B
Dosages (Bayleaf) — 1–2 tsp leaf/cup water to 3 ×/day (APA); 1–2 drops EO added to brandy,
honey, or tea (APA).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Bayleaf) — Class 1 (AHP). None known
at proper dosage (PHR). “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages”
(PH2) (No dosage given, however) (PH2). Leaf and berry oil may cause severe lesions of the
skin. Contact dermatosis from handling leaves or EO reported. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
from excessive doses of the EO may occur. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs), are aromatic com-
pounds widely distributed in certain plant families, with highest concentrations generally found
in leaves and flowers. Sheep and cattle poisonings due to SL-containing species have been
reported. Cases of allergic contact dermatosis in humans have also been reported (AEH). There
have been a few unfortunate fatalities to people perforating their intestines with fragmented
laurel leaves. Always remove them from your spaghetti and stew (JAD; TAD). Artemorin,
costunolide, costuslactone, deacetlylaurenobiolide, laurenobiolide, reynosin, santamarin, and
verlorin are 8 alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactones documented to be the chief cause of
allergy (contact dermatosis) in Laurus (TAD). With compounds like parthenolide and santam-
arin, this shares many of the antimigraine compounds of feverfew.
BAYRUM TREE (Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J. W. Moore.) +++PHR entries are equivocal and probably apply to P. dioica (allspice), although Gruenwald (2000)
labeled it P. racemosa. Since they both have the same chemicals and activities, I don’t consider
this a serious error.
Activities (Bayrum Tree) — Allergenic (1; CRC); Analgesic (1; CRC; FNF; JFM; PHR);
Antifumitory (f; JFM); Antipyretic (f; JFM); Antiseptic (1; CRC); Carminative (f; CRC; JFM);
Digestive (f; CRC); Expectorant (f; CRC); Rubefacient (f; PHR); Stimulant (f; CRC; JFM);
Stomachic (f; CRC).
Indications (Bayrum Tree) — Adenopathy (f; CRC); Arthrosis (1; FNF; JFM); Bite (f; CRC);
Bruise (f; CRC); Cancer (f; CRC); Cancer, breast (f; JLH); Cancer, uterus (f; JLH); Chest Cold (f;
CRC; JFM); Cold (f; CRC); Dermatosis (f; JFM); Diarrhea (f; CRC; JFM); Dyspepsia (f; CRC);
Dysuria (f; CRC; JFM); Edema (f; CRC); Elephantiasis (f; CRC); Fever (f; CRC; JFM); Flu (f;
CRC; JFM); Gas (f; CRC; JFM); Grippe (1; FNF; JFM); Headache (f; CRC); Incontinence (f;
CRC); Induration (f; JLH); Infection (1; CRC); Lethargy (f; JFM); Myalgia (1; FNF; JFM); Nausea
(f; CRC); Nicotinism (f; JFM); Pain (1; CRC; FNF; JFM; PHR); Pleurisy (f; CRC; JFM); Pneumonia
(f; CRC; JFM); Rheumatism (1; FNF; JFM); Scirrhus (f; JLH); Smoking (f; CRC; JFM); Sore
Throat (f; CRC); Spasm (f; CRC); Stroke (f; CRC; JFM); Toothache (1; CRC; FNF; JFM); Tumor
(f; JLH); Uterosis (f; JLH); Varicosis (f; CRC); Vertigo (f; CRC).