FAMILY:
N.O. Lauraceae

SPECIES:
Laurus nobilis (LINN.)


DESCRIPTION:
This evergreen Mediterranean tree or shrub has small paleyellow flowers, shiny balck berries, and glossy, aromatic foliage. It is often grown as a clipped pot-plant.The wood is sweet-scented, and is used for marqueterie work.

CONSTITUENTS:
A greenish-yellow volatile oil is yielded by distillation from the leaves which contains a high percentage of oxygenated compounds. The berries contain both fixed and volatile oils, the former, known as Oil of Bays, includes laurostearine, the ether of lauric acid. Laurin can be extracted by alcohol.

A frequent substitute for the expressed oil is said to be lard-coloured with chlorophyll or indigo and turmeric, scented with the berries. Boiling alcohol, which dissolves the true oil, will detect this. The volatile oil contains pinene, geraniol, eugenol, cineol, etc.

USES:
Leaves, berries and oil have excitant and narcotic properties. The leaves are also regarded as a diaphoretic and in large doses as an emetic.

Except as a stimulant in veterinary practice the leaves and fruit are very rarely used internally. They were formerly employed in hysteria, amenorrhoea, flatulent colic, etc. The berries have been used to promoteabortion.

Oil of Bays is used externally for sprains, bruises, etc., and sometimes dropped into the ears to relieve pain. The leaves were formerly infused and taken as tea, and the powder or infusion of the berries was taken to remove obstructions, to create appetite, or as an emmenagogue. Four or five moderate doses were said to cure the ague.

REMARK:
Most other laurels except the Sweet Bay are poisonous.