THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL AND MARKET VALUE OF COMMON JUNIPER’S (JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS L.) BERRIES AND ESSENTIAL OIL

STEFKOV, Gjoshe and TODOROV, Filip and STOILKOVSKA GJORGJIEVSKA, Veronika and TRAJKOVSKA, Ana and DAVKOVA, Iskra and CVETKOVIKJ KARANFILOVA, Ivana and KARAPANDZOVA, Marija and BEADINI, Nexhbedin and KRPAČ, Vladimir (2025) THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL AND MARKET VALUE OF COMMON JUNIPER’S (JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS L.) BERRIES AND ESSENTIAL OIL. International Journal of Sciences, Environment and Technology, 5 (9-10). pp. 17-26. ISSN 2671-3977

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Abstract

Juniperus communis L., typically known as common juniper, is a widely distributed conifer native to Europe, North America, and parts of Asia, with multiple subspecies adapted to diverse climatic and ecological regions. Populations exhibit considerable chemotypic and morphological diversity. The species holds significant economic value, primarily through the harvest and trade of berries and essential oil. Juniper berries are utilized as a spice in culinary applications, as a herbal supplement in traditional medicine, and as the defining flavoring botanical in gin and other alcoholic beverages. Wild-harvested berries and their essential oils contribute to local and global markets, with prices influenced by origin, quality, certification status, and chemotype specificity. J. communis essential oil is characterized by a complex mixture of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and oxygenated derivatives, with α-pinene consistently identified as the dominant constituent across most regions. Other compounds, including β-myrcene, sabinene, limonene, and β-pinene, vary substantially depending on geographic origin, plant part, and harvesting conditions. This variability has implications for both biological activity and commercial applications, influencing anti-inflammatory, chondroprotective, diuretic, and anticancer properties. In North Macedonia, the extensive distribution and pronounced economic relevance of Juniperus communis further underscore its regional importance. The species supports rural livelihoods through widespread berry collection, supplying distilleries and producers of essential oil and gin, while its ecological role helps structure mountain shrublands and open habitats across many mountain ranges. This review integrates data on the global distribution, regional chemical diversity, economic significance, and multifunctional applications of Juniperus communis, highlighting its importance as both a bioactive medicinal resource and a commercially valuable plant product.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Juniperus communis, pseudo-fructus, volatile oil composition, chemotaxonomy, spice, medicinal plant, economical importance.
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Unnamed user with email zshi@unite.edu.mk
Date Deposited:	23 Dec 2025 09:15
Last Modified:	23 Dec 2025 09:15
URI:	http://eprints.unite.edu.mk/id/eprint/2189

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