JUNIPER JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS

JUNIPER (Juniperus communis L.) +
 
Activities (Juniper) :
- Alexeteric (f; KAB); Allergenic (f; APA); Analgesic (1; APA; DEM; JBU); Antibacterial (f; PED); Antiedemic (1; BGB; CAN); Antiexudative (1; PH2); Antiherpetic (1; BGB; CAN; FNF); Antiinflammatory (1; APA; BGB; PNC); Antimalarial (1; FNF); Antipyretic (f; KAB); Antirheumatic (1; BGB; PED); Antiseptic (1; APA; FAD; KAP; MAD; PNC); Antispasmodic (f; APA); Antiviral (1; BGB; FNF); Aperitif (1; BGB; KAB); Aphrodisiac (1; KAB; MAD); Aquaretic (1; BGB); Bitter (1; APA); Candidicide (1; FNF; PED); Carminative (1; FAD; KAB; LAF; PNC; SUW); Collyrium (f; DEM); Decongestant (f; APA); Deobstruent (f; CRC); Depurative (f; CRC; MAD; PED); Diaphoretic (f; CEB; CRC); Digestive (1; CRC; KAP; LAF; SKY); Diuretic (1; APA; FAD; FEL; KAB; PH2; SUW); Emmenagogue (f; CRC; KAB; SUW); Expectorant (f; MAD); Fungicide (1; BGB; CAN; KAP); Hemostat (f; KAB); Hypertensive (1; CAN); Hypoglycemic (1; APA; CAN); Hypotensive (1; CAN; PH2); Laxative (f; CEB; DEM; FAD); Myocontractant (1; KOM); Nephrotoxic (f; APA); Priapistic (f; MAD); Sedative (f; CEB; DEM); Sialagogue (1; APA); Stimulant (f; CEB; CRC; KAB; SUW); Stomachic (1; APA; BGB; SUW); Tonic (f; APA; KAB; MIC); Urinary Antiseptic (1; FAD); Uterotonic (f; RIN).

Indications (Juniper) :
- Ache (f; FAD); Amenorrhea (f; MAD); Anasarca (f; DEP); Anorexia (2; BGB; KAB; PH2); Atherosclerosis (f; CRC; PH2); Arthrosis (1; APA; CAN; CRC); Ascites (1; FEL); Asthma (f; DEM); Backache (f; DEM); Bacteria (f; PED); Bite (f; CRC; MAD); Bleeding (f; KAB); Blennorrhea (f; CRC); BPH (1; PED); Brights Disease (f; DEP); Bronchosis (f; APA; CRC; FAD; KAB); Burn (f; MIC); Calculus (f; CRC); Cancer (1; CRC; FAD); Cancer, kidney (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, leg (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, liver (1; FNF; JLH); Cancer, spleen (1; FNF; JLH); Candida (1; FNF; PED); Cardiopathy (1; APA); Catarrh (f; MAD); Chest (f; DEM); Childbirth (f; CEB; DEM); Chlorosis (f; MAD); Cholecystosis (f; CRC); Cold (f; APA; FAD); Colic (f; CAN; CRC); Condyloma (1; FNF); Congestion (f; APA); Constipation (f; CEB; DEM; FAD; KAB); Cough (f; DEM; FAD; MAD); Cramp (f; APA); Cystosis (1; APA; CAN; CEB; FAD; FEL); Dermatosis (f; CRC; FEL; SUW); Diabetes (1; APA; MAD; PHR); Diarrhea (f; DEM); Dropsy (f; CEB; CRC; FEL; KAB; MAD); Dysentery (f; CRC); Dysmenorrhea (f; APA; MAD; PH2); Dyspepsia (1; APA; BGB; KAB; KOM; PH2); Dyspnea (f; CRC; DEM); Dysuria (f; CEB; MIC); Edema (1; FNF); Encephalosis (f; KAB); Enterosis (f; CEB; CRC; FAD;
KAB); Enuresis (f; MAD); Epilepsy (f; CEB); Eructation (f; PHR); Fever (f; CEB; CRC; DEM; KAB; MAD); Fistula (f; MAD); Flu (f; DEM; MIC); Fungus (1; BGB; CAN; KAP; MPI); Gallstone (f; MAD); Gas (1; APA; BGB; CAN; CEB; FAD; KAB; LAF; MAD; PNC; SUW); Gastrosis (f; CRC; MIC); Gleet (f; CRC; FEL; KAP); Gonorrhea (f; CRC; FEL; KAP); Gout (1; APA; PH2); Gravel (f; CRC; MAD); Halitosis (1; PH2); Heart (f; DEM); Heartburn (1; APA; DEM; PHR); Hemicrania (f; KAB); Hepatosis (f; CEB; JLH; KAB); Herpes (1; BGB; CAN; FNF; MAD); High Blood Pressure (1; CAN; DEM; PHR; PH2); Hydrocele (f; KAB); Hysteria
(f; CRC); Induration (f; CRC; JLH); Infection (1; APA; BGB; CAN; KAP); Inflammation (1; APA; BGB; PH2; PNC); Insomnia (f; CEB; DEM); Jaundice (f; MAD); Kidney Stone (f; MAD); Leukorrhea (f; CRC; DEP; FEL; KAP); Low Blood Presssure (1; CAN); Lumbago (f; CRC); Malaria (1; ABS; FNF; MAD); Mange (1; MPI); Myalgia (f; CAN; DEM); Mycosis (1; BGB; CAN; KAP; MPI); Nephrosis (f; BGB; CRC; FEL; MIC); Nervousness (f; CEB; DEM); Neuralgia (f; APA); Neurasthenia (f; APA); Neurosis (f; APA); Odontosis (f; CEB); Ophthalmia (f; DEM); Otosis (f; KAB); Pain (1; APA; DEM; JBU; KAB; PH2); Palsy (f; CEB); Polyp (f; CRC; JLH); Psoriasis (f; PED); Pulmonosis (f; CRC; MAD); Pyelosis (f; CRC; FEL); Rheumatism (1; BGB; FAD; CAN; CRC; KAP; MAD; PED; PH2); Rhinosis (f; CRC); Scabies (f; MAD); Scrofula (f; CRC); Snakebite (f; CRC; FAD); Sore (f; CEB; FAD; MIC); Sore Throat (f; CEB; DEM); Splenosis (f; CEB; JLH; KAB); Sprain (f; MIC); Stomachache (f; APA; DEM; FAD); Stone (2; PHR); Strangury (f; KAB); Swelling (1; BGB; CAN; CRC; KAP; MAD); Tenesmus (f; CRC); Tonsilosis (f; DEM); Toothache (f; CEB; KAB); Tuberculosis (f; CEB; CRC); Tumor (1; CRC; FNF); Urogenitosis (f; CRC); Ulcer (f; CEB; DEM); Urethrosis (f; CEB); UTI (2; FAD; PHR; SKY); Uterosis (f; CEB; MAD); Vaginosis (f; KAB); VD (f; CRC); Virus (1; BGB; FNF; PH2); Wart (1; CRC; FNF); Water Retention (1; APA; FAD; FEL; KAB; MAD; PH2; SUW); Worm (f; APA); Wound (f; DEM; MIC); Yeast (1; FNF; PED).

Dosages (Juniper) :
- 56 - 74 ml tea (KAP); 10 - 15 berries/cup tea (MAD); 1 tsp (2 - 3 g) berries/150 ml water 3 - 4 ×/day, for up to 4 weeks (SKY); 1 - 2 g fruit several ×/day (MAD); 1 - 2 g fruit or equivalent 3 ×/day (CAN; SKY); 2 tsp (9.8 g) fruit in cold infusion (MAD); 1 tsp fresh fruit (PED); 0.5 - 1 g dry fr (PED); 1 g dry fruit:5 ml alcohol/5 ml water (PED); 100 ml dried fruit infusion (1 - 20 in boiling water) 3 ×/day (CAN); 2 - 10 g dry fruit (corresponding to 20 - 100 mg EO) (KOM); 1 - 3 g powdered fruit (KAP); 2 - 4 ml liquid fruit extract (1:1 in 25% ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN); 1 - 2 ml fruit tincture (1:5 in 45% ethanol) 3 ×/day (CAN; SKY); 1 - 2 (-6) minims juniper oil (KAP); 0.03 - 0.2 ml juniper EO (CAN; PNC); 0.3 - 1.2 ml spirit of juniper (PNC); 1 tbsp juniper syrup morning or night (APA).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Juniper) :
- Class 2b, 2d. Contraindicated in nephrosis and pregnancy (CAN). Not for continuous use beyond 4 - 6 weeks (AHP). Berry permitted for oral use. Commission E reports contraindications: pregnancy,nephrosis; adverse effects: prolonged use or overdosing may lead to renal damage. Other sources report contraindication: pyelitis (AEH). CAN caution that the volatile oil can be abortifacient and irritant. Because it is reputed to be abortifacient and to affect the menstrual cycle, and because there is confusion of whether the oil is toxic, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. Excessive doses of terpinen-4-ol may irritate the kidneys. External application of EO can cause burning, edema, erythema, and inflammation with blisters (CAN). Long-term use can cause hypocalemia. May also potentiate diuretics and hypglycemics (CAN). Overdose can cause hematuria, priapism, strangury, and uremic convulsions (MAD). Canadian regulations do not allow juniper as a non-medicinal ingredient for
oral use products (Michols, 1995). Herbs with diuretic properties, such as juniper and dandelion, can cause elevations in blood levels of lithium (Depiro, 1997). As an occasional gin imbiber, I found the following of interest, Normally avoided during pregnancy, mainly because of the notorious reputation of gin, of which juniper is the main flavor ingredient (PNC). Tisserand (1995), after reviewing the iterature, claims to debunk the many authors (including Duke, 1985), cautioning about abortifacient activity of juniper oil. He speculates that they are clouded by the sabine juniper, which apparently does have abortifacient activities. He found few references indicating abortifacient activity for juniper oil, and the references suggested that ethanolic and acetone extracts of juniper berries have antifertility activity in rats. It seems inconceivable that the juniper oil could be responsible for the reproductive toxicity noted above. There is no reason to regard juniper oil as being hazardous in any way (Tisserand, R., 1995). New perspectives on EO safety. (pp. 16 - 35 in IJA, 1995. Aroma95 - One body - one mind. July 14th-16th, 1995 Conference Proceedings. Aromatherapy Publications, P.O. Box 746. Hove, E. Sussex, BN3 3XA England. 157 pages.)

Extracts (Juniper) :
- EO antiseptic, diuretic, irritant, uterotonic (CAN). Aqueous extract hypoglycemic. Extracts at first hypertensive, then hypotensive in rats (25 mg/kg ivn). Extracts abortifacient, antifertility, antiimplantation. Extracts and lignans potent antiherpetics. Berry extracts antinflammatory (>indomethacin). The oil inhibited rat paw edema 60%, while indomethacin inhibited 45%. LD50 = 3000 mg/kg ipr mouse, LD50 = >3000 mg/kg orl rat (CAN). Phillipson et al. (1995) studied antimalarial activity of the important antitumor compound, podophyllotoxin, which occurs in junipers, mayapples, chervils, and perennial flaxes in the temperate zone, in Hernandia and Hyptis in the tropics. Podophyllotoxin is active against Plasmodium falciparum (IC50 = 10.3 µg/ml), slightly more active than the synthetic derivative etoposide (14.8 µg/ml) and much more active than teniposide (inactive at >500 µg/ml) (Phillipson et al., 1995). This lends even more credence to my favorite antimalarial tonic, gin and tonic with sweet annie, (which see) with junipers antimalarial podophyllotoxins, tonics quinine alkaloids, and sweet annies artemisinin, and six other antiplamodial compounds, artemin, casticin, chrysosphlenetin, chrysosplenol-D, cirsilineol, and eupatorin, all proven synergisitc with artemisinin.