Juniper Berry Essential Oil

Botanical Nomenclature: Juniperus communis
Extraction: Distillation

Juniper berry essential oil is made from the berries of a small European shrub known as the common juniper. Unlike many other essential oils, which are made from flowers, bark or twigs, juniper oil is made from the dried berries.

Characteristics of Juniper Berry Essential Oil

Essential oil made from juniper berries should be very pale yellow to clear. It has a sweet, woody scent very similar to pine needles and has a distinct balsamic undertone. Like other "wood" oils, it can feel both full and slightly dry to the nose.

Psychological Aromatherapy

In aromatherapy, juniper berry is considered a potent detoxifying oil that stimulates yang energy and has a warming effect on the body. It is frequently used to warm and invigorate.

Traditional Uses for Juniper Berries

Germany's Commission E approved the use of various preparations made from juniper berry for dyspepsia. Indeed, digestive complaints seem to be one of the most common traditional uses for the oil, too.

Aromatherapy educator Salvatore Battaglia assigns these therapeutic actions to juniper berry essential oil:

  • Antiseptic
  • Antirheumatic
  • Antispasmodic
  • Carminative & Stomachic
  • Astringent
  • Detoxifying
  • Tonic
  • Vulnerary

Scientific Studies on Juniper Oil

Anti-Fungal Actions

Juniper berry is sometimes listed among anti-fungal essential oils but current scientific research fails to support this. Oils made from the needles of various evergreens have demonstrated powerful anti-fungal actions but juniper berry oil, which is made not from the needles but from the berries, does not show any significant promise in the fight against Candida infections.

Safety Issues

Although juniper berry products enjoy the status of "Generally Recognized as Safe" in the U.S., they don't enjoy the same sense of legitimacy in other countries. Germany recognizes it as a potential toxin to the kidneys and Canada placed the berries on its "List of Herbs Unacceptable as Non-Medicinal Ingredients".

In preparation for this article, we could find no recent scientific studies specifically looking at juniper essential oil's safety for humans.

References:

Battaglia, S. (2005). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy

Wichtl, M. (2002). Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals

Blumenthal, M. (1998). The Complete German Commission E Monographs.

Filipowicz, N., et al. (2003). Antibacterial and antifungal activity of juniper berry oil and its selected components.

Leave Juniper Berry Essential Oil & return to Essential Oils Directory

footer for juniper berry essential oil page