The benefits of pine buds in folk medicine are applied in several main ways. Proven recipes offer easy-to-prepare yet highly effective healing remedies.

Pine shoot tea

Pine bud tea has a strengthening, soothing and anti-cold effect. It is very easy to prepare it:

• 10 g of dry shoots are poured with a glass of boiling water;
• cover with a lid and wait about 20 minutes until the liquid is infused.

You can drink tea on a daily basis three times a day, but in small volumes, just a teaspoon per dose. In the same amount, the product can be added to regular tea, pine shoots will give the drink a pleasant resinous taste and aroma.

Healing tincture

With rheumatism, arthritis, sciatica, as well as inflammation of the urinary tract, a tincture of shoots with alcohol has a good effect. Prepare it as follows:

• half a liter jar is filled with dried pine buds;
• to the top, raw materials are poured with alcohol or high-quality vodka;
• the jar is tightly closed and cleaned for 12 days in a dark place.

From time to time, the container must be taken out and shaken. After the expiration of the tincture, strain it, and then pour it into a clean glass vessel.

You need to take the tincture inside four times a day on an empty stomach, only 20 drops, and continue therapy for no longer than 2 weeks in a row. Also, the tincture can be used externally – rub sore joints and disinfect lesions on the skin.

Decoction of pine buds

For colds, inflammatory processes in the body, sore throat and diseases of the oral cavity, pine shoots boiled in water are beneficial. To prepare a healing decoction, you must:

• pour 1 large spoonful of finely chopped pine shoots into an enameled pan;
• pour raw materials with 200 ml of water;
• put the shoots in a water bath and cover with a lid, and then cook for half an hour.

When the broth is ready, it will need to be completely cooled, and then filtered and topped up with clean water to the initial volume.

You can boil pine shoots in another way – just pour a large spoonful of raw materials with 500 ml of water and boil for 15 minutes, and then insist for another half hour.

According to both recipes, the decoction is taken orally in very small quantities – 2 large spoons three times a day. The drink has a high concentration, so you can not exceed the dosage, otherwise it will harm the body.

You can use a decoction to reduce fever and eliminate vitamin deficiency. Also, pine decoction is used to rinse the mouth and throat with dental diseases and sore throats. With a runny nose, you can carry out inhalation with a healing agent, for this you need to bend over the hot broth for a few minutes and carefully breathe in the rising steam.

Pine bud honey

Pine buds for cough can be taken in the form of honey – the remedy has not only medicinal properties, but also an unusual pleasant taste. In addition to water and dried kidneys, you will need sugar and a little lemon juice to make honey, and the recipe itself looks like this:

• 2 cups of shoots are cleaned of possible excess litter and pour 2 liters of hot water;
• over low heat, the kidneys are boiled until exactly half of the original volume remains;
• the pan is removed from the stove and the kidneys are kneaded into gruel with a wooden crush, and then the broth is filtered;
• 1 kg of granulated sugar is poured into the pan and put on the stove again;
• boil until the mixture thickens, and 5 minutes before full readiness add 1 small spoonful of fresh lemon juice.

You can use the resulting pine honey both for colds and coughs, and as a prophylaxis in the cold season.

pine syrup

Another delicious and healthy treat based on pine shoots is simple bud syrup. It is of particular benefit for joint ailments and disorders of the nervous system, migraines, insomnia, and increased anxiety.

To prepare the syrup, it is necessary to pour 2 large spoons of dry kidneys into a glass jar, and pour 300 ml of natural liquid honey on top of the raw material. The raw materials are mixed and put in a cool place under a closed lid for 2 weeks. During this time, the beneficial substances of the kidneys and honey will mix with each other, and the syrup will acquire a uniform consistency.

It is necessary to use a remedy little by little, three times a day on an empty stomach, half a large spoonful. In total, the course of therapy takes 3 weeks, if you take the syrup longer, the occurrence of side effects is not excluded.

Cream

With skin irritations, scratches and burns, as well as inflammatory diseases of the epidermis, a homemade cream from pine buds has a healing effect. To prepare it you will need:

• take an alcohol tincture of pine shoots and 1 chicken egg;
• separate the egg white and beat well;
• mix with 10 drops of tincture and bring to homogeneity.

The finished cream is very light in consistency and has a strong soothing and healing effect. It is applied to the sore spot for a couple of hours, and then washed off with clean warm water. The cream helps with damage of any kind, with dermatitis, eczema and lichen, as well as with swelling and itching after insect bites.

Is it possible to give pine buds to children

The beneficial properties of pine shoots can be used to treat not only adults, but also children. Decoctions, syrups and honey from pine buds are good for children’s coughs, strengthen the immune system of babies and help to quickly cure a cold or sore throat.

At the same time, parents should remember that pine components can cause severe allergies and harm the body. It is possible to offer a child pine buds for internal use no earlier than 7 years, halving the dosage compared to adults.

Contraindications to pine buds

The health benefits and harms of pine buds depend on the individual state of the body. In some cases, pine shoots can cause severe damage. Contraindications for their use are:

• heart failure;
• severe hepatitis;
• serious kidney disease – nephritis and glomerulonephritis;
• hypotension;
• propensity to form blood clots;
• gastritis, gastric ulcer and pancreatitis in the acute stage of the disease.

Pregnant women should not use medicinal products from pine shoots, the potential harm from such treatment outweighs the possible benefits. The danger is an overdose of products based on pine buds, excessive consumption of raw materials leads to migraines, arrhythmias and discomfort in the stomach.

Terms and conditions of storage

Dried pine buds should be stored in a paper bag away from sunlight. You can keep raw materials at room temperature, but air humidity is of great importance. The formation of condensate inside the bag will be detrimental to useful raw materials, so it is recommended to stir the kidneys regularly and even transfer them to another bag.

Subject to the conditions, the shoots can retain their benefits up to 2 years, after which the collection will need to be carried out again.

Conclusion

Pine buds can benefit the body, because they contain a lot of vitamins and resinous substances with a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. At the same time, you need to use the kidneys very carefully, strictly following the proven recipes.