Action Berries—diuretic, urinary antiseptic, carminative, digestive, sudorific, anti- inflammatory, emmenagogue. Used for acute and chronic cystitis, renal suppression (scanty micturition), catarrh of the bladder, albuminuria, amenorrhoea, leucorrhoea. Aerial parts—abortifacient.
Key application In dyspepsia. (German Commission E.) Juniper berry may increase glucose levels in diabetics. (ESCOP.) As a diuretic.
(The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of
India recommends the dried fruit
in malabsorption syndrome.
Animal studies have shown an increase in urine excretion as well as a direct effect on sooth muscle contraction. (German Commission E, ESCOP) Contraindicated in kidney disease. (Sharon M. Herr.)
(In Kerala, Hapushaa and Mundi are considered to be synonyms; Syphaeranthus indicus,Asteraceae, is used as Hapushaa.)
The major constituents of the volatile oil are alpha-pinene, sabinene and alpha-terpinene. Methanolic extract of the plant gave several labdane diterpenoids and diterpenes. The leaves contain the biflavones, cupressuflavone, amentoflavone, hinokiflavone, isocryptomerin and sciadopitysin. The berries also contain condensed tannins. Seeds gave haemagglutinin.
Juniperus recurva Buch-Ham ex D. Don, syn. I. excelsa auct. non-Bieb. (temperate Himalaya from Kashmir to Bhutan) is known as Weeping Blue Juniper. I. macropoda Boiss. (the Hi malaya from Nepal onwards) is known as Himalayan Indian Juniper. Both the species are used like J. communis var. saxatillis.
The berries gave a diterpene ketone, sugrol, beta-sitosterol glucoside and lO-nonacosanol.
Plant extract can be used in tooth- pastes and mouth-rinses to reduce dental plaque and bleeding.
Dosage Dried fruit—2—6 g powder. (API, Vol. III.)
Justicia betonica Linn. 349
Juniperus virginiana Linn.
Family Pinaceae; Cupressaceae.
Habitat Native to North America; introduced into India.
English Pencil Cedar, Red Cedar.
Action The berries in decoction are diaphoretic and emmenagogue like those of common juniper; leaves
are diuretic. Red cedar oil is used in the preparation of insecticides. Small excrescences, called cedar apples, are sometimes found on the branches. These are used as an anthelmintic. (Yellow Cedar is
