Antecedentes

Source: Laurus nobilis L. (Family Lauraceae).

Common/vernacular names: Bay, laurel, bay laurel, Grecian laurel, Mediterranean bay, sweet bay, and true bay.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Laurus nobilis is an evergreen tree, up to 20 m high, native to the Mediterranean region; ex- tensively cultivated. Part used is the dried leaf. An essential oil, commonly known as laurel leaf oil, is produced by steam distillation of the leaves and branchlets.

Its leafy branchlets were used in wreaths by the ancient Greeks and Romans to crown their victors.

There are several botanicals known under the name of bay. For example, West Indian bay is Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J. W. Moore, and California bay is Umbellularia californica Nutt. The word bay in the literature may refer to any one of these botanicals, among others.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Contains 0.3–3.1% volatile oil composed mainly of 1,8-cineole (30–50%), a-pinene (ca. 12%), linalool (ca. 11%), a-terpineol

acetate (ca. 10%),a-terpineol, b-pinene, sa- binene, limonene, methyleugenol (3,4-di- methoxyallylbenzene), eugenol, p-cymene, camphene, and dehydro-1,8-cineole, as well as phenyl-hydrazine, piperidine, and gerani- ol.1 The essential oil from a supercritical carbon dioxide extraction contained mainly methyleugenol (8.1%), a-terpinyl acetate (11.4%), linalool (12.5%), and 1,8-cineole (22.8%).2 Oil content is highest in autumn and lowest in spring, with old leaves contain- ing the most oil.3Other constituents reported include costunolide, laurenobiolide (germa- cranolides), sesquiterpenes (santamarine, de- hydrocostus lactone, zaluzanin D, reynosin), catechins, proanthocyanidins, quercetin, iso- quercitrin,4–7 alkaloids (reticuline, boldine, launobine, isodomesticine, neolitsine, nandi- gerine, etc.),8 vitamin E,9 and various acids (e.g., butyric, caproic, enanthic acids, etc.).10–16

PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

Methyleugenol, a major constituent of sweet bay and California bay oils (at 4% and 5.4%, respectively), as well as a variety of West Indian bay and other species, has been re- ported to have sedative and narcotic properties in mice, producing sedation at low doses and reversible narcosis at higher doses; it pre- vented the death of mice treated with lethal convulsant doses of strychnine.13

Bay leaf and some of its volatile com- pounds (esp. cineole, phenylhydrazine, gera- niol, and piperidine) have been shown to repel cockroaches.17,18 Aqueous extracts of the leaves and flowers have shown toxicity to snails (Biomphalaria glabrata).19

The essential oil has shown bactericidal and fungicidal properties; it also depressed the heart rate and lowered blood pressure in animals. Formulations containing sweet bay leaf and its volatile oils have been claimed to have antidandruff activities.

In animal studies, the essential oil of the leaf has shown anticonvulsant activity against experimental seizures,20analgesic, and anti- inflammatory activities.21Aqueous extracts of the seeds and fruits have shown gastropro- tective activity against ethanol-induced ulcers.22,23Alcohol absorption-inhibiting ac- tivity of the leaves in rats is attributed to various sesquiterpenes.6,24 The bark has shown greater antioxidant activity than the leaves;25the alkyl peroxy radical scavenging activity of the leaves, which was higher than that of 120 other extracts of edible plants and herbs, is attributed to quercetin and isoquerci- trin.7 Growth suppression of various human leukemia cell lines was found in vitro from 1,8-cineole, the main constituent of the essen- tial oil of the leaves.26

TOXICOLOGY

Allergic reactions (contact dermatitis) to sweet bay have been documented.27–30 Methyleugenol is hepatotoxic.31

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.

The oil is used mainly as a fragrance ingredi- ent in creams, lotions, perfumes, soaps, and detergents. Maximum use level reported is 0.2% in perfumes.13

Food. Sweet bay is a common household spice known as bay leaf.

Both the spice and oil are extensively used in processed foods, including alcoholic (oil only) and nonalcoholic beverages, frozen dairy desserts, baked goods, meat and meat products, condiments and relishes, and others. Use levels are generally low; highest reported are in condiments and relishes, which are 0.1% for the spice and 0.02% for the oil.

Traditional Medicine. Has been used in treating cancer32and as a cholagogic, general stimulant, carminative, and diaphoretic; leaves used in Iranian folk medicine as an antiepileptic.20

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Crude and oil.

Regulatory Status. Essential oil, extractive, and solvent-free oleoresin of berries and leaves of Laurus species are GRAS for use in foods (§182.20); herb GRAS for use in foods as a natural flavoring or spice (§182.10).

REFERENCES

See the General References forARCTANDER;BAILEY1;BIANCHINI AND CORBETTA;BRUNETON;DUKE4;FEMA; GRIEVE;GUENTHER;JIANGSU;MASADA;MCGUFFIN1 & 2;ROSENGARTEN;TERRELL;UPHOF;YOUNGKEN.

1. H. Hokwerda et al., Planta Med., 44, 116 (1982).

2. Caredda et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 50, 1492 (2002).

3. Z. Putievsky et al., Isr. J. Bot., 33, 47 (1984).

4. J. M. Schulz and K. Hermann, Z. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch., 171, 278 (1980). 5. H. Hibasami et al., Int. J. Mol. Med., 12,

147 (2003).

6. M. Yoshikawa et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem., 8, 2071 (2000).

7. H. W. Kang et al., Biol. Pharm. Bull., 25, 102 (2002).

8. B. Pech and J. Bruneton, J. Nat. Prod., 45, 560 (1982).

9. D. J. Gomez-Coronado and C. Barbas, J. Agric. Food Chem., 51, 5196 (2003). 10. U. Asllani, Bull. Univ. Shteteror

Tiranes, Ser. Shkencat Natyr., 23, 93 (1969).

11. N. A. Gugunava, Subtrop. Kul’t., 3, 84 (1971).

12. M. G. Pertoldi and B. Stancher, Atti Congr. Qual., 6, 303 (1967).

13. J. T. MacGregor et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 22, 777 (1974).

14. J. W. Hogg et al., Phytochemistry, 13, 868 (1974).

15. H. Tada and K. Takeda, Chem. Pharm. Bull., 24, 667 (1976).

16. K. Tori et al., Tetrahedron Lett., 5, 387 (1976).

17. M. M. Verma, Diss. Abstr. Int. B, 41(12, Pt. 1), 4514 (1981).

18. V. L. L. Machado et al., Anais Soc. Entomol. Brasil, 24, 13 (1995).

19. L. Re and T. Kawano, Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz, 82(Suppl. 4), 315 (1987).

20. M. Sayyah et al., Phytomedicine, 9, 212 (2002).

21. M. Sayyah et al., Phytother. Res., 17, 733 (2003).

22. F. U. Afifi et al., J. Ethnopharmacol., 58, 9 (1997).

23. I. Gurbuz et al., J. Ethnopharmacol., 83, 241 (2002).

24. H. Matsuda et al., Alcohol Alcohol., 37, 121 (2002).

25. M. Simic et al., Fitoterapia, 74, 613 (2003).

26. H. Moteki et al., Oncol. Rep., 9, 757 (2002). 27. D. L. J. Opdyke, Food Cosmet. Toxicol.,

14, 337 (1976).

28. J. C. Mitchell in V. C. Runeckles, ed., Recent Advances in Phytochemistry, Vol. 9, Plenum Press, New York, 1975, p. 119.

29. M. G. Ozden et al., Contact Dermatitis, 45, 178 (2001).

30. A. Cheminat et al., Arch. Dermatol. Res., 276, 178 (1984).

31. Council of Europe , Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on Methyleugenol (4-Allyl-1,2-dimethoxy- benzene), European Commission Health and Consumer Protection Directorate- General, Brussel, Belgium, 2001. Available at: http://europa. eu.int/comm/ food/fs/scf/index_en.html.

32. J. L. Hartwell, Lloydia, 32, 247 (1969).