Juniper

Juniper

• What Is It?

  • Juniperus communis is a shrub or small evergreen tree found mainly in Europe, South Asia, and North America.

  • Belongs to the Cupressaceae family.

• How Does It Work in the Body, Usage, and Evidence?

  • Used as herbal medicine to treat antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic in various abdominal disorders.

  • Hepatoprotective activity

    • A study by Manvi showed that Juniper was associated with decreased levels of serum SGOT (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase), SGPT (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase), total bilirubin, and alkaline phosphate after they were initially increased by CCL4 infusion in rats for 9 days.

    • Decreased levels of SGPT, SGOT, ALP, and bilirubin show protection to hepatic cells.

  • Antioxidants

    • Antioxidant properties were confirmed by in vivo study and created the possibility of blocking the oxidation processes in yeast cells by increasing the activity of 1 the antioxidant enzymes .

  • Antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic

    • The methanolic extract of Juniper led to a significant reduction in blood glucose levels and increased HDL levels in diabetic rats.

    • Compared to group that was just given glibenclamide.

  • Analgesic activity

    • A study was done with the methanolic extract of Juniper.

    • Showed that methanolic extract of Juniper acted peripherally and centrally for the antinociceptive activity.

  • Antibacterial

    • The leaf extract was shown to be effective to pathogenic multidrug-resistant Erwinia chrysanthemi, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Xanthomonas phaseoli.

    • The methanolic extract of J. communis was found to be very effective as compared to standard antibiotics such as ampicillin 10 mcg and erythromycin 15 mcg.

• Dosage:

  • No studies have shown the optimal dosage as experiments and studies showed varying dosages.

• Adverse Reactions:

  • People with allergies with juniper essential oil or have hypersensitivity can have the following:

    • Dermatitis.

    • Nasal congestion.

    • Blisters.

• Interactions with Medications:

  • No studies have shown that Juniper interacts with other medications, but this does not mean it is not possible. Further investigation is needed to prove or disprove any effects when interacting with other notifications.