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Juniperus, Juniper

Abhal (Unani)
Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Common Juniper
Della Materia Medicinale,
Andrea Valuassori, 1562
Juniper
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
Large berried variety of Juniper
Theatrum Botanicum,
Parkinson, 1640
Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1800

Koehler's Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887


Uses:
1. Warms and Strengthen the Kidneys, Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-promotes Urine, clears slime from the Kidney and Bladder
-Gravel, Stones (Kneipp)
-Arthritis, chronic Rheumatism, chronic Back Pain, Sciatica
-Diabetes

2. Warms the Uterus, Promotes Menstruation:
-promotes Menstruation (Hippocrates)
-Uterine obstructions, chronic Uterine swelling
-Promotes Labor (Hippocrates)
-taken in the last weeks of pregnancy to facilitate easier birth
-Leukorrhea (Hippocrates)

3. Resists Poison:
-Alexipharmic, promotes Sweat, Cordial, resists Poison
-protects from infection in Plague and Epidemic diseases (Matthiolus)
-Blood purification (Paracelsus)
-chronic skin rashes, scabies, herpes, persistent ulcers
-Wood has been used for Syphilis

4. Warms the Stomach, Opens Obstructions:
-weakness of the digestive system; bloating, indigestion
-opens the Spleen; swelling of the Spleen or Liver
-Gall Stones (Kneipp)
-Wind, Colic, Flatulence

5. Clears Cold Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-benefits the Lungs, for Cough, Whooping Cough, shortness of Breath
-Lung disorders (Hildegard)

6. Warms the Brain, Settles Wind, Clears Damp:
-strengthens the Brain and Nerves, helps Epilepsy, Apoplexy, Paralysis (Wood and Berry)
-Nerve weakness or dysfunction from Wind-Damp
-Frenzy and Madness

7. Regulates the Heart:
-tincture can be used instead of Digitalis (Bachmaier)

8. Externally:
-the Gum discusses, condenses, good for the Nerves when cooled and contracted
-wood shavings were sewn into caps for the Brain and Nerves; also in fumigations
-Joint Pains, Rheumatism, Osteoarthritis, Gout, Sciatica (oil, in washes or baths)
-Oil strengthens the Nerves (Haller)
-Earache or Tinnitus (oil or fumes topically)
-smoke is inhaled for Toothache
-applied to the sutures of the skull for Epilepsy, Apoplexy, Vertigo, Migraine; topically for nerve diseases, Lameness, Paralysis etc. (oil)
-Wounds, Fistulas (Hippocrates)
-the gum dries Ulcers and fills them with flesh
-the smoke or incense of the leaves and wood was said to drive away infection and purify corrupted air. French Hospitals at the end of the 19th century still burned Juniper berries and Rosemary to purify the air
-Oil applied every 4 hours with a feather, relieves Hemorrhoids
-bark ashes are applied to skin conditions


DOSE:
All parts of the plant can be used in similar doses
In Decoction: 2–grams; In Powder: 1–3 grams
Of the Powdered Wood: 3–6 grams, up to 15 grams for Syphilis
Of the TINCTURE (1:5 in 75% alcohol): 1–3 or 4 mls, 2-3 times daily;
Of the ESSENTIAL OIL: 1–3 drops, up to 5 drops taken on sugar, in egg yolk, or in a suitable syrup;
Of the SPIRIT of JUNIPER (B.P.): 20–60 drops;
Of the SOLID EXTRACT: 300mg–1 gram.
Of the RIPE BERRIES: 10–12 may be eaten every morning, or up to 3 times daily. One old method of use was to take 4 berries the first day, 5 on the second, 6 on the third, continuing for 12 days until 15 berries are reached, then reducing by one berry per day until 5 are taken, this constituting a course of treatment;
In BATHS 100–200 grams for Arthritis, Rheumatism etc.

CORRECTIVE:
Honey, Butter

SUBSTITUTE:
Indian leaf and Rue (for the Stomach)
 
Main Combinations:
Urinary
1. Strengthen the Kidneys and promote Urine:
i. Juniper with Licorice, Aniseed
ii. Juniper with Parsley root and seed, Asparagus root
2. Promote Urine in Edema, fluid swelling, Dampness:
i. from Cold and Weak Kidneys, Juniper with Parsley
ii. with Liver sluggishness, with Wormwood
iii. Juniper with Aniseed, Caraway, Coriander seed
iv. Juniper with Caraway, Fennel (Compound Spirit of Juniper, London Pharmacopoea)
v. Cold Kidneys, Juniper with Cinnamon and Orange peel (Electuary of Juniper, Pharmacopoeia Sardoa, 1773)
vi. Juniper with Birch leaf, Broom, Dandelion root (Krug)
vii. Juniper with Mustard seed, Horseradish (Diuretic Wine, Pharmacopoeia extemporanea, Augustin, 1822)
viii. Juniper with Mustard seed, Carrot seed, Wormwood (Pharmacopoeia medici practici universalis, Bruxelles, 1817)
ix. with Cold-Phlegm Juniper with Ginger, Horseradish, Squill, Wormwood, Lesser Centaury
x. Juniper with Parsley seed, Fennel seed (2 drams each), Juniper wood, Senega root, Couch Grass root, Dandelion root, Chicory root (2 oz. each). Infuse 1 tablespoonful in 1.5 liters of water and drink over the day. ('Selle's Diaphoretic-Diuretic Tea)
xi. Juniper with Zedoary, Squill, Cinnamon (Pharmacopoeia extemporanea, Augustin, 1822)
xii. Diuretic Wine, Juniper with Squill, Orange peel, Wormwood, Angelica, Calamus
xiii. Rob of Juniper berries (1 oz.), Parsley Water (6 oz.), Oxymel of Squill, Syrup of Buckthorn (½ oz. each)
3. To strongly promote Urine:
i. Juniper with Squill
ii. Juniper (4 parts), Squill (2 parts), Foxglove (1 part)
iii. Squill, Digitalis (½ scruple each), Gentian (1 scruple), Oil of Juniper (8 drops), make 12 pills with syrup of Buckthorn. (Sobernheim, 1840)
iv. Oil of Juniper (½ dram), Spirit of Cinnamon, Tincture of Digitalis (½ oz. each). Dose: 20–30 drops in water
v. Juniper with Saltpeter, Squill
4. Dysuria, Juniper with Marshmallow root, Tansy
5. Urinary retention, Juniper with Celery seed, Saltpeter, Madder, Asarum, Fennel seed, Indian Spikenard, Bitter Almond, Melon seed (as in Pills for Retention of Urine)
6. Stones, Juniper, Parsley, Pellitory, Agrimony, Mercury (herb), Marshmallow as an emollient cataplasm for Stones

Joint:
7. Lumbago:
i. Juniper, Walnut
ii. Juniper, Comfrey
iii. Juniper, Tansy, Bearberry, Bog Bean, Blue Cohosh (Valuable Herbal Prescriptions, late 1800's)
8. Sciatica, Juniper with Poplar tremuloides bark (1 oz. each), Myrica cerifera (half oz.), Ginger (quarter oz.). Decoct in a quart (approx 1 liter) of water for 5 minutes. Take a wineglassful 3 or 4 times daily. (Valuable Herbal Prescriptions, late 1800's)

Stomach, Digestion:
9. Nervous indigestion, Juniper, Gentian, Valerian
10. Colic, Juniper, Betony decocted in water (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
11. Gastritis, Colitis, Juniper with Mint, Wormwood, Camomile (Tschirner)

Gynecology:
12. To Promote Menstruation, Juniper with Bay berry, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Saffron (as in Decoction Against Retention of Menstruation)
13. Obstruction of the Uterus, decoction of Juniper, Betony, Balm, Pennyroyal (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)

Acute Disease/Epidemic Disease:
14. Against Poison and Infection:
i. Juniper with Earth of Lemnos (as in King Nicomedes Antidote)
ii. Juniper, Walnut, Fig, Rue
iii. Preservative during Epidemics, Juniper with Angelica, Dittany, Cinnamon, Sealed Earth, Coral, Pearl, Saffron, Camphor (as in Antidote of Juniper Berry)
15. Wind-Cold diseases of the Head, Headache Epilepsy Dizziness Vertigo:
i. Juniper with Peony, Calamus, Mistletoe, Betony, Sage, Rue, Peony, Rosemary (as in Cephalic Decoction of Charras)

Head, Brain, Nerves
16. Dizziness, Vertigo:
i. Juniper with Betony, Centaury (Wirtzung)
ii. Juniper with Sage, Lavender, Hyssop, Mint, Clove, Nutmeg, Zedoary, Galangal, Calamus, Peony seed
17. Apoplexy, Juniper with Rosemary, Sage, Lavender (as in Wine for Apoplexy)

Liver, Blood:
18. Cleanse the Blood, Juniper with Yarrow and Water Cress (Fischer)
19. Liver inflammation, Juniper with Agrimony, Cleavers, Yarrow, Centaury, Dandelion (as in Decoction for Hepatitis)
20. Scrofula, Juniper with Burnt Sponge and Rosehip (as in Powder of Burnt Sponge)

Major Formulas:
Decoction Against Retention of Menstruation
Syrup of Mugwort (Augustana)
Powder of Juniper for Vertigo (Wirtzung)
Powder of Maximillian for Gravel
Tincture of Juniper Compound
Pills for Retention of Urine (Wirtzung)

1. Sudorific Powder:
i. Juniper wood, Burdock root (6 parts), Couch Grass root, Juniper berry (3 parts), Licorice (2 parts) (Pharmacopoeia Rossica, 1803)

2. Green Ointment:
i. Green Juniper berries (3 oz.), Fresh herbs of Southernwood, Mugwort, Easter Daisy, Betony, Fennel, Hyssop, Mint, Liverwort, Yarrow, Marjoram, Plantain, Veronica, Vervain, Sage, Rue (of each 1 oz.), Butter (48 oz.). Boil until the herbs crisp, then strain.
Externally for Bruising, Trauma and Pain; internally after Trauma in a dose of 1–2 spoonfuls. (Pharmacopoeia Generalis, 1783)

Cautions:
1. Not used in full doses during Pregnancy, except when used to prepare for Labor.
2. Not in acute Kidney inflammation
3. Not used in Heat conditions

Main Preparations used:
Oil was distilled from both Fruit and Wood, Distilled Water, Spirit, Salt from the Ashes, Honey of Juniper, Extract of the Berries, Tincture of Juniper Berry

1. Conserve of Juniper:
i. Fresh Juniper berries (8 oz.), bruise them, adding gradually White Sugar (4 oz). Heat slightly to dissolve the Sugar. (Pharmacopoeia medici practici universalis, Bruxelles, 1817)

2. Juniper Water:
i. Juniper (2 parts), Water (15 parts); distil 4 parts. (Pharmacopoeia Sardoa, 1773)

3. Spirit of Juniper:
i. Juniper (1 part), Alcohol (12 parts); macerate 24 hours, distil. (Pharmacia rationalis, 1806)
ii. Juniper (15 lbs.), Sugar (half pound), Yeast (2 oz.). Add a sufficient quantity of warm water to mix the whole well together, and keep warm to ferment; after the fermentation, pour it into an alembic: add twice its quantity of water, and eight pounds of spirit from grain. Distil a Spirit from 18–20%. (Pharmacia rationalis, 1806)

4. Extract of Juniper:
i. Juniper herb (1 part), Warm Water (4 parts), infuse for 48 hours, stirring occasionally; strain, set aside, and decant the liquor; evaporate slowly to an extract. (Formulaire Pharmaceutitique a l’usage des Hospitaux Militaires de France, 1821)
ii. Juniper, any quantity. Reduce to a pulp with sufficient water, then boil for 15 minutes; strain through a sieve and express the residue. Dissolve 1 part Sugar in four parts of liquor and evaporate to the consistency of an extract. (Dispensatorium medico pharmaceuticum Palatinatus, 1764)

5. Hydragogue Potion:
A potent diuretic remedy.made entirely from Juniper.
i. Rob of Juniper (4 oz.), Juniper Water (2 lbs.), mix, then add Spirit of Juniper (2 oz.). Mix. (Pharmacopoeia extemporanea, Augustin, 1822)
History:
Pliny on Juniper:
'The juniper is of a warming and resolvent nature beyond all other plants : in other respects, it resembles the cedar. There are two species of this tree, also, one of which is larger than the other: the odour of either, burnt, repels the approach of serpents. The seed is good for pains in the stomach, chest, and sides; it dispels flatulency and sudden chills, soothes cough, and brings indurations to a head. Applied topically, it checks the growth of tumours; and the berries, taken in red wine,
act astringently upon the bowels: they are applied also to tumours of the abdomen. The seed is used as an
ingredient in antidotes of an aperient nature, and is diuretic in its effects. It is used as a liniment for defluxions of the eyes, and is prescribed for convulsions, ruptures, griping pains in the bowels, affections of the uterus, and sciatica, either in a dose of four berries in white wine, or in the form, of a decoction of twenty berries in wine. There are persons who rub the body with juniper berries as a preventive of the attacks of serpents.' (The Natural History of Pliny, trans. by Bostock and Riley, Vol. 5, 1856)