This paper is devoted to the interplay between p-wave, s-wave pion-nucleon/nucleus interaction and in-medium pion-pion interaction with special emphasis on the role of the nuclear pionic scalar density driving a large amount of chiral symmetry restoration. In particular we show that the pi NN coupling constant and the Goldberger-Treiman relation are preserved in the nuclear medium under certain conditions. We also discuss the related problem of the in-medium pion-pion strength function. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.