Resins are complex mixtures of organic compounds produced by a wide variety of plants, especially trees.
They are typically composed of volatile and non-volatile hydrocarbon compounds, primarily terpenes and their oxidation products.
Resins have several functions in plants, listed below:
Protective Role
- They act as a protective barrier against insects and other herbivores. When a plant is damaged, the resin can form a seal
over the wound to prevent insect invasion and infection by microbial pathogens.
Healing Mechanism - Resins can aid the healing process after physical
damage. They form a protective layer over wounds, preventing further injury and helping the plant repair itself.
Detoxification Process - Some plants produce resins to isolate and
compartmentalize toxic metabolic byproducts.
Resins are most commonly associated with coniferous trees (like pines and firs), but they are also found in some flowering plants.
They have been used by humans for thousands of years in various applications, including:
Medicine
- Some plant resins have antimicrobial properties and have been used in traditional medicine. For example, the resin from the
Boswellia tree (frankincense) has been used for its potential anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.
Industry - Resins are used in a wide range of industrial applications,
including the production of varnishes, adhesives, and sealing waxes.
Perfumery - Some plant resins, like frankincense and myrrh, are used
in the production of perfumes due to their aromatic properties.
Food and Drink - Some resins are used in food and drink.
For example, mastic resin from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) is used in the production of chewing gum,
bakery products, and certain liqueurs.
Examples of some flowers where resins are found are listed below:
Poppy
- Some poppy species produce a latex that is rich in alkaloids, which can be considered a form of resin.
The most famous is the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), whose latex contains morphine, codeine, and other alkaloids used in medicine.
Dahlia - Some species and cultivars of dahlia produce a resin in their flowers
that has been used in traditional medicine.
Marigold - Marigold flowers contain resinous substances that have been
used in traditional medicine for their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Sunflower - Sunflower capitula (the part of the flower where the seeds develop)
contain a resin that has been used in traditional medicine.
Asteraceae Family - Many plants in the Asteraceae family produce a resinous
substance in their flowers and other tissues. Some of these resins have been used in traditional medicine or as bases for fragrances.
Examples of some common resins found in barks are provided below:
Pine Bark Resin
- The resin has been used for a wide range of purposes, from making varnish and adhesives to treating wounds in traditional medicine.
Spruce Bark Resin - Has been used in traditional medicine for its
antimicrobial properties and it is also used in the manufacture of certain products like varnishes and adhesives.
Frankincense - This resin comes from the bark of trees in the Boswellia genus.
It has been used for thousands of years in religious ceremonies, and it is also prized for its potential anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.
Myrrh - Like frankincense, myrrh is a resin that is harvested from the bark of
trees, specifically those in the Commiphora genus. Myrrh has been used in traditional medicine, as well as in perfumery and religious ceremonies.
Gum Arabic - This resin comes from the bark of the Acacia senegal
tree and other species in the Acacia genus. Gum arabic is used in the food industry as a stabilizer, in the production of inks,
and in traditional medicine.
Copal - This is a term used for the aromatic resins produced by a number
of different trees, and it can be harvested from the bark. Copal has been used in the production of varnishes and in traditional medicine.
Mastic - This resin is produced by the bark of the Pistacia lentiscus tree.
It is used in the production of chewing gum, in cooking, and in traditional medicine.
Balsam Fir Resin - The balsam fir tree (Abies balsamea) produces a resin
that is used in traditional medicine, as well as in the manufacture of glues and varnishes.
The extraction process, including the solvents and methods used, can influence the concentration and types of sterols present in the final extract.
It is often the case that a balance needs to be found between fully-extracting all sterols while also ensuring that the compounds that are
obtained are of a high quality and not degraded.
At Celignis we have extensive experience in the design and optimisation of extraction protocols for a wide variety of chemical constituents from
many different biomass types. If needed we can also work on processes to separate and purify the target compounds.
Click here to read more about Celignis's Bioprocess Development Services for the extraction of
chemicals from biomass.
€1.6m Funding Success for Celignis in 2024 CBE-JU Calls
We have secured funding for involvement in 4 collaborative research projects
We are delighted to announce that Celignis has been successful in 4 project proposals submitted for funding to the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) programme.
These projects will provide funding of 1.6m EUR to Celignis over the next few years and build upon the 3 projects (worth 1.5m EUR) we secured last year and the 4 previous CBE/BBI projects that Celignis participated in.
Details on the projects are provided below:
WoodVALOR - This RIA project concerns the valorisation of contaminated/post-consumer wood waste (WW) via: (i) thermal conversion to biochar; and (ii) fractionation followed by conversions to paints & coatings ingredients. Celignis is involved in the chemo-enzymatic fractionation of decontaminated wood (DW) to sequentially extract/purify lignin and hemicellulose, and in developing hemicellulose-based emulsifiers/stabilizers and binder monomers for industrial formulations. Additionally, Celignis is involved in metals/mineral recovery from decontamination wastewater using
New Publication from a Celignis Bioprocess Development Project
The article, available in "Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery" is entitled "Process development for efficient pectin extraction from tobacco residues and its characterisation"
We are please to announce the publication of a peer-reviewed scientific article based on some of the research outputs of a Bioprocess Development Service (BDS) project undertaken by Celignis.
The article, entitled "Process development for efficient pectin extraction from tobacco residues and its characterisation" details the results of experiments targeting the optimised extraction of pectin from the laminae of a number of different varieties of tobacco plants. These tobacco-derived pectins were found to have a medium molecular weight and low methoxy content and our findings indicated that this feedstock could be suitable for the production of pectin with dietary applications.
Meeting takes place at the coordinator's (ITA) headquarters in Zaragoza, SPAIN
Celignis personnel are today attending the kick-off meeting of the CBE-JU project MANUREFINERY at the facilities of the project's coordinator (ITA) in Zaragoza, Spain.
MANUREFINERY concerns the development of a small, decentralised, modular biorefinery concept for farms that converts manure and ammonia emissions into seven marketable bio-ingredients (animal-feed proteins, caproic acid, and fertiliser salts/ashes). The solution integrates fixed/mobile units across three valorisation lines (gas, liquid, solid) and a digital twin for optimisation and scale-up, targeting TRL6-7 validation on four EU demo farms.
Celignis has a number of key roles in the project, including:
- Comprehensive analysis of the feedstocks and products of the process.
Meeting takes place at the coordinator's (AIMPLAS) headquarters in Valencia, Spain
PROMOFER, is an Innovation Action project funded by the CBE-JU, under topic HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-03 (Improve Fermentation Processes (Including Downstream Purification) To Final Bio-Based Products).
This project started in June 2024 with Celignis, an SME partner and full industry BIC member, playing a pivotal role in the project. Our core activities include undertaking the pre-treatment and hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass at scaled-up (TRL7, 1 m3) volumes. The resulting sugars are then provided to other partners for downstream fermentations.
Today Celignis's CIO Lalitha is attending the kick-off meeting of the project, at coordinator AIMPLAS's headquarters in Valencia, Spain.
We're attending the kick-off meeting for BIONEER in Trondheim, Norway (SINTEF)
Lalitha is attending the kick-off meeting of our CBE-JU project BIONEER, located at the coordinator's (SINTEF) premises in Trondheim, Norway.
BIONEER has the title "Scaled-up Production of Next-Generation Carbohydrate-Derived Building Blocks to Enhance the Competitiveness of a Sustainable European Chemicals Industry". It is a 4-year Innovation Action project with 7.5m EUR of funding provided by the CBE-JU.
Celignis plays a key role in BIONEER, being responsible for the scaled-up (TRL7) production of platform chemicals.
Thanks for contacting us. One of our representatives will be in contact with you shortly regarding your inquiry. If you ever have any questions that require immediate assistance, please call us at +353 61 371 725.
Contact Us
Thanks for contacting us. One of our representatives will be in contact with you shortly regarding your inquiry. If you ever have any questions that require immediate assistance, please call us at 319-509-3350.
Contact Us
Somthing went wrong! Please call us at
319-509-3350
or send us a email at
info@celignis.us with your enquiry.
Contact Us
Please provide a valid email id.
News letter signup
Thanks for signing our newsletter.
Newsletter
Message
Newsletter signup
Our newsletter provides monthly updates on new types of biomass analyses and articles on the development of innovative bioprocesses.
Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.
NOTE : We use cookies to improve our website and to give you the best experience. If you continue using our website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website.