THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL AND MARKET VALUE OF COMMON JUNIPER’S (JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS L.) BERRIES AND ESSENTIAL OIL
Gjoshe STEFKOV, Filip TODOROV, Veronika STOILKOVSKA GJORGJIEVSKA, Ana TRAJKOVSKA, Iskra DAVKOVA, Ivana CVETKOVIKJ KARANFILOVA, Marija KARAPANDZOVA, Nexhbedin BEADINI, Vladimir KRPAČ
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.
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