Dioecious, evergreen shrub, Juniperus communis L., Cupressaceae, bearing tangy, bitter, blue berries. Medicinal portions inlude the ripe berries, berry cones and essential oil. Habit. Europe, northern Africa, northern Asia, North America. Constit. Volatile oil (1-2%), diterpenes, catechin tannins, flavonoids, inverted sugar (20-30%), oligomeric proanthocyanidins. Analysis by GLC of the oil of six western North American species: F. C. Vasec, R. W. Scora, Am. J. Bot. 54, 781 (1967). Botanical description and medicinal uses: J. Gruenwald et al., PDR for Herbal Medicines (Medical Economics, Montvale, 2nd Ed., 2000) pp 440-441. Review of pharmacology: J. Barnes et al., Herbal Medicines (Pharmaceutical Press, London, 2nd Ed., 2002) pp 317-319.
Obtained by steam distillation of the dried ripe fruit (berries). Constit. Primarily monoterpenes incl. α-pinene, β-myrcene, sabinine, camphene, terpineol.
Diuretic; carminative.