Characterization of Juniperus Excelsa Berries growing in Lebanon

Abstract

Juniperus excelsa is an evergreen tree that grows at high altitudes in some parts of the two main Lebanese Mountain Chains. The berries of this tree have been used widely in traditional medicine in treating various diseases ranging from cold and skin rash to pneumonia and urinary tract inflammations. The chemical compositions of the essential oils of ripe and green berries have been identified using GC/MS revealing significant difference in composition between the two essential oils. The essential oils have exhibited weak antioxidant activities, using the DPPH method, compared to BHT with a slight preference of the essential oil of ripe berries over that of green berries. The antibacterial activity of the essential oil of the green berries against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli have been determined using the Broth microdilution method revealing a limited effect against the chosen bacterial strains. The phenolic and flavonoidal content of the ethanolic extract of the berries have been quantified using colorimetric methods and identified using GC/MS after silylation. Using the DPPH method, the extract has been found to have a remarkable antioxidant activity compared to BHT. So, the identification of the components of the berries essential oils and extracts and the tests performed have scientifically supported their usage in traditional medicine. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that studies the non volatile components of the berries of Juniperus excelsa and the difference in the volatile components of its green and ripe berries.