Scientific name: Juniperis communis L.
Folk names: Machandel berries, cranewitter berries, caddis berries, machandel, buckholder and carwendel.
Pharmacopoeial Names: Juniper Berries Ph.Eur. (Juniperi pseudo-fructus), Juniper berry oil (Juniperi aetheroleum)
Family: Cupressaceae (cypressfamily )
Origin: Europe, northern Asia and North America
Botany: Juniper belongs to the conifers and here to the cypress family.
Harvest time: September to October; however, only the berries may be collected from the naturally protected juniper plants.
Parts of the plant used: Berry cone
Juniper has always been surrounded by mysticism: the Egyptians gave magical protection to mummies with the help of its berries, for the Germanic tribes it was a symbol of eternal life - and the Celts considered it one of the most important magic plants, whose smoke drove away demons, vermin and snakes.
Medical applications of juniper were already known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Hippocrates (460-370 BC) used the berries for external wound treatment. The physician Dioscorides recommended juniper for chest ailments, coughs, abdominal pain and bites from wild animals. In folklore, juniper banished all evil spirits and protected against curses from devils and witches. For this purpose, its branches were placed in the foundation when building a house.
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For stone and grits, kidney ailments, juniper berries have good reputation since ancient times. ”
Juniper enjoys great popularity because of its metabolism and blood circulation stimulating stimuli. As a warming and muscle-relaxing bath, it is used for tension or after sports. Medicinally, juniper is used both internally for digestive problems or to flush the kidneys, and externally for muscle and joint pain.
However, special caution is required during pregnancy, chronic kidney weakness or inflammatory kidney diseases. Then juniper should not be used.
Les parfums ont un effet subconscient sur ton humeur. Nous expliquons comment.
