bay laurel
Laurus nobilis · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Extensive (1004 studies) · ★★★★★
Bay laurel, scientifically known as Laurus nobilis, is a versatile evergreen shrub celebrated for centuries in both culinary and medicinal traditions. Renowned for its aromatic leaves, it possesses potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, making it a valuable natural remedy for digestive health and skin wellness.
Names
Common Names
- Bay
- Bay Laurel
- Laurel
- Sweetbal-Tree
- Grecian laurel
- bay-leaf laurel
- sweet bay
- Bay Leaf Tree
- Sweet laurel
- royal bay
- true laurel
Regional and Traditional Names
Spanish:
- Laurel europeo
- Laurel
- Loreda
- Llorea
- Laurel del Mediterraneo
- Árbol de Apolo
- Laurel de Apolo
- Laurel de cocina
- Los Laureles
- Choriu
- Laurel macho
- Laurel noble
- Lorel
- Lauredo
- Laurus vulgaris
- Laurel hembra
- Llorel
- Lloreo
- Laurus undulata
- Laurel del Mediterráneo
- Laurelal
- Llaurer
- Lloreolo
- Laurel común
- Laurel comun
- Arbol de Apolo
- Laurel de Castilla
German:
- Echter Lorbeer
- Edler Lorbeer
- Lorbeerbaum
- Fructus Lauri
- Lorbeerblatt
- Lorbeer
- Lorbeerbaum
- Lorbeerstrauch
- Lorbeer
- Edel-Lorbeer
- Echter Lorbeer
- Edler Lorbeer
- Gewürzlorbeer
French:
- Laurier Sauce
- Laurier d'Apollon
- Laurier-sauce
- Laurier noble
- laurier
- Laurier noble
- Laurier sauce
- Laurier-sauce
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Laurus nobilisSynonyms
- Laurus angusta
- Laurus nobilis var. longifolia
- Laurus nobilis var. latifolia
- Laurus tenuifolia
- Laurus undulata
- Laurus nobilis f. lanceolata
- Laurus nobilis f. latifolia
- Laurus nobilis var. rotundifolia
- Laurus nobilis var. lanceolata
- Laurus nobilis var. undulata
- Laurus nobilis var. floribunda
- Laurus nobilis var. angustifolia
- Laurus papillosa
- Laurus nobilis var. variegata
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae, the order Laurales, and the family Lauraceae. Ultimately, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Laurus.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Laurales | WCVP |
| Family | Lauraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Laurus | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range stretching across different regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in Great Britain and Ireland. Its distribution extends significantly into Southwestern Europe as well. Within this southern region, the species is present in France and on the island of Corse. Additionally, it inhabits the Baleares archipelago, completing its Mediterranean presence.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Baleares | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Corse | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Portugal | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Sardegna | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Albania | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Greece | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known as Laurus nobilis, utilizes various components for its medicinal and culinary properties. The most commonly used part is the aromatic leaves, which are harvested for their essential oils, though even a single leaf can provide a potent infusion. During its blooming season, the plant produces small, pale yellow flowers, and each individual flower contributes to the overall beauty of the shrub. Once pollination is complete, the plant develops dark, berry-like fruits that serve as a key part of its reproductive cycle.| Plant Part | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| leaf | Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| flower | Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fruit | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Laurus nobilis has 257 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1,8-Cineole, Linalool, Flavonoids, eugenol, kaempferol.
| Chemical | Supporting sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| 1,8-Cineole | 6 supporting sources | ★★★☆☆ |
| Linalool | 5 supporting sources | ★★★☆☆ |
| Flavonoids | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| eugenol | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| kaempferol | 3 supporting sources | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 1,8-Cineol | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ALPHA-TERPINYL ACETATE | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Artecanin | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bicyclogermacrene | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Borneol | 2 supporting sources | ★☆☆☆☆ |
1,8-Cineole
- Dr. Duke
- Pharmaceutics
- Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
- Chemistry & biodiversity
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
View 1 additional sources
- Protoplasma
Linalool
- Dr. Duke
- Life (Basel, Switzerland)
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
- Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
Flavonoids
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
- BMC complementary medicine and therapies
eugenol
- Dr. Duke
- Saudi journal of biological sciences
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
kaempferol
- Dr. Duke
- Drug discoveries & therapeutics
- Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy
1,8-Cineol
- Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
- Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.)
ALPHA-TERPINYL ACETATE
- Dr. Duke
- Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
Artecanin
- Dr. Duke
- Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
Bicyclogermacrene
- Dr. Duke
- Chemistry & biodiversity
Borneol
- Dr. Duke
- Scientific reports
Activities
Laurus nobilis has 583 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Allelopathic.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | Dr. Duke (and other 10 sources) | ★★★★★ |
| Antimicrobial | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 6 sources) | ★★★☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | Dr. Duke (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Allelopathic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antihypertensive | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiprotozoal | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiviral | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anxiolytic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Choleretic | Dr. Duke (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Laurus nobilis has 23 reported medicinal uses identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, Toxoplasma gondii infection, antioxidant, anxiety.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| Bacillus subtilis | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Listeria monocytogenes | Letters in applied microbiology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Toxoplasma gondii infection | The Journal of veterinary medical science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | Life (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anxiety | Advances in gerontology = Uspekhi gerontologii (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| breast cancer | Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cholesterol | Nutrients (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colon cancer | Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fungi | Natural product research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Consensus |
|---|---|---|
| essential oils | Journal of the science of food and agriculture (and other 4 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| essential oil | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 3 sources) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| EO | Letters in applied microbiology (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 2 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| EOs | Pharmaceutics (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Essential Oil | Chemistry & biodiversity (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Essential oil | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Methanol extracts | The Journal of veterinary medical science (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acetonic Laurus nobilis | BMC complementary medicine and therapies (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| alcohol extracts | African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |