botanical name(s): Juniperus virginiana, Juniperus officinalis, Juniperus communis
synonyms: juniper berry, common juniper, germeiner wacholder, wacholderbeeren, genevrier commun, genevieve, baies de genievre, enebro, ginepro
part(s) used: fruit, volatile oil
qualities: pungent, bitter, sweet, warm, dry
affinities: urinary tract
actions: antirheumatic, antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, stimulant, stomachic
dosage:
» tincture: 2 - 4 ml.
» oil: 0.03-0.2 ml.
specific indications: renal atony with catarrhal and pus discharges; non-inflammatory irritability of the neck of the bladder (Felter and Scudder, p. 439)
therapy: renal hyperemia; chronic nephritis; catarrh of the bladder; chronic pyelitis; after acute nephritis; scarlet fever; oil is used in non-inflammatory prostatorrhea and gleet (Felter and Scudder, p. 439); chronic arthritis; chronic gout; tendopathies; myogeloses (Weiss, p. 235); chronic low-grade irritation of urinary tract; renal congestion; depressed, chronic kidney disease; dysuria and polyuria, especially during menopause; renal atony with catarrh (Anderson Geller)
AHPA Botanical Safety Rating: 2b, 2d
toxicity: 1; essential oil is very toxic
» Should not be used when there is active inflammation; not to be taken by patients with a history of renal problems; often aggravates and irritates acute and subacute nephritis
» contraindicated in kidney inflammation and kidney infection due to irritation of the kidneys by hydrocarbon volatile oil components (pinenes and cadinene) with frequent use or large doses (Brinker, Wichtl, De Smet, Lust, Brooks)
» caution is advised during pregnancy due to emmenagogue effects and the abortifacient effect of its volatile oil from urinary tract irritation leading to reflex uterine stimulation (Brinker, Brooks, Farnsworth, Wichtl)
» entire plant and its essential oil may be internally and externally irritating (Muenscher, p. 9)
» The essential oil, cedarwood oil (primarily from Juniperus virginiana) may cause severe systemic effects. A single short-term overdose may be cathartic, producing gastroenteritis with internal bleeding. Pulse rate will then increase, and body temperature decrease. Long-term overdose effects include personality changes, urethritis, cystitis, kidney damage, and convulsion (Woodward, p. 182; Phillips, p. 108; von Oettingen, p. 287)
» narcosis may occur to thujone (Duke, p. 257)
» laboratory test results: indicate renal toxicity; albuminuria will increase with renal damage (von Oettingen, p. 287)
» contraindicated in prolonged use for over 4 weeks due to potential for renal damage (De Smet)
constituents: volatile oil, condensed tannins, diterpene acids, sugars, resin
footnotes
Anderson Geller, C. 1984-1989. Lectures in Botanical Medicine, National College of Naturopathic Medicine. Portland, OR.
Brinker F. 1996. The Toxicology of Botanical Medicines, rev. 2nd ed., Sandy, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications.
Brooks S (ed.). 1995. Botanical Toxicology. Protocol J Bot. Med, 1:147-58.
De Smet PAGM et al. (eds.). 1993. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 2, Berlin: Springer-Verlag
Duke, J.A. 1985. C.R.C. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, FL: The C.R.C. Press.
Felter, H.W. & Scudder, John K., 1922. The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Cincinnati, Ohio. Reprinted in 1985 by Eclectic Medical Publications, Portland, OR.
Lust, J. 1983. The Herb Book. New York: Bantam Books.
Muenscher, W.C. 1951. Poisonous Plants of the United States. New York: The MacMillan Company.
Phillips, C.D. 1879. Materia Medica and Therapeutics: Vegetable Kingdom. New York: William Wood and Company.
von Oettingen, W.F. 1958. Poisoning: A Guide to Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders and Company.
Weiss, R.F. 1988. Herbal Medicine. Gothenburg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum; Beaconsfield, England: Beaconsfield Publishers, Ltd.
Wichtl M (ed.). 1994. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals, Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Woodward, L. 1985. Poisonous Plants: A Color Field Guide. New York: Hippocrene Books, Inc.