HERBAL MONOGRAPHS LAUREL/459Olsen JD, Sisson DV, Toxicity of extracts of tall larkspur
(Delphinium barbeyi) in mice hamsters rats and sheep. Toxicol
Lett, 59:33-41, 1991 Apr.
Park JC, Desai HK, Pelletier SW Two new norditerpenoid
alkaloi.djjfcom Delphinium elatum var. 'black night'. J Nat
Prod, 59:291-5, 1995 Feb.
Ralphs MH, Olsen JD, Comparison of larkspur alkaloid extract
and lithium chloride in maintaining cattle aversion to larkspur
in the field. J Anim Sci, 70:1116-20, 1992 Apr.
Siemion RS. Raisbeck MF, Waggoner JW, Tidwell MA,
Sanchez DA, In vitro ruminal metabolism of larkspur alkaloids.
Vet Hum Toxicol, 34:206-8, 1992 Jun.
Teuscher E. Lindequist U, Biogene Gifte - Biologie, Chemie,
Pharmakologie. 2. Aufl., Fischer Verlag Stuttgart 1994.
Ulubelen A, Desai HK, Srivastava SK, Hart BP, Park JC, Joshi
BS, Pelletier SW, Mericli AH. Mericli F, Ilarslan R,
Diterpenoid alkaloids from Delphinium davisii. J Nat Prod,
59:360-6, 1996 Apr.
Yum L, Wolf KM, Chiappinelli VA. Nicotinic acetylcholine
receptors in separate brain regions exhibit different affinities for
methyllycaconitine. Neuroscience, 41:545-55, 1996 May.Laurel
Laurus nobilisDESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the leaves, the fruit
and the oil.Flower and Fruit: The flowers are in axillary bushy umbels
or sbpjjsgfacemous panicles. They are dioecious, whitish-
green with 4?*p6tals,*fused at the base. The* male flower
usually has 10'to"'12 stamens; the female has 4 staminoids.
The ovary is short-stemmed with one chamber with a
hanging ovule, a short style and a triangular obtuse stigma.
The fruit develops on the stem into deep-black 2 cm long
ovate berries.Leaves, Stem and Root: Laurel is an evergreen shrub or up to
10 m high tree with smooth, olive green to black bark. The
dark-green bay leaves are lanceolate and alternate, about 10
cm long and acuminate at both ends. They are short petioled
and their margins are often sinuate and coriaceous.Habitat: Laurel is indigenous to Mediterranean countries.
Production: Bay leaves are the leaves of Laurus nobilis. Bay
berries are the fruits of Laurus nobilis.
Other Names: Sweet Bay, True Laurel, Bay, Roman Laurel,
Noble Laurel, Daphne, Bay Laurel, Bay Tree, Grecian
Laurel
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS: LAUREL LEAF
Volatile oil (1-3%): chief components 1,8-cineol
Sesquiterpene lactones: dehydrocostuslactone, costunolide,
furthermore eremanthin, laurenbiolideIsoquinoline alkaloids: including, among others, reticulin
COMPOUNDS: LAUREL FRUIT
Volatile oil (1-4%): including, among others, 1,8-cineol,
alpha- and beta-pinene, citral, methylcinnamat
Sesquiterpene lactones: dehydrocostuslactone, costunolid,
furthermore eremanthin, laurenbiolide
Fatty oil (25-55%): chief fatty acids lauric, palmitic, oleic
acid The green salve-like laurel oil is gained by pressing or
cooking the berries. Besides fatty oil, it contains the
components of the volatile oil and a large percentage of
sesquiterpene lactones.
EFFECTS
Laurel leaves are externally rubefacient and allergenic
because of die essential oil they contain. An antimicrobial,
molluscidal and insect repellent effect has been
demonstrated. """*'
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Unproven Uses: Both forms are used as a skin stimulant
(rubefacient) and for rheumatic conditions.
PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction
with the proper administration of designated therapeutic
dosages. The drug possesses a medium potential for
sensitization.
DOSAGE
LAUREL LEAF
Mode of Administration: The essential oil is used in
ointments and soaps.
LAUREL FRUIT
Mode of Administration: The mixture of essential and fatty
oils, extracted through pressing, was formerly used in the
treatment of furuncles; today Laurel is used externally in
veterinary medicine, as an udder ointment.
LITERATURE
Hausen B, Allergiepflanzen, Pflanzenallergene, ecomed
erlagsgesellsch. mbH, Landsberg 1988.
Hegnauer R, Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen, Bde 1-11,
Birkhauser Verlag Basel, Boston, Berlin 1962-1997.
Hogg JW et al., (1974) Phytochemistry 13:868.
Kern W, List PH, Horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der
Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde 1-8, Springer Verlag
Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.