Juniperus communis, the common juniper, is a species in the genus Juniperus, in the family Cupressaceae. It has the largest range of any woody plant, throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia.
Contents
Uses
Culinary
Its astringent blue-black seed cones, commonly known as “juniper berries”, are too bitter to eat raw and are usually sold dried and used to flavour meats, sauces, and stuffings. They are generally crushed before use to release their flavour. Since juniper berries have a strong taste, they should be used sparingly. They are generally used to enhance meat with a strong flavour, such as game, including game birds, or tongue.
The cones are used to flavour certain beers and gin (the word “gin” derives from an Old French word meaning “juniper”). In Finland, juniper is used as a key ingredient in making sahti, a traditional Finnish ale. Also the Slovak alcoholic beverage Borovička and Dutch Genever are flavoured with juniper berry or its extract.
Juniper is used in the traditional farmhouse ales of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia. In Norway, the beer is brewed with juniper infusion instead of water, while in the other countries the juniper twigs are mainly used in the mash, as filters to prevent the crushed malts from clogging the outlet of the mashing tun.
Traditional medicine
Juniper berries have long been used as medicine by many cultures including the Navajo people. Western American tribes combined the berries of Juniperus communis with Berberis root bark in a herbal tea. Native Americans also used juniper berries as a female contraceptive
Benefits
Juniper has been used traditionally to treat arthritis, gout and rheumatism. Test tube studies have shown that the berries can inhibit prostaglandin synthesis which indicates that this traditional use has some merit.
Juniper has diuretic and antiseptic properties which explains its uses as an herbal remedy for urinary tract infections such as cystitis and urethritis. Modern studies on juniper indicate that it increases the filtration rate of the kidneys, dilutes the urine and disinfects the urinary tract.
Other traditional medical uses for juniper berries are the treatment of intestinal infections, colic and other stomach upsets.
Additionally it has been used as a medicinal herb for coughs, bronchitis and upper respiratory infections.
In the German Pharmacopoeia the juniper berry is listed as a treatment for dyspeptic complaints such as gas, heartburn, indigestion and flatulence.
Cautions
None are recorded. Please consult with your doctor!
Interactions
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with JUNIPER
Juniper might decrease blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking juniper along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.
Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with JUNIPER
Juniper seems to work like “water pills” by causing the body to lose water. Taking juniper along with other “water pills” might cause the body to lose too much water. Losing too much water can cause you to be dizzy and your blood pressure to go too low.
Some “water pills” include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, Hydrodiuril, Microzide), and others.
Other names
common juniper
References
Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_communis#Uses
Herbal-supplement, http://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/juniper-herb.html