Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.9 (3&4), July-October 2011 1059 www.world-food.net Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment Vol.9 (3&4): 1059-1063. 2011 WFL Publisher Science and Technology Meri-Rastilantie 3 B, FI-00980 Helsinki, Finland e-mail: info@world-food.net Ethnic uses of pine resin production from Pinus brutia by native people on the Kazdağ Mountain (Mt. Ida) in Western Turkey Fatih Satil 1 , Selami Selvi 2 * and Rıdvan Polat 3 1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, BalÏkesir University, Cagis Campus, 10145 BalÏkesir, Turkey. 2 Department of Medical and Aromatic Plants, Vocational School, BalÏkesir University, 10870 AltÏnoluk-BalÏkesir, Turkey. 3 Bingöl Directorate of National Education, Bingöl 12100, Turkey. e-mail: sselvi2000@yahoo.com, rpolat10@hotmail.com Abstract The Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) forests are the most suitable forests of Turkey for the pine resin production by tapping, because of the conditions for both topography and climate of distribution area of these species. Named as the ‘pine oleoresin’, ‘gum turpentine’ or ‘terpenes oil’; is the term ‘essential oil of turpentine’ which designates the terpenic oil, obtained by hydrodistillation of the pine resin. Pine resin constitutes the raw material of the traditional Turkish drugs. It is produced from barks of Pinus brutia, that grows naturally in various regions of Turkey. In this review, traditional production of pine resin by local people in Western Turkey, its chemical properties and effects on health were explained. It is also determined that pine resin has an effective role in prevention of some diseases. The survey was carried out in 2 towns and 14 villages where the P. brutia has large population. Pine resin was collected from the mentioned fields, along with the information regarding local names, usage, sorting and grading methods obtained questioning the local people. Production of pine resin is an important source of income for people in local region. Pine resin is gathered directly by the local villagers, especially, unemployed people with financial difficulties. Also, threat factors and solution for long-term conservation of the pine resin production were also determined in this study. Major constituents of the pine resin were α-pinene, β-pinene, ∆ 3-carene, camphene, limonene, myrtenol and caryophyllene oxide. Key words: Ethnobotany, Pinus brutia, pine resin, Turkey. Received 28 June 2011, accepted 20 September 2011. Introduction Pinus brutia Ten. is named as ‘Kızılçam’ in Turkish corresponding to the word ‘red pine’ in English, which is because of its reddish young sprouts 1 . Red pine is also known by several other names, Turkish pine, Calabrian pine (from a naturalized population of the pine in Calabria, Southern Italy, from where the pine was first botanically described), East Mediterranean pine and Brutia pine 2 . The Turkish red pine forests in Turkey are found in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Marmara regions, mainly coastal areas. The species are also important for Turkish forestry and forest products; especially, the resin obtained from Pinus brutia is an important non-wood forest product in Turkey. The red pine forests are the most suitable forests of Turkey for the pine resin production, because of the conditions for both topography and climate of distribution area of these species 3 . Resin seals the plant’s wounds, kills insects and fungi, allows plant to eliminate excess metabolites and it is used as varnish and adhesive 4 . Pine resin is traditionally obtained by tapping the bark (bark chipping) of the pine tree and collection of the resulting exudate. Resin tapping system was started in the fifteenth century as a Noval stores industries in America. American used resin for sealing the crack or hole in the boat 5 . Complex mixtures of acidic and neutral diterpenes, together with a more or less important fraction of volatile compounds (mono- and sesquiterpenes), compose the oleoresins. Steam distillation is used in the industry to convert by steam distillation into gum turpentine (volatile compounds) and gum rosin (diterpenes) 6, 7 . Turpentine (also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine and wood turpentine) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. Turpentine can be used in many areas of industry such as medicine, pharmacy, food, cosmetics, paint and coatings, automotive and weapon industry etc. 6-8 . Consequently, the production of resins and turpentine is economically and strategically important product of pine species, grown naturally in Turkey. This should be encouraged since it helps, eventually, local people by economical means. The aim ofn this study was to explain the production and use of pine resin obtained from bark of P. brutia by native people on the Kazdağ (Mt. Ida) in Western Turkey. Materials and Methods P. brutia is distributed in the southern and western Turkey. It can be seen from sea level to 600 m and up to 1500 m in the southern parts. The study was carried out at sea level to 400 m on Edremit Gulf in West Anatolia in 2 towns (Edremit and Burhaniye) and 14 villages (Avcılar, Beyobası, Dereli, Karadere, Kavlatlar, Kırtık, Kızıklı, Kuyumcu, Mehmetalan Sübeylidere, Şahinler, Pelitköy, Yaşyer and Tahtacı) where P. brutia has large population. The ethnobotanical information and illustrations presented in