Turpentine oil

Turpentine oil is produced from the resin of certain pine trees. It is also used as a medicine.

Turpentine oil is applied directly to the affected areas for joint pain, muscle pain, nerve pain and toothache.

The vapors of turpentine oil are sometimes inhaled to reduce airway congestion associated with some lung diseases. In food and beverages, turpentine oil is used as a flavoring agent. In industrial manufacturing, turpentine oil is used in soap and cosmetics and as a solvent for paints.

How does turpentine oil work?

Turpentine oil can reduce respiratory congestion when its vapors are inhaled. When used on the skin, turpentine oil can produce a sensation of warmth and redness, which can help relieve pain in underlying tissues.

How effective is turpentine oil?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of turpentine oil applied directly to the affected areas for toothache, joint pain, muscle pain and nerve pain, and of inhaled turpentine oil vapors for lung problems.

Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of turpentine oil in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Turpentine oil is potentially safe and harmless when used on the skin or inhaled by adults. When used on the skin, turpentine oil may cause skin irritation. When inhaled, turpentine oil may cause spasms in the windpipe, which appears to be particularly the case for people suffering from asthma or whooping cough. Turpentine oil is not safe when taken orally or used on large areas of skin. Orally ingested turpentine oil can cause serious side effects including headaches, insomnia, coughing, bleeding in the lungs, vomiting, kidney damage, brain damage, coma and death.

Precautions and warnings

Children: Children should not take turpentine oil orally. Children are particularly sensitive to the chemicals contained in turpentine oil and may die after swallowing turpentine oil. There is not enough information on whether it is safe and harmless for children to inhale turpentine oil, or whether it is safe and harmless for children to use it on their skin. It is best if children avoid turpentine oil completely.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: It is not safe to take turpentine oil orally during pregnancy. Turpentine oil can cause miscarriage. Not enough is known about the safety and harmlessness of inhaling turpentine oil or using turpentine oil on the skin during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using turpentine oil altogether.

Lung problems including asthma and whooping cough: People who suffer from lung problems should not inhale turpentine oil, as turpentine oil could aggravate these problems.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of turpentine oil with medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of turpentine oil depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At the present time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for turpentine oil. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.