WHITE SPRUCE FIR PICEA ABIES

WHITE SPRUCE, FIR (Picea abies (L.) H. Karsten) ++

The data, like the species, are terribly confused:
Abies alba Mill., A. pectinata, A. sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Mast., A. sibirica Ledeb., Picea abies, P. excelsa (Lam.) Link (synonym of P. abies), and P. mariana (Mill.) Britton et al., according to KOM and PHR, neither of whom could probably tell you on the spot which species they were talking about. Their editorial assistants might not know, if questioned, whether Picea is an angiosperm or a gymnosperm. Some botanists, and fewer salespersons, chemist, pharmacists, and physicians can tell these species of spruces and firs, or the needles, or the EOs apart. So, buyer beware. PH2 speaks of the timber as the medicinal part, yet gives dosage only for the EO. Studying the USDA nomenclature database, suggests that this may be the European White Spruce, P. glauca (Moench) Voss, or the American White Spruce. Activities (White Spruce) — Antibacterial (1; HH2); Antiseptic (1; HH2; KOM; PIP); Antispasmodic (1; HH2); Diuretic (f; EFS); Bronchospasmolytic (1; HH2); Expectorant (1; EFS; HH2; PH2); Irritant (f; EFS); Pulmonary (f; EFS); Rubefacient (2; EFS; HH2; KOM; PIP); Secretolytic (2; HH2; KOM; PIP; PH2).

Indications (White Spruce) :
Abscess (f; DEM); Adenopathy (f; JLH); Arthrosis (f; HH2); Bacteria (1; HH2); Boil (f; DEM); Bronchosis (2; HH2; KOM; PHR; PH2); Bruise (f; PH2); Cancer (f; JLH); Cancer, gland (f; JLH); Cancer, parotid (f; JLH); Candida (1; HH2); Catarrh (2; PHR; PH2; PIP); Cold (2; PHR; PH2); Condyloma (f; JLH); Cough (2; PHR; PH2); Cramp (1; HH2); Decubitis (f; HH2; PH2); Escherichia (1; HH2); Fever (2; PHR; PH2); Fungus (1; HH2); Infection (2; HH2; PHR; PH2); Mental Ailments (2; PHR); Mucososis (1; PH2); Myalgia (2; PHR; PH2; PIP); Mycosis (1; HH2); Neuralgia (2; HH2; PHR; PH2; PIP); Neurosis (f; HH2); Pain (f; DEM; PHR; PH2); Parotosis (f; JLH); Pharyngosis (2; PHR; PH2); Respirosis (2; PHR; PH2; PIP); Rheumatism (2; HH2; KOM; PH2); Sprain (f; HH2; PH2); Staphylococcus (1; HH2); Stomatosis (2; PHR; PH2); Strain (f; PH2); Streptococcus (1; HH2); Swelling (f; HH2); Tension (f; PH2); Tuberculosis (f; HH2; PHR; PH2); Tumor (f; JLH); Water Retention (f; EFS); Yeast (1; HH2).

Dosages (White Spruce) :
5–6 g shoots/day (KOM; PIP); 200–300 g shoots/bathtub (KOM; PIP); 4 drops oil 3 ×/day (PH2); add a few drops oil to hot water and inhale (PH2).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (White Spruce) :
Not covered (AHP). None indicated for the shoots (KOM; PIP). Commission E reports contraindications for EO: bronchial asthma, whooping cough; adverse effects: local irritation, exacerbation of bronchospasms (AEH; KOM). Patients with extensive skin breaks, acute dermatosis, cardiac insufficiency, fevers, hypertonia, or infectious diseases should not use these as bath additives (PHR).