Juniperis communis
(Juniper)

Therapeutic Actions:

• Anti-inflammatory due to prostaglandin inhibiting action
• Antiseptic
• Bronchodilator
• Carminative
• Expectorant
• Hypoglycemic
• Increases stomach HCl
• Renal vasodilator
• Stimulating diuretic acting on the glomerulus to increase filtration rate
• Urinary antiseptic
• Urinary irritant
• Urinary stimulant
• Uterine stimulant

Clinical Indications:

• Amenorrhea
• Cystitis
• Dysmenorrhea
• Gout
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Atonic liver conditions
• Bed wetting
• Dyspepsia
• Edema from renal suppression
• Kidney infection with atony
• Neuralgic pain
• Renal congestion
• Sciatica
• Urethritis

Contraindications:

• Acute or chronic inflammatory conditions of the kidneys due to irritation by hydrocarbon volatile oil components like pinenes and cadinene:
  
  Use in small dosages and combined with a mucilaginous demulcent like marshmallow to counter the possible urinary tract irritation
• Hypertension due to the diuretic action stimulating the glomerulus with little excretion of sodium
• Nephritis
• Pregnancy because the essential oil prevents implantation of fetus on days 0-4 of pregnancy in mice

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Oral hypoglycemic medications or insulin users should monitor insulin levels regularly due to the hypoglycemic effect of juniper berries

Chemical Constituents:

• 1,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl methyl ketone
• Flavone Glycosides
• Invert sugar
• Organic acids:
  
  Acetic acid
  Formic acid
  Malic acid
• Resin
• Tannin
• Vitamin C
• Volatile oils:
  
  Cadinene
  Camphene
  Limonene
  Myrcene
  Pinene
  Sabinene

Toxicity:

• Chronic over-dosage may cause kidney damage

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).