Juniper berries (Juniperus communis L.)
Mature cone–berries (“galbuli”) of common juniper, used as a culinary spice and as a botanical in beverages (notably gin), as well as in infusions, extracts, and essential oil. Harvested after 2–3 years of maturation, they deliver a balsamic–resinous aroma with citrus, peppery, and woody notes.
Caloric value (per 100 g dried berries)
~240–300 kcal/100 g (mostly carbohydrates and fiber; fat is negligible).
Key constituents
Volatiles (essential oil, ~1–3% w/w): α-pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, myrcene, limonene, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, borneol.
Polyphenols: proanthocyanidins, flavonoids (e.g., rutin), phenolic acids.
Carbohydrates & fiber: insoluble/soluble fractions (polysaccharides), modest sugars.
Analytical markers: essential-oil GC–MS profile; HPLC/HPTLC for phenolics.
Lipid profile (per 100 g; share of total lipids)
Total fat <1 g/100 g (dried berries). SFA/MUFA/PUFA (n-6/n-3) trace, not nutritionally significant. Trans/CLA absent. Cholesterol absent.
Note: aroma comes from the essential oil (terpenes) rather than nutritional lipids.
Production process
Selective harvest of ripe berries → low-temperature drying → cleaning/sieving → standardization of moisture and size → barrier packaging (light/oxygen).
Derivatives: steam distillation for essential oil; hydroalcoholic/glyceric maceration for extracts. For gin: maceration or vapor infusion with other botanicals; manage terpene load to avoid chill haze after dilution.
Sensory and technological properties
Balsamic, resinous, citrus, peppery; outer blue-violet, inner brown-reddish pulp. Lightly crushing berries improves volatile release. Terpenes are lipophilic and can induce louche haze in low-temperature or highly diluted hydroalcoholic systems.
Food applications
Culinary: marinades and rubs for game, pork, beef; sauerkraut, stews, ragù, pâtés.
Beverages: gin (principal botanical), bitters/liqueurs, spiced beers.
Infusions/teas: use sparingly for balsamic notes.
Indicative dosages: berries 0.1–0.5% of recipe or ~2–6 berries per serving; essential oil 10–200 ppm depending on matrix (pilot trials recommended).
Nutrition and health
Provide aromatic compounds and polyphenols. Essential oil shows in-vitro antimicrobial/antioxidant activity; no health claims should be made without authorization.
Precautions: avoid excess/prolonged use of essential oil/concentrated extracts; generally not recommended in pregnancy/lactation and in renal conditions. Potential theoretical interactions with hypoglycemic and diuretic drugs.
Quality and specifications (typical topics)
Berries: moisture, essential-oil yield (% dry basis), L*a*b* color, size grade, foreign matter, absence of molds/pests; compliant TVC/Y&M.
Essential oil: density, refractive index, optical rotation, GC–MS ratios (α-pinene/sabinene/terpinen-4-ol), oxidative status.
Extracts: assay for total monoterpenes and/or phenolics; compliant residual solvents.
Authenticity: HPTLC/GC–MS fingerprinting to exclude other Juniperus spp.
Storage and shelf life
Berries: cool, dark, dry, in airtight containers; avoid high RH (caking/molds).
Essential oil: amber glass, minimal headspace (or nitrogen), 5–20 °C, protected from light/air; recap promptly.
Extracts: follow solvent/form (liquids 4–20 °C; powders at low aw). Apply FIFO.
Allergens and safety
Juniper is not among the EU major 14 allergens; essential oil may cause skin sensitization—for cosmetics, observe IFRA/local limits. For foods, respect dosage and internal sensory/safety guidelines.
INCI functions in cosmetics
Typical entries: Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil; Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract.
Roles: fragrance, masking, skin conditioning, mild astringent; suited to rinse-off and toning gels (ensure preservation in aqueous bases).
Troubleshooting
Bitter/resinous excess → over-dose/over-toasting → reduce dose; balance with citrus/sweet spices.
Haze in beverages → terpene louche → raise ethanol at bottling, use chill-filtration, or employ solubilizers.
Aroma variability → origin/vintage → blend lots; set GC–MS specifications.
Aroma loss → long/hot storage → upgrade barrier, lower T, package in smaller lots.
Sustainability and supply chain
Prefer sustainable wild-harvest (controlled) or traceable cultivation; protect habitats where J. communis is sensitive. In-plant: energy-efficient distillation, effluent control to BOD/COD targets, recyclable packaging, logistics with controlled RH/T.
Conclusion
Juniper berries are a high-impact aromatic botanical: small doses impart a distinctive balsamic–citrus profile to meats, ferments, and beverages. Performance depends on raw-material quality, volatile content, dosage, and protection from light/oxygen; standardization (GC–MS) underpins consistent flavor.
Mini-glossary
EO — essential oil
GC–MS — gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
HPLC/HPTLC — high-performance liquid/planar chromatography
SFA/MUFA/PUFA — saturated/monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fatty acids
n-6 / n-3 — omega-6 / omega-3 families
L*a*b* — CIELAB color space
aw — water activity
RH — relative humidity
DO — dissolved oxygen
TVC/Y&M — total viable count / yeasts & molds
MAP — modified-atmosphere packaging
IFRA — International Fragrance Association
FIFO — first in, first out
BOD/COD — biochemical/chemical oxygen demand
References__________________________________________________________________________
Gonçalves AC, Flores-Félix JD, Coutinho P, Alves G, Silva LR. Zimbro (Juniperus communis L.) as a Promising Source of Bioactive Compounds and Biomedical Activities: A Review on Recent Trends. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Mar 16;23(6):3197. doi: 10.3390/ijms23063197.
Abstract. Plant-derived products and their extracted compounds have been used in folk medicine since early times. Zimbro or common juniper (Juniperus communis) is traditionally used to treat renal suppression, acute and chronic cystitis, bladder catarrh, albuminuria, leucorrhea, and amenorrhea. These uses are mainly attributed to its bioactive composition, which is very rich in phenolics, terpenoids, organic acids, alkaloids, and volatile compounds. In the last few years, several studies have analyzed the huge potential of this evergreen shrub, describing a wide range of activities with relevance in different biomedical discipline areas, namely antimicrobial potential against human pathogens and foodborne microorganisms, notorious antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, antidiabetic, antihypercholesterolemic and antihyperlipidemic effects, and neuroprotective action, as well as antiproliferative ability against cancer cells and the ability to activate inductive hepato-, renal- and gastroprotective mechanisms. Owing to these promising activities, extracts and bioactive compounds of juniper could be useful for the development of new pharmacological applications in the treatment of several acute and chronic human diseases.
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.
Abstract. The common juniper is a tree that grows in Europe, Asia, and North America. The ripe fruit of Juniperus communis and Juniperus oxycedrus is alcohol extracted to produce Juniperus Communis Extract and Juniperus Oxycedrus Extract, respectively. Juniperus Oxycedrus Tar is the volatile oil from the wood of J. oxycedrus. Juniperus Phoenicea Extract comes from the gum of Juniperus phoenicea, and Juniperus Virginiana Extract is extracted from the wood of Juniperus virginiana. Although Juniperus Oxycedrus Tar is produced as a by-product of distillation, no information was available on the manufacturing process for any of the Extracts. Oils derived from these varieties of juniper are used solely as fragrance ingredients; they are commonly produced using steam distillation of the source material, but it is not known if that procedure is used to produce extracts. One report does state that the chemical composition of Juniper Communis Oil and Juniperus Communis Extract is similar, each containing a wide variety of terpenoids and aromatic compounds, with the occasional aliphatic alcohols and aldehydes, and, more rarely, alkanes. The principle component of Juniperus Oxycedrus Tar is cadinene, a sesquiterpene, but cresol and guaiacol are also found. No data were available, however, indicating the extent to which there would be variations in composition that may occur as a result of extraction differences or any other factor such as plant growth conditions. Information on the composition of the other ingredients was not available. All of the Extracts function as biological additives in cosmetic formulations, and Juniperus Oxycedrus Tar is used as a hair-conditioning agent and a fragrance component. Most of the available safety test data are from studies using oils derived from the various varieties of juniper. Because of the expected similarity in composition to the extract, these data were considered. Acute studies using animals show little toxicity of the oil or tar. The oils derived from J. communis and J. virginiana and Juniperus Oxycedrus Tar were not skin irritants in animals. The oil from J. virginiana was not a sensitizer, and the oil from J. communis was not phototoxic in animal tests. Juniperus Oxycedrus Tar was genotoxic in several assays. No genotoxicity data were available for any of the extracts. Juniperus Communis Extract did affect fertility and was abortifacient in studies using albino rats. Clinical tests showed no evidence of irritation or sensitization with any of the tested oils, but some evidence of sensitization to the tar. These data were not considered sufficient to assess the safety of these ingredients. Additional data needs include current concentration of use data; function in cosmetics; methods of manufacturing and impurities data, especially pesticides; ultraviolet (UV) absorption data; if absorption occurs in the UVA or UVB range, photosensitization data are needed; dermal reproductive/developmental toxicity data (to include determination of a no-effect level); two genotoxicity assays (one in a mammalian system) for each extract; if positive, a 2-year dermal carcinogenicity assay performed using National Toxicology Program (NTP) methods is needed; a 2-year dermal carcinogenicity assay performed using NTP methods on Juniperus Oxycedrus Tar; and irritation and sensitization data on each extract and the tar (these data are needed because the available data on the oils cannot be extrapolated). Until these data are available, it is concluded that the available data are insufficient to support the safety of these ingredients in cosmetic formulations.
Jegal J, Park SA, Chung K, Chung HY, Lee J, Jeong EJ, Kim KH, Yang MH. Tyrosinase inhibitory flavonoid from Juniperus communis fruits. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2016 Dec;80(12):2311-2317. doi: 10.1080/09168451.2016.1217146.
Abstract. The fruits of Juniperus communis have been traditionally used in the treatment of skin diseases. In our preliminary experiment, the MeOH extract of J. communis effectively suppressed mushroom tyrosinase activity. Three monoflavonoids and five biflavonoids were isolated from J. communis by bioassay-guided isolation and their inhibitory effect against tyrosinase was evaluated. According to the results of all isolates, hypolaetin 7-O-β-xylopyranoside isolated from J. communis exhibited most potent effect of decreasing mushroom tyrosinase activity with an IC50 value of 45.15 μM. Further study provided direct experimental evidence for hypolaetin 7-O-β-D-xylopyranoside-attenuated tyrosinase activity in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 murine melanoma cell. Hypolaetin 7-O-β-D-xylopyranoside from the EtOAc fraction of J. communis was also effective at suppressing α-MSH-induced melanin synthesis. This is the first report of the enzyme tyrosinase inhibition by J. communis and its constituent. Therapeutic attempts with J. communis and its active component, hypolaetin 7-O-β-D-xylopyranoside, might be useful in treating melanin pigmentary disorders.
Benzina S, Harquail J, Jean S, Beauregard AP, Colquhoun CD, Carroll M, Bos A, Gray CA, Robichaud GA. Deoxypodophyllotoxin isolated from Juniperus communis induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2015;15(1):79-88. doi: 10.2174/1871520614666140608150448.
Abstract. The study of anticancer properties from natural products has regained popularity as natural molecules provide a high diversity of chemical structures with specific biological and medicinal activity. Based on a documented library of the most common medicinal plants used by the indigenous people of North America, we screened and isolated compounds with anti-breast cancer properties from Juniperus communis (common Juniper). Using bioassay-guided fractionation of a crude plant extract, we identified the diterpene isocupressic acid and the aryltetralin lignan deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT) as potent inducers of caspase-dependent programmed cell death (apoptosis) in malignant MB231 breast cancer cells. Further elucidation revealed that DPT, in contrast to isocupressic acid, also concomitantly inhibited cell survival pathways mediated by the MAPK/ERK and NFκB signaling pathways within hours of treatment. Our findings emphasize the potential and importance of natural product screening for new chemical entities with novel anticancer activities. Natural products research complemented with the wealth of information available through the ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological knowledge of the indigenous peoples of North America can provide new candidate entities with desirable bioactivities to develop new cancer therapies.
Çavuş İ, Özel Y, Tunalı V, Kayalar H, Yereli K, Özbilgin A. Investigation of Antiparasitic Effect of Juniperus communis L. Fruits Extracts. Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2025 Sep 8;49(3):115-119. doi: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2025.27928.
Abstract. Objective: Juniperus communis (J. communis) (common juniper) is a plant that has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. This study aims to evaluate the antiparasitic effects of ethanol, methanol, chloroform, and water extracts of J. communis fruits against Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania tropica, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Blastocystis. Methods: The antiparasitic activities of fruit extracts prepared at room temperature using the shaking maceration method were tested against Plasmodium falciparum using the ring stage survival test, and against Leishmania tropica, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Blastocystis using the broth microdilution method. Results: The chloroform extract of J. communis fruits was found to be effective on Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania tropica, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Blastocystis parasites at concentrations of 15, 10, 30 and 30 µg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The chloroform extract of J. communis fruits has shown strong antiparasitic activity against the investigated parasite species. These findings support the plant's antiparasitic potential and hold promise for future medical applications. Especially its effectiveness against metronidazole-resistant Trichomonas vaginalis strains is important for the development of alternative treatment options. This study highlights the potential use of J. communis as a medicinal plant and will contribute to the literature on research related to the isolation and structural determination of its active compounds.
Gao HW, Huang XF, Yang TP, Chang KF, Yeh LW, Hsieh MC, Weng JC, Tsai NM. Juniperus communis Suppresses Melanoma Tumorigenesis by Inhibiting Tumor Growth and Inducing Apoptosis. Am J Chin Med. 2019;47(5):1171-1191. doi: 10.1142/S0192415X19500605.
Abstract. Melanoma, which has a high metastatic capacity and death rate, is a common skin cancer in Western countries. The purpose of this study was to address whether Juniperus communis (JCo) extract is effective in the suppression of melanoma and to elucidate the anticancer mechanisms involved in vitro and in vivo. The antitumor capacities of JCo extract on tumor suppression and toxicity were evaluated and the results demonstrated that the tumor burden was reduced via mediation of cell cycle, reduction of autocrine signaling, and induction of apoptosis. Moreover, JCo extract significantly prolonged the survival rate of the test subjects with only low pathological and physiological toxicity. Additionally, JCo extract also reduced cancer stem cell-related angiogenic and metastatic proteins in the process of tumor elimination. Based on these results, this study suggests that JCo extract suppresses tumor growth and induces apoptosis, and JCo extract may be useful for the prevention of melanoma tumorigenesis.
Tsai; Tsai NM, Chang KF, Wang JC. Juniperus Communis Extract Exerts Antitumor Effects in Human Glioblastomas Through Blood-Brain Barrier. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2018;49(6):2443-2462. doi: 10.1159/000493842.
Huang NC, Huang RL, Huang XF, Chang KF, Lee CJ, Hsiao CY, Lee SC, Tsai NM. Evaluation of anticancer effects of Juniperus communis extract on hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Biosci Rep. 2021 Jul 30;41(7):BSR20211143. doi: 10.1042/BSR20211143.
