Juniperi fructus

Juniperberries used phytotherapeutically. The following quality is specified in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.):

HMPC monograph: Traditional-use: Internal: irrigation of the urinary tract, mild urinary complaints, dyspeptic complaints, flatulence
ESCOP monograph: improvement of renal water excretion, dyspeptic complaints.
Commission E-monograph: dyspeptic complaints.

Empirical medicine: rheumatic complaints, external: muscle tension

Efficacy-determining ingredients: essential oil with monoterpenes alpha and beta pinene, myrcene, sabinene, thujene, limonene. 7% invert sugar, 3-4% catechin tannins, sesquiterpenes, terpenes, flavone glycosides, tannins, resins.

Effects: diuretic, spasmolytic, stimulating motility and secretion. Experimental: antileishmanial, antimicrobial, antioxidant.

Indication (Committee E): dyspeptic complaints

Indication (ESCOP monograph): Stimulation of diuresis

Daily dose 2g (up to max. 10g) of the dried drug in 3-4 ED as tea infusion; 20-100mg essential oil; duration of application should be limited to 4 weeks
Administration:
Internal: Whole, crushed or powdered drug for the different applications.

Juniper berries for urinary tract irrigation: initially 5 berries per day, then increase by 1 berry / day up to 15 berries daily.corresponding descending dose reduction to 5 berries / day.

Tea infusion: 2 g of freshly crushed juniper berries with 150 mL of boiling water, strain after 10 min. One cup 2 to 3 times a day; average daily dose: 4 to 6 g of drug.

Juniper oil: internally: daily dose 60 to 100 mg, taken throughout the day (3 times); externally: as a bath additive 1 to 1.5 g per full bath, 3 to 4 times a week.

Renal damage, hematuria with long-term use or too high a dosage.

Allergy to one of the ingredients, pregnancy, inflammatory kidney diseasesnot
for children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

Bladder Kidney Tea Uroflux® vegetable tea, Buenoson® N ointment, Dolo-cyl® oil (muscle and joint oil), Dr. Klinger's Bergischer Blutreinigungs- und Stoffwechseltee, Harntee 400, Hevert® Drainage Tea, Kneipp® Rheumatism Bath, Nephronorm® Tea, Kidney Tea 2000, Nieroxin® Urinary Tea, Polytar liquid, Pressilin®, Rheumatism Gout Tea, Scillase®, Species Sclero-Diabeticum

Juniper berries often contained in bladder and kidney tea, also in gin, also used as a spice

1. Miceli N et al.(2009) Comparative analysis of flavonoid profile, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the berries of Juniperus communis L. var. communis and Juniperus communis L. var. saxatilis Pall. from Turkey. J Agric Food Chem 57:6570-6577.
2. Moein M et al.(2016) Antileishmanial Activities of Greek Juniper (Juniperus excelsa M.Bieb.) Against Leishmania major.
3. Pepeljnjak S et al.(2005) Antimicrobial activity of juniper berry essential oil (Juniperus communis L., Cupressaceae). Acta Pharm 55:417-422. promastigotes. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med pii: 2156587215623435.
4. Taviano MF et al.(2011) Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of branches extracts of five Juniperus species from Turkey. Pharm Biol 49:1014-1022.
5. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/wacholder.php.
6. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-juniperus-communis-l-pseudo-fructus_en.pdf
7. Wenigmann M.(2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs phytopharmaceuticals application. Urban & Fischer: 5.115 Tormentillae rhizoma p 208-209.