Herbs & Supplements:
Juniper Berry
Juniperus communis

Principal Proposed Uses
  • Bladder Infection

In Dutch, juniper is called "geniver," from which came the name "gin." But juniper is not only good for making martinis. Its berries (actually not berries at all, but a portion of the cone) were used by the Zuni Indians to assist in childbirth, by British herbalists to treat congestive heart failure and stimulate menstruation, and by American nineteenth-century herbalists to treat congestive heart failure, gonorrhea, and urinary tract infections.

The explanation for some of these uses may be found in juniper's diuretic properties. Its volatile oils reportedly increase the rate of kidney filtration,¹ thereby perhaps helping to remove the accumulated fluid in congestive heart failure, and "wash out" the offending bacteria in urinary tract infections. However, there is no direct scientific evidence that juniper is effective for these purposes.

What Is Juniper Berry Used for Today?

Contemporary herbalists primarily use juniper as a component of herbal formulas designed to treat bladder infections. A typical combination might include uva ursi, parsley, cleavers, and buchu. Such formulas are said to be most effective when taken at the first sign of symptoms and may not work well once the infection has really taken hold. Unfortunately, double-blind studies of juniper have not been performed.

Recently, gin-soaked raisins have been touted as an arthritis treatment. This is probably just a fad, but some weak evidence suggests that juniper may possess anti-inflammatory properties.² In the test tube, certain constituents of juniper have been found to inhibit the herpes virus.³

Dosage

You can make juniper tea by adding 1 cup of boiling water to 1 tablespoon of juniper berries, covering, and allowing the berries to steep for 20 minutes. The usual dosage is 1 cup twice a day. However, juniper is said to work better as a treatment for bladder infections when combined with other herbs. Combination products should be taken according to label instructions.

Warning: Bladder infections can go on to become kidney infections. For this reason, seek medical supervision if your symptoms don't resolve in a few days, or if you develop intense low back pain, fever, chills, or other signs of serious infection.

Safety Issues

Although juniper is regarded as safe and is widely used in foods, we don't recommend taking it during pregnancy. (We also recommend not drinking gin.) Remember, juniper was used historically to stimulate menstruation and childbirth. It has also been shown to cause miscarriages in rats.⁴

Individuals taking the medication lithium should use herbal diuretics such as juniper only under the supervision of a physician, as being dehydrated when taking this medication can be dangerous.⁵

Some texts warn that juniper oil may be a kidney irritant, but there is no real evidence that this is the case.⁶ Nonetheless, people with serious kidney disease probably shouldn't take juniper. Safety for young children, nursing women, or those with severe liver disease has also not been established.

Interactions You Should Know About

If you are taking lithium, do not use juniper except under the supervision of a physician.

Last reviewed March 2002 by Medical Review Board

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