Pine needle oil

Chemical properties

Dwarf-pine-needle oil is obtained in Austria (Tyrol) and other mountainous areas of Central and Southeast Europe by steam distillation of fresh needles and twig tips of Pinus mugo Turra ssp. mugo and ssp. pumilio (Haenke) Franco. It is a colorless liquid with a pleasant, balsamic odor.
d²⁰₂₀ 0.858–0.868; n²⁰_D 1.474–1.478; α²⁰_D ?15 ° to ?7 °; solubility: 1 vol in ≤10 vol of 90% ethanol. Content by GC: α-pinene 10–30%;β-pinene 3–14%; 3-carene 5–25%; β-phellandrene 8–17%; limonene 8–14%; bornyl acetate 1–5%.

Chemical properties

The essential oil is obtained by steam or steam-water distillation of the comminuted needles and twigs in yields of 0.3 to 0.4%. The oil has a pleasant aromatic odor and bitter, pungent taste.

Physical properties

It is a clear, almost colorless, mobile liquid.

Occurrence

Found in the branches and adherent leaves of P. mugo Turra var. pumilio (Fam. Pinaceae) (Guenther, 1952).

Preparation

By steam distillation of the branches and leaves of P. mugo Turra var. pumilio (Guenther, 1952).

Definition

Extractives and their physically modified derivatives.

Essential oil composition

Main constituents include l-α-pinene, β-pinene, l-limonene, dipentene, l-phellandrene, aldehydes, various esters, and alcohols.

Health effects

Pine needle essential oil is the essential oil extracted from pine needles. This oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and is an important ingredient for "melting" cholesterol and removing impurities in blood vessels. It can effectively remove excess cholesterol in blood vessels and play a great role in reducing blood viscosity. At the same time, it can also improve the elasticity of blood vessels, make blood flow smooth, it can regulate blood pressure, and has antihypertensive effect on hypertensive patients. Pine needle essential oil is also a secret factor for two-way regulation of blood pressure. Pine needle oil has inhibitory effect on the proliferation of gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, and the inhibitory effect is significantly enhanced with the increase of pine needle oil concentration.

Pharmacology

In man. Pinus pumilio oil increased bronchial secretions (Thomas, 1958). A dose of 500 mg/kg was reported to have no effect in vivo on the metabolism and pharmacological activity of pentobarbitone (25 mg/kg) in rats or in vitro on the metabolism of amidopyrene, p-nitroanisole and aniline by rat liver (Jori et al. 1969). Intravenous injection of the oil dissolved in sorbitol monostearate water caused no toxic effects in warm-blooded animals and large doses caused no changes in blood pressure, but it showed digitalis-like action of the isolated toad heart (Primavori. 1960).

Safety Profile

Mildly toxic by ingestion. A human skin irritant. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Metabolism

Following immersion of young pigs and one human subject for 30 min in baths containing 150 ml of a pine-oil mixture (Fichtennadel-Latschenkiefer?l. Kneipp) in 450 litres of water, a- and ?-pinene and limonene (components of Latschenkiefer?l) were detected in the exhaled air within 20 min, reaching maximum levels 50-75 min after the start of the bath and remaining detectable after 1 day (R?mmelt, Zuber. Dirnagl. & Drexel. 1974).