Juniper
Scientifi c names: Juniperus communis, Juniperus oxycedrus L.
Other common names: A’ra’r a’di, ardic, baccal juniper, common juniper, dwarf, gemener, genievre, ground juniper, hackmatack, harvest, horse savin, juniper mistletoe, yoshu-nezu, zimbro
Origin: Juniper is an evergreen found in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF JUNIPER
Immune Support, Men, Women, Urinary Tract Support
Juniper is a short to medium-height tree that grows wild in some parts of Europe, North America, and Asia. There are many varieties of juniper, but Juniperus communis is the most common in North America.
People use the juniper berry to make medicine. Medicinal preparations include the extract of juniper berry, as well as the essential oil of juniper berry. Don’t confuse juniper berry oil with cade oil, which is distilled from juniper wood (Juniperus oxycedrus).
Uses
Juniper is used for digestion problems including upset stomach, intestinal gas (flatulence), heartburn, bloating, and loss of appetite, as well as gastrointestinal (GI) infections and intestinal worms. It is also used for urinary tract infections (UTIs) and kidney and bladder stones. Other uses include treating snakebite, diabetes, and cancer.
Some people apply juniper directly to the skin for wounds and for pain in joints and muscles. The essential oil of juniper is inhaled to treat bronchitis and numb pain.
In foods, the juniper berry is often used as a condime [1].
Traditionally, juniper has been used as a diuretic (for both adults and children) and an antiflatulent, as well as to treat urinary tract infections, diabetes mellitus, inflammation, gout, asthma, obesity, prostate disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders. [2]
Constituents
The following is compiled from several sources, including General References G2, G58 and G62.
Acids Diterpene acids, ascorbic acid and glucuronic acid.
Flavonoids Amentoflavone,(1) quercetin, isoquercitrin, apigenin and various glycosides.
Tannins Proanthocyanidins (condensed), gallocatechin and epigallocatechin.(2)
Volatile oils 0.2–3.42%. Primarily monoterpenes (about 58%)
including a-pinene, myrcene and sabinene (major), and camphene, camphor, 1,4-cineole, p-cymene, a- and g-cadinene, limonene, bpinene, g-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, terpinyl acetate, a-thujene, borneol; sesquiterpenes including caryophyllene, epoxydihydrocaryophyllene and b-elemem-7a-ol.(3, 4)
Other constituents Geijerone (C12 terpenoid), junionone (monocyclic cyclobutane monoterpenoid),(5) desoxypodophyllotoxin (lignan),(6) resins and sugars.
Part(s) Used
Fruit (berry)
Additional Resources
[1] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-724/juniper
[2] Linda Skidmore-Roth-Mosbys handbook of herbs natural supplements-Mosby _ Elsevier 4th Ed.
View Important Precautions
Important Precautions
Not for use during pregnancy or lactation. If you have a medical condition or take pharmaceutical drugs please consult your doctor prior to use.
Disclaimer
This information in our Herbal Reference Guide is intended only as a general reference for further exploration, and is not a replacement for professional health advice. This content does not provide dosage information, format recommendations, toxicity levels, or possible interactions with prescription drugs. Accordingly, this information should be used only under the direct supervision of a qualified health practitioner such as a naturopathic physician.
