Photo: Peterson, Maude Gridley, b. 1871 / Wikimedia Commons, No restrictions
Hauber हपुषा
Juniperus communis
Also known as: Hauber (Hapusha)
Part used: Fruit
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Juniperus communis
- Part used: Fruit
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Fruit powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily.
Hauber in other languages
Introduction
Hauber, classically Hapusha (Juniperus communis), is the common juniper, whose blue-black berries — botanically fleshy cones — are used as both spice and medicine.
Ayurveda uses it as a warming, diuretic drug for urinary complaints, joint pain and sluggish digestion. It grows in the Himalaya and is also imported.
Classification
Family Cupressaceae. The dried fruit (berry-like cone) is officinal. Rasa: Katu, Tikta. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Kapha and Vata.
Uses & benefits
Given in difficult or scanty urination, in Vata disorders with joint pain, and in poor appetite with abdominal distension. Classical texts also use it in menstrual complaints. In this catalogue it appears in Vriddhi Vadhika Vati.
Hapusha for the urinary tract
A warming Mutrala drug used where urine is scanty and passage uncomfortable, and one of the classical choices in urinary formulations.
Hapusha for joints and digestion
Its penetrating warmth is used in Vata joint pain and in abdominal distension with poor appetite.
Dosage — how much to take
Fruit powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Hauber?
The citations held for Hauber in this catalogue are: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Karpuradi Varga — Hapusha).
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Hauber?
Katu-tikta rasa, ushna virya; mutrala and deepana. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Karpuradi Varga — Hapusha.
What is Hauber traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Given in difficult or scanty urination, in Vata disorders with joint pain, and in poor appetite with abdominal distension. Classical texts also use it in menstrual complaints. In this catalogue it appears in Vriddhi Vadhika Vati.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Hauber?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Hauber classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Hauber carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Hauber is used medicinally?
The part used is Fruit.
How much Hauber is taken, and how?
Fruit powder 1–3 g per day; decoction 40–60 ml twice daily. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Hauber be avoided?
Heating and diuretic. Avoid in kidney disease — juniper is traditionally contraindicated where renal function is impaired. Not for use in pregnancy: it has a documented uterine-stimulant reputation. Prolonged high doses may irritate the urinary tract.
Where does Hauber grow?
Alpine and sub-alpine Himalaya from Kashmir to Sikkim between roughly 2,500 and 4,000 m, and widely distributed across the northern hemisphere.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Karpuradi Varga — Hapusha
Katu-tikta rasa, ushna virya; mutrala and deepana. - Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India — Hapusha
Fruit of Juniperus communis; identity and dose.
Safety & precautions
Heating and diuretic. Avoid in kidney disease — juniper is traditionally contraindicated where renal function is impaired. Not for use in pregnancy: it has a documented uterine-stimulant reputation. Prolonged high doses may irritate the urinary tract.
Where it grows
Alpine and sub-alpine Himalaya from Kashmir to Sikkim between roughly 2,500 and 4,000 m, and widely distributed across the northern hemisphere.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the juniper used in gin?
The same species. Juniperus communis berries flavour gin and are used medicinally as a warming diuretic.
Why avoid it in pregnancy?
Juniper has a long-recorded uterine-stimulant action and is traditionally contraindicated in pregnancy. It is also avoided in kidney disease.
