Botanical Characteristics:
Bay laurel is also called sweet bay, bay tree, true laurel, and Grecian laurel. It is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glossy, elliptic leaves. It is native to the southern Mediterranean region where it grows in rocky, well-drained soil. There it can reach heights of 60 ft.
Medicinal Value:
The leaves and extracts are used to suppress high blood sugar, fungal and bacterial infections. It has also been used to treat eructation, flatulence and gastrointestinal problems. It exhibits anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsive, antiepileptic and antioxidant properties (Conforti et al., 2011). Infusions of dry bay leaves are used in folk medicine for their stomachic and carminative remedies as well as to treat gastric diseases (Afifi et al.,2009). The essential oil is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory. Compounds with activity against MRSA have been purified from bay laurel. In high doses bay laurel has cytotoxic activity (causes damage to cells). Research has shown extracts have the ability to inhibit nitric oxide radicals which is significant for the treatment of inflammation, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and atherosclerosis.