Juniper: A berry good essential oil
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Transcript of Juniper: A berry good essential oil
Juniper: A berry good essential oilBy: Dawn Johnson
Botany Latin name= Juniperus
communis Derived from Latin juniores,
meaning “young” Synonyms= Common juniper Family= Cupressacae Shrub grows wild in central
Europe Small tree reaches height of 12
meters Has blue green needle like
leaves, greenish-yellow flowers, and small round berries
Berries take 3 years to mature
Origins Best berries come
from N. Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and France
Essential Oil Characteristics Is steam-distilled
from crushed, dried or partly dried ripe berries
Color= clear or pale-yellow
Aroma= fresh, warm, and woody-sweet
History Commonly used
as a fumigant and ritual incense by ancient Greeks
Also used for ceremonial purposes by Tibetans and Native Americans
Traditional Uses Used in diuretic and
laxative preparations Oil used as a fragrance in
soaps, creams, detergents, and perfumes
Used for acute and chronic cystitis
Topical application for rheumatic pain in the joints or muscles
Juniper berries are used for making gin
Chemical plethora The number and
variety of chemicals in juniper berry essential oil influence its wide range of therapeutic effects
Chemical compositions Alpha-pinene (33.7%) Sabinene (27.6%) Beta-pinene (5.5%) Alpha-phellandrene
(1.3%) Myrcene (1.1%) Camphene (0.5%) Cayophyllene (0.6%)
Alpha-terpinene (1.9%) 1,4-cineole (4%) Beta-phellandrene
(1.3%) P-cymene (5.5%) Terpinen-4-ol (4.0%) Bornyl acetate (0.4%) Trace amounts
limonene, camphor, linalool, linalyl acetate, borneol and nerol
Pharmacology It is thought that
toxicity of EO depends on hydrocarbon content of that EO
Juniper that has high alpha and beta-pinene are irritants to urinary tract
This may result from mixing needles or unripe berries into oil
Therapeutic Actions Antihuematic Antispasmotic Astringent Detoxant Rubefacient Tonic Carminative Depurative Rubefacient Stimulating
Mode of Administration Massage Compress Bath Sitz-bath Douche Skincare Direct inhalation Diffuser Oil vaporizer
Safety Reported as non-
toxic, non-irritant, and non-sensitizing
Contra-indicated in pregnancy
Contra-indicated in kidney disease
ReferencesBattaglia, S. (2003). The complete guide to Aromatherapy (2nd ed.). Brisbane QLD, Australia: The International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy.