Birch bark

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A Russian birch bark letter from the 14th century Beresta.jpg
A Russian birch bark letter from the 14th century
Birchbark shoes Birchbark shoes.jpg
Birchbark shoes

Birch bark or birchbark is the bark of several Eurasian and North American birch trees of the genus Betula.

Contents

The strong and water-resistant cardboard-like bark can be easily cut, bent, and sewn, which has made it a valuable building, crafting, and writing material, since pre-historic times. Today, birch bark remains a popular type of wood for various handicrafts and arts.

Birch bark also contains substances of medicinal and chemical interest. Some of those products (such as betulin) also have fungicidal properties that help preserve bark artifacts, as well as food preserved in bark containers.

Collection and storage

Birchbark box with lid and bottom of birch wood Birkebarksaeske.jpg
Birchbark box with lid and bottom of birch wood

Removing birch bark from live trees is harmful to tree health and should be avoided. Instead, it can be removed fairly easily from the trunk or branches of dead wood, by cutting a slit lengthwise through the bark and pulling or prying it away from the wood. The best time for collection is spring or early summer, as the bark is of better quality and most easily removed.

Removing the outer (light) layer of bark from the trunk of a living tree may not kill it, but probably weakens it and makes it more prone to infections. Removal of the inner (dark) layer, the phloem, kills the tree by preventing the flow of sap to the roots.

To prevent it from rolling up during storage, the bark should be spread open and kept pressed flat.

Working

Birch bark can be cut with a sharp knife, and worked like cardboard. For sharp bending, the fold should be scored (scratched) first with a blunt stylus.

Fresh bark can be worked as is; bark that has dried up (before or after collection) should be softened by steaming, by soaking in warm water, or over a fire.

Uses

A birch bark longhouse on Whitefish Island in Canada Birch bark longhouse (Whitefish Island) 3.JPG
A birch bark longhouse on Whitefish Island in Canada
Finnish fishing net weights made out of birch bark and stones Birch bark fishing net weights.jpg
Finnish fishing net weights made out of birch bark and stones
North American birchbark canoe Vaillancourt.jpg
North American birchbark canoe
Birchbark knife handle Birchbark handle.jpg
Birchbark knife handle

Birch bark was a valuable construction material in any part of the world where birch trees were available. Containers such as wrappings, bags, baskets, boxes, or quivers were made by most societies well before pottery was invented[ citation needed ]. Other uses include:

Birch bark also makes an outstanding tinder, as the inner layers will stay dry even through heavy rainstorms.

Medical uses

Filsuvez is a topical medication with birch bark extract as its active ingredient. [8] It is used to treat two types of epidermolysis bullosa, dystrophic and junctional, targeting partial-thickness skin wounds. Common side effects include wound complications, skin reactions, infections, itching, and allergic reactions. [8] Filsuvez was approved in the European Union in June 2022 [8] [9] and in the United States in December 2023. [10] [11] It is considered a first-in-class medication by the US Food and Drug Administration. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birch</span> Genus of flowering plants in the family Betulaceae

A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus Betula contains 30 to 60 known taxa of which 11 are on the IUCN 2011 Red List of Threatened Species. They are typically short-lived pioneer species and are widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in northern areas of temperate climates and in boreal climates. Birch wood, the wood of the birch, is used for a wide range of purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ojibwe</span> Group of indigenous peoples in North America

The Ojibwe are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland covers much of the Great Lakes region and the northern plains, extending into the subarctic and throughout the northeastern woodlands. Ojibweg, being Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands and of the subarctic, are known by several names, including Ojibway or Chippewa. As a large ethnic group, several distinct nations also consider themselves Ojibwe, including the Saulteaux, Nipissings, and Oji-Cree.

<i>Betula pendula</i> Species of birch

Betula pendula, commonly known as silver birch, warty birch, European white birch, or East Asian white birch, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to Europe and parts of Asia, though in southern Europe, it is only found at higher altitudes. Its range extends into Siberia, China, and southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey, the Caucasus, and northern Iran. It has been introduced into North America, where it is known as the European white birch or weeping birch and is considered invasive in some states in the United States and parts of Canada. The tree can also be found in more temperate regions of Australia.

<i>Betula pubescens</i> Species of birch

Betula pubescens, commonly known as downy birch and also as moor birch, white birch, European white birch or hairy birch, is a species of deciduous tree, native and abundant throughout northern Europe and northern Asia, growing farther north than any other broadleaf tree. It is closely related to, and often confused with, the silver birch, but grows in wetter places with heavier soils and poorer drainage; smaller trees can also be confused with the dwarf birch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epidermolysis bullosa</span> Rare medical conditions that result in easy blistering of the skin and mucous membranes

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare medical conditions that result in easy blistering of the skin and mucous membranes. Blisters occur with minor trauma or friction and are painful. Its severity can range from mild to fatal. Inherited EB is a rare disease with a prevalence in the United States of 8.2 per million live births. Those with mild cases may not develop symptoms until they start to crawl or walk. Complications may include esophageal narrowing, squamous cell skin cancer, and the need for amputations.

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Edwin Tappan Adney, commonly known as Tappan Adney, was an American-Canadian artist, writer, and photographer.

<i>Betula papyrifera</i> Species of tree

Betula papyrifera is a short-lived species of birch native to northern North America. Paper birch is named after the tree's thin white bark, which often peels in paper-like layers from the trunk. Paper birch is often one of the first species to colonize a burned area within the northern latitudes, and is an important species for moose browsing. Primary commercial uses for paper birch wood are as boltwood and sawlogs, while secondary products include firewood and pulpwood. It is the provincial tree of Saskatchewan and the state tree of New Hampshire.

<i>Betula alleghaniensis</i> Species of flowering plant in the birch family Betulaceae

Betula alleghaniensis, the yellow birch, golden birch, or swamp birch, is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. In the past its scientific name was Betula lutea, the yellow birch.

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The Midewiwin or the Grand Medicine Society is a religion of some of the Indigenous peoples of the Maritimes, New England and Great Lakes regions in North America. Its practitioners are called Midew, and the practices of Midewiwin are referred to as Mide. Occasionally, male Midew is called Midewinini, which is sometimes translated into English as "medicine man".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wiigwaasabak</span> Birch bark scrolls for ceremonial use by the Ojibwa (Anishinaabe) people of North America

A wiigwaasabak is a birch bark scroll, on which the Ojibwa (Anishinaabe) people of North America wrote with a written language composed of complex geometrical patterns and shapes.

Birchbark biting is an Indigenous artform made by Anishinaabeg, including Ojibwe people, Potawatomi, and Odawa, as well as Cree and other Algonquian peoples of the Subarctic and Great Lakes regions of Canada and the United States. Artists bite on small pieces of folded birch bark to form intricate designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica</span> Medical condition

Epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica or dystrophic EB (DEB) is an inherited disease affecting the skin and other organs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collagen, type VII, alpha 1</span> Protein found in humans

Collagen alpha-1(VII) chain is a protein that in humans is encoded by the COL7A1 gene. It is composed of a triple helical, collagenous domain flanked by two non-collagenous domains, and functions as an anchoring fibril between the dermal-epidermal junction in the basement membrane. Mutations in COL7A1 cause all types of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, and the exact mutations vary based on the specific type or subtype. It has been shown that interactions between the NC-1 domain of collagen VII and several other proteins, including laminin-5 and collagen IV, contribute greatly to the overall stability of the basement membrane.

Junctional epidermolysis bullosa is a skin condition characterized by blister formation within the lamina lucida of the basement membrane zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wiigwaasi-makak</span> Box made from birch bark

A wiigwaasi-makak, meaning "birch-bark box" in the Anishinaabe language, is a box made of panels of birchbark sewn together with watap. The construction of makakoon from birchbark was an essential element in the culture of the Anishinaabe people and other members of the Native Americans and First Nations of the Upper Great Lakes, particularly in the regions surrounding Lake Superior. Birchbark makakoon continue to be crafted to this day as heritage heirlooms and for the tourist trade.

Watap, watape, wattap, or wadab is the thread and cordage used by the Native Americans and First Nations peoples of Canada to sew together sheets and panels of birchbark. The word itself comes from the Algonquian language family, but watap cordage was used and sewn by all of the people who lived where the paper birch tree grows. The cordage was usually manufactured from the roots of various species of conifers, such as the white spruce, black spruce, or Northern whitecedar, but could originate from a variety of species that sprouted root fibers with sufficient tensile strength for the required purpose. In a typical manufacturing process, the roots would be debarked, subjected to a lengthy soaking process, and then steamed or boiled to render them pliable for sewing. The roots could be left whole and used as cords, or divided into smaller fibers for twine.

Scioderm, acquired by Amicus Therapeutics in 2015, was a rare disease company focused on developing a treatment for Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic disease characterized by extremely fragile skin and recurrent blister formation. There are currently no approved therapies for EB. Scioderm was developing a topical treatment known as SD-101, or Zorblisa, aimed at triggering wound reduction and closure, and a reduction in body surface area coverage of blisters and lesions.

Patrick William Kruse, also known as Pat Kruse, is a Native American culture teacher and artist that specializes in birchbark art and quillwork. He works alongside his son Gage to create birch bark paintings.

Beremagene geperpavec, sold under the brand name Vyjuvek, is a gene therapy for the treatment of wounds. Beremagene geperpavec is the first approved gene therapy to use herpes-simplex virus type 1 as a vector. Beremagene geperpavec is a genetically modified herpes-simplex virus used to deliver normal copies of the COL7A1 gene to the wounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birch triterpenes</span> Medication

Birch triterpenes, sold under the brand name Filsuvez, is an extract of birch bark used as a topical medication for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa. The active ingredients are triterpenes extracted from the outer bark of silver birch and downy birch.

References

  1. Vennum T, Weber C, Nyholm E (1999). Earl's Canoe: A Traditional Ojibwe Craft. Smithsonian Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  2. Hayes D (2002). Historical Atlas of Canada: Canada's History Illustrated with Original Maps. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd. p. 152.
  3. Boszhardt RF (2003). Deep Cave Rock Art in the Upper Mississippi Valley. St. Paul: Prairie Smoke Press. pp. 54–55. ISBN   0-9704482-3-6.
  4. Losty JP (1982). The art of the book in India. British Library. Reference Division. London: British Library. ISBN   0904654788. OCLC   8653520.
  5. Salomon R, Barnard M, Allchin FR (1999). Ancient Buddhist scrolls from Gandhāra: the British Library Kharoṣṭhī fragments. London: The British Library. ISBN   0712346112. OCLC   263439456.
  6. Kozowyk PR, Soressi M, Pomstra D, Langejans GH (August 2017). "Experimental methods for the Palaeolithic dry distillation of birch bark: implications for the origin and development of Neandertal adhesive technology". Scientific Reports. 7 (1): 8033. Bibcode:2017NatSR...7.8033K. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-08106-7. PMC   5579016 . PMID   28860591.
  7. Schmidt P, Blessing M, Rageot M, Iovita R, Pfleging J, Nickel KG, et al. (September 2019). "Birch tar production does not prove Neanderthal behavioral complexity". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 116 (36): 17707–17711. Bibcode:2019PNAS..11617707S. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1911137116 . PMC   6731756 . PMID   31427508.
  8. 1 2 3 "Filsuvez EPAR". European Medicines Agency (EMA). 13 April 2022. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022. Text was copied from this source which is copyright European Medicines Agency. Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged.
  9. "Filsuvez Product information". Union Register of medicinal products. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  10. "Chiesi Global Rare Diseases Receives FDA Approval for Filsuvez (birch triterpenes) topical gel for the Treatment of Epidermolysis Bullosa". Chiesi Global Rare Diseases (Press release). 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  11. "Novel Drug Approvals for 2023". U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  12. New Drug Therapy Approvals 2023 (PDF). U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Report). January 2024. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.

Further reading

Winter bark etching on canoe Winter bark etching on bb.jpg
Winter bark etching on canoe