Laurus nobilis L.

Family : Lauraceae

English Name : Bayleaf, Laurel

Origin : Southern Mediterranean region

Description

An aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub reaching 10–18 m tall. The leaves are 6–12 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, with a characteristic finely serrated and wrinkled margin. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants; each flower is pale yellow-green, about 1 cm diameter, borne in pairs together beside a leaf. The fruit is a small black berry about 1 cm long, containing a single seed.

Habitat

Damp rocks and ravines, thickets and old walls.

Parts Used : Fruit, leaves

Herb Effects

Antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emetic in large doses, emmenagogue, narcotic, parasiticide, stimulant and stomachic (leaves); antiseptic, aromatic, digestive, narcotic and stimulant (fruit).

Active Ingredients

1,8-cineole, acetic acid, alpha-phellandrene, alpha-pinene, alpha-terpinene, alpha-terpineol, benzaldehyde, beta-bisabolene, beta-eudesmol, beta-pinene, borneol, butyric acid, camphene, carvone, caryophyllene, costunolide, delta-cadinene, eugenol, eugenyl-acetate, formic acid, gamma-terpinene, hexanal, limonene, methyl-eugenol, myrcene, neral, nerol, p-cymene, quercetin, rutin, terpinen-4-ol, terpinolene, valerianic acid (leaf); beta-elemene, bornyl-acetate, camphor, cyanidin, elemicin, kaempferol, linoleic acid, oleic acid (plant); cinnamic acid, lauric acid (fruit); geraniol (fruit, leaf), cineol, pinene, linalool, tannin.

Medicinal Use

In the treatment of hysteria, amenorrhoea, flatulent colic etc (fruits, leaves); to treat upper respiratory tract disorders and to ease arthritic aches and pains (leaves); to treat sprains, bruises etc (oil from fruit); used to treat anorexia, cancer, candida, colic, dandruff, earache, high Blood Pressure, hysteria, nervousness, rheumatism, uterosis.

Reference