CHAPTER 4: Bay Leaf (Laurus nobilis)

Bay leaf possesses aromatic dark green foliage that can be used fresh or dried in cooking to flavour soups and stews. It is commonly used in a bouquet garni/bundle of herbs to prepare stocks, and has a long history of folk spiritual practices. The leaf is pungent, bitter with a floral fragrance that has been compared to oregano, rosemary or thyme. The essential oil is used in the perfume industry. In Ancient Greece and Rome, wreaths of bay leaves were fastened to crown kings, religious leaders and winners of scholarly and athletic competitions. Compared to some other culinary herbs and spices, there is relatively little on the bioactive properties of bay leaf. A search of peer reviewed literature provides information on the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, glucose lowering, anti-diabetic, lipid lowering, chemopreventive/anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, anti-ulcer, anticonvulsant, and anti-microbial properties of this herb. There is also some work that has been carried out on bay leaf's inhibitory activity on blood alcohol (ethanol) elevation. Most of the studies, which are from Asia, including the Middle East, Europe, North America (US), Africa, Australia are mainly in vitro and in vivo (using animal models).