Potential of L As a Nutraceutical in Human and Veterinary Medicine

Overview

Journal Heliyon

Specialty Social Sciences

Date 2019 Sep 12

PMID 31508527

Citations 17

Authors

Rajinder Raina

Pawan K Verma

Rajinder Peshin

Harpreet Kour

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Plants have been used for thousands of years as medicine for treating variety of diseases and medical complaints by most of the civilizations. L. is an evergreen aromatic shrub with high therapeutic potential for the treatment of diseases in human and animals. The plant is rich in aromatic oils, invert sugars, resins, catechin, organic acid, terpenic acids, leucoanthocyanidin, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, gums, lignins, wax, etc. Juniper berries or extract of the plant has traditionally been used as diuretic, anti-arthritis, anti-diabetes, antiseptic as well as for the treatment of gastrointestinal and autoimmune disorders. The essential oil and extracts of juniper have been experimentally documented to have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activities. Recent studies have also found anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of berries in experimental models. Further, the essential oil incorporation retarded lipid peroxidation in preserved meat due to its high antioxidant effect which not only improved meat product quality but also improved shelf life of the product. Thus natural antioxidant such as juniper can be used in place synthetic antioxidant for the preservation and improving self-life of meat products. New well designed clinical trials in human and animals using well-characterized extract or oil need to be conducted so that additional information is generated which can support the use of this natural product as a nutraceutical.

Citing Articles

Changes in the Expression of Some Genes With Metabolic, VLDL and Antioxidative Effects After the Addition of Essential Oil Mixture to Drinking Water in the Liver of Domestic Geese (Anser anser Domesticus).

Durna O, Hitit M, Usta Z, Yildiz G Vet Med Sci. 2025; 11(2):e70285.

PMID: 40028755 PMC: 11875063. DOI: 10.1002/vms3.70285.

Larvicidal and Oviposition Activity of Commercial Essential Oils of Ledeb., (Blanco) Benth., L. and Their Combinations Against .

de Aguiar J, da Silva A, Santos E, Vieira G, Araujo L, de Andrade J Molecules. 2025; 29(24.

PMID: 39770011 PMC: 11677330. DOI: 10.3390/molecules29245921.

Beyond Essential Oils: Diterpenes, Lignans, and Biflavonoids from L. as a Source of Multi-Target Lead Compounds.

Jojic A, Liga S, Utu D, Ruse G, Suciu L, Motoc A Plants (Basel). 2024; 13(22).

PMID: 39599442 PMC: 11598787. DOI: 10.3390/plants13223233.

Phytochemical Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of Albanian and Berries and Needle Leaves Extracts.

Mertiri I, Pacularu-Burada B, Stanciuc N Antioxidants (Basel). 2024; 13(3).

PMID: 38539878 PMC: 10968248. DOI: 10.3390/antiox13030345.

In Vitro Safety and Efficacy Evaluation of a Callus Culture Extract and Processing Waste Extract Combination as a Cosmetic Ingredient.

Ramata-Stunda A, Boroduskis M, Pastare L, Berga M, Kienkas L, Patetko L Plants (Basel). 2024; 13(2).

PMID: 38256840 PMC: 10818699. DOI: 10.3390/plants13020287.

References

Chen C, Wu R . Gallotannins inhibit growth, water-insoluble glucan synthesis, and aggregation of mutans streptococci. J Dent Res. 1988; 67(1):51-5. DOI: 10.1177/00220345880670011001. View

. Final report on the safety assessment of Juniperus communis Extract, Juniperus oxycedrus Extract, Juniperus oxycedrus Tar, Juniperus phoenicea extract, and Juniperus virginiana Extract. Int J Toxicol. 2001; 20 Suppl 2:41-56. DOI: 10.1080/10915810160233758. View

Gross K, Ezerietis E . Juniper wood as a possible implant material. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2003; 64(4):672-83. DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.10437. View

Filipowicz N, Kaminski M, Kurlenda J, Asztemborska M, Ochocka J . Antibacterial and antifungal activity of juniper berry oil and its selected components. Phytother Res. 2003; 17(3):227-31. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1110. View

Angioni A, Barra A, Russo M, Coroneo V, Dessi S, Cabras P . Chemical composition of the essential oils of Juniperus from ripe and unripe berries and leaves and their antimicrobial activity. J Agric Food Chem. 2003; 51(10):3073-8. DOI: 10.1021/jf026203j. View

Shahidi F, Wanasundara P . Phenolic antioxidants. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1992; 32(1):67-103. DOI: 10.1080/10408399209527581. View

Lee K, Everts H, Kappert H, Frehner M, Losa R, Beynen A . Effects of dietary essential oil components on growth performance, digestive enzymes and lipid metabolism in female broiler chickens. Br Poult Sci. 2003; 44(3):450-7. DOI: 10.1080/0007166031000085508. View

Parke D, Lewis D . Safety aspects of food preservatives. Food Addit Contam. 1992; 9(5):561-77. DOI: 10.1080/02652039209374110. View

Zhou J, Tang F, Mao G, Bian R . Effect of alpha-pinene on nuclear translocation of NF-kappa B in THP-1 cells. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2004; 25(4):480-4. View

10.

Karioti A, Hadjipavlou-Litina D, Mensah M, Fleischer T, Skaltsa H . Composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of Xylopia aethiopica (Dun) A. Rich. (Annonaceae) leaves, stem bark, root bark, and fresh and dried fruits, growing in Ghana. J Agric Food Chem. 2004; 52(26):8094-8. DOI: 10.1021/jf040150j. View

11.

McCabe M, Gohdes D, Morgan F, Eakin J, Sanders M, Schmitt C . Herbal therapies and diabetes among Navajo Indians. Diabetes Care. 2005; 28(6):1534-5. DOI: 10.2337/diacare.28.6.1534-a. View

12.

Pepeljnjak S, Kosalec I, Kalodera Z, Blazevic N . Antimicrobial activity of juniper berry essential oil (Juniperus communis L., Cupressaceae). Acta Pharm. 2005; 55(4):417-22. View

13.

Martin A, Queiroz E, Marston A, Hostettmann K . Labdane diterpenes from Juniperus communis L. berries. Phytochem Anal. 2006; 17(1):32-5. DOI: 10.1002/pca.878. View

14.

Wei A, Shibamoto T . Antioxidant activities and volatile constituents of various essential oils. J Agric Food Chem. 2007; 55(5):1737-42. DOI: 10.1021/jf062959x. View

15.

Van Slambrouck S, Daniels A, Hooten C, Brock S, Jenkins A, Ogasawara M . Effects of crude aqueous medicinal plant extracts on growth and invasion of breast cancer cells. Oncol Rep. 2007; 17(6):1487-92. View

16.

Ju J, Kim J, Choi C, Lee H, Oh T, Kim S . Comparison between ethanolic and aqueous extracts from Chinese juniper berries for hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2007; 115(1):110-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.09.012. View

17.

Salminen A, Lehtonen M, Suuronen T, Kaarniranta K, Huuskonen J . Terpenoids: natural inhibitors of NF-kappaB signaling with anti-inflammatory and anticancer potential. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2008; 65(19):2979-99. PMC: 11131807. DOI: 10.1007/s00018-008-8103-5. View

18.

Buzzini P, Arapitsas P, Goretti M, Branda E, Turchetti B, Pinelli P . Antimicrobial and antiviral activity of hydrolysable tannins. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2008; 8(12):1179-87. DOI: 10.2174/138955708786140990. View

19.

Akkol E, Guvenc A, Yesilada E . A comparative study on the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of five Juniperus taxa. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009; 125(2):330-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.05.031. View

20.

Gordien A, Gray A, Franzblau S, Seidel V . Antimycobacterial terpenoids from Juniperus communis L. (Cuppressaceae). J Ethnopharmacol. 2009; 126(3):500-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.09.007. View