Grant: Engage Grants Program

The inflammatory response is a necessary process of the human body towards the defense against exteriorpathogens. While the inflammatory response is mostly beneficial for the human body, unregulated andpersistent inflammation can lead to tissue damage. Spruce pitch is a natural product abundantly found in NewBrunswick's flora that exert multiple beneficial properties to the human body. Mr Peter Porter, president ofSavonnerie Olivier from St-Anne de Kent, New Brunswick, approached the research team to investigate theeffects of spruce pitch on the inflammatory response of the immune system. Savonnerie Olivier has severalnatural products on the market derived from numerous wildlife products. While continuing the development ofnovel and innovative natural product, the company is interested in pursuing local spruce pitch as a potentialnew product. Unfortunately, the optimal extraction process for the bioactive content spruce pitch remainslargely unknown. For this collaboration, our primary objective will be to determine the best approach to extractthe bioactive content from spruce pitch. To achieve our objective, Spruce pitch will be collected in variouslocations in New Brunswick and subsequently sent to my laboratory for initial bioactive content extraction. Inconclusion, my laboratory will contribute to the elucidation of the optimal extraction process of the bioactivecontent found in spruce pitch salve. As a natural product company, Savonnerie Olivier will benefit from thisresearch by having a scientific backing for their product, a rare opportunity among natural products companies.