http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Juniperus+monosperma&CAN=LATIND:

Antiphlogistic; Birthing aid; Diuretic; Febrifuge; Laxative; Odontalgic; Pectoral; Poultice; Stomachic.

One-seed juniper was commonly employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes, who used it to treat a variety of complaints**. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism.

The leaves are febrifuge, laxative and pectoral***. An infusion is used in the treatment of stomach complaints, constipation, coughs and colds***. An infusion was also used by pregnant women prior to childbirth in order to relax the muscles**.

A poultice of the heated twigs can be bound over a bruise or sprain in order to reduce the swelling**.

An infusion of the staminate cones has been used as a stomach tonic and in the treatment of dysentery**.

The chewed bark has been applied externally to help heal spider bites**. It is also highly prized as a dressing on burns**.

The fruits are strongly diuretic**.

A gum from the plant has been used as a temporary filling in a decayed tooth**.

** Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998
*** Whiting. A. F. Ethnobotany of the Hopi North Arizona Society of Science and Art 1939

http://medplant.nmsu.edu/juniper1.html:

Juniperus monosperma (Engelmann) Sargent, is one of many species in the Juniperus genus that are simply referred to as juniper. One-seeded juniper is a plant that has prospered throughout much of the southwestern United States. This juniper covers one-fourth of the state of New Mexico alone (Hraber, 1990). Moreover it serves many uses including a variety of medical applications.

Medical usage of juniper most often refers to Juniperus communis, which grows at a higher elevation, but Juniperus monosperma was used in lower, dryer regions. Uses for one-seed juniper are often shared with Juniperus osteosperma, which also grows in abundance in many of the same woodlands.

Native Americans used the fruit as a diuretic and the cones were used as a laxative, emetic in diarrhea. Also bark was rubbed on spider bites, the gum used for tooth cavities and the leaves were used for pains after childbirth. (Hocking, 1997) This plant has chemicals that suggest it will help the body fight against arthritis, asthma, congestion, cough, hepatitis, and stiffness. (Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases.)

Of the closely related Juniperus communis (Juniper):

The berries can be eaten whole, crushed, cooked with sweetner, or brewed into a tea, boiled to decoction strength, or steepd in wine.

Juniper is the flavoring agent in gin. Juniper has traditionally been used in the making of everything from soap to perfume.

Juniper ointment is a soothing antiseptic treatment for eczema and psoriasis.

Juniper is an effective urinary antiseptic, and is carminative.

The 1997 Commission E on Phytotherapy and Herbal Substances of the German Federal Institute for Drugs recommends Juniper berry for 'Dyspepsia.'

'Contraindications: Pregnancy and inflammation of the kidneys. Side Effects: Prolonged usage or overdosing may cause kidney damage.'

'Daily dose: 2 to a maximum of 10 g of the dried juniper fruit, corresponding to 20 - 100 mg of the essential oil. Mode of Administration: Whole, crushed, or powdered drug for infusions and decoctions, alcohol extracts, and in wine. Essential oil. Liquid and solid medicinal forms only for oral application.' Combinations with other plant drugs in teas and similar preparations for treating bladder and kidney diseases may be helpful.'

'Action: Animal experiments have shown an increase in urine excretion as well as a direct effect on smooth muscle contraction.'

Juniper is often combined with other diuretic and antimicrobial herbs for bladder and kidney conditions. The volatile oils cause an increase in urine volume, which seems to lower uric acid levels.

Although juniper lignans inhibit the herpes simplex virus in laboratory studies, treatment for human herpes infections by juniper has yet to be proven.

The traditional use of juniper in topical ointments, however, does seem to have some lab confirmation. Juniper contains bitter substances, at least partly accounting for its traditional use in digestive upset and related problems.

The tea is made thick, a teaspoon of juniper berries being allowed to steep for 20 minutes in just one cup of boiling water.

Grieve's classic 'A Modern Herbal': 'Oil of Juniper is given as a diuretic, stomachic, and carminative in indigestion, flatulence, and diseases of the kidney and bladder. Spirit of Juniper has properties resembling Oil of Turpentine: it is employed as a stimulating diuretic in cardiac and hepatic dropsy. The fruit is readily eaten by most animals, especially sheep, and is said to prevent and cure dropsy in the latter.'

'The chief use of Juniper is as an adjuvant to diuretics in dropsy depending on heart, liver or kidney disease. It imparts a violet odour to the urine, and large doses may cause irritation to the passages. An infusion of 1 oz. to 1 pint of boiling water may be taken in the course of twenty-four hours. In France the berries have been used in chest complaints and in leucorrhoea, blenorrhoea, scrofula, etc. They are not given in substance. The oil is a local stimulant.'

King's 1898 Dispensatory: 'Both the berries and oil are stimulating, carminative, and diuretic. The oil is said to act like copaiba in arresting mucous discharges, especially from the urethra. It is contained in the spiritous liquor called Hollands, one of its best forms as a diuretic. Five minims of the oil, with 1 fluid drachm of nitrous ether, given 3 times a day in any common vehicle, produces diuresis in dropsy when other means fail.

'Combined with an equal part of watermelon seeds, and made into an infusion, I have cured several cases of ascites occurring in children, having them to make free use of it.

'The berries are employed principally as an adjunct to other diuretics, and have been found efficient in gonorrhoea, gleet, leucorrhoea, cystirrhoea, affections of the skin, scorbutic diseases, etc. Pyelitis, pyelo-nephritis, and cystitis when chronic, and particularly when in old people, are relieved by juniper. Uncomplicated renal hyperemia a is cured by it. The indications are a persistent weight or dragging in lumbar region. Dose of the berries, from 1 to 2 drachms; of the oil, from 4 to 20 minims.'

'The infusion (berries), may be given in wineglassful doses, a pint being taken in a day.'

American Materia Medica, 1919 (Ellingwood): 'Juniper has long been in use as a general diuretic and soothing kidney remedy. It is indicated in feeble or aged patients with persistent dragging or weight across the kidneys. In chronic disease it is especially beneficial. In pyelitis, pyelonephritis and cystitis, all of a chronic form, it is of value.'

'It will quickly relieve many cases of simple renal hyperemia, preventing the development of structural change, or the advancement of nephritis. After acute nephritis, whether from direct causes, or subsequent to scarlet fever, diphtheria, or other severe disease, when active inflammation has subsided, it will restore the secretory power of the epithelium of the renal tubules and readjust the secretory function to the blood pressure, restoring normal action. It is useful in strangury, and in some dropsies where there is absence of acute inflammation.'

'The oil of cade is applicable to skin diseases, especially moist eczema. It may be applied directly, but is quite severe upon an irritable or sensitive surface. It can be incorporated with an ointment base to excellent advantage. It is a useful agent in psoriasis, and as a parasiticide it will destroy psora and cure favus.'

'It was at one time in common use as an application to skin diseases and parasites in domestic animals.'