Gum resin is a mixture of gums and resins: gum being the gelatinous, sticky substance that comes from certain bushes and tree bark in Africa or Asia. More often than not, gum is transparent and when it is mixed and dissolved in water, it becomes sticky and gluey. The big difference between gum and resin is that resin is not usually water soluble and can be brown, red or white.
If you thought gum resin might be related to chewing gum, then you are correct. Chicle, the first ingredient used in making chewing gum comes from the sapodilla or zapote tree. The original chewing gum traces its roots to the Aztecs. Unflavored and raw, the women and children of the Aztecs used chicle, literally translated as "sticky stuff," to clean their teeth.
Gum resin is even used to aid the human body. The asafetida is a gum resin extracted from the Ferula plant. It is a well-known medical substance to India and Persia. Despite its horrible smell and bitter taste, asafetida is believed to stimulate certain areas of the human brain. Taken in pill form, this substance is believed to be effective against complications such as asthma, flatulence and whooping cough.
Gum resin is used for industrial purposes. Some industrial uses of gum resin include adhesives, paint and varnish. Gum resin is used in the beauty industry. It is commonly found as an ingredient in nail polish. Gum resin is also used on stringed instruments such as violins because of the resistance it adds to the strings.