Herbs and plantsCherry laurel—a garden shrub that was once medicine and is poisonous today?
Sources: 6 · Article: 7 327 characters
Fresh cherry laurel leaves were used to make cherry laurel water and a macerate.
- The water was given for conditions including cough, spasms, epilepsy and pain, and to calm patients and stimulate breathing.
- The macerate was also used to wash the skin, including in cases of inflammation.
What the authors write
Henryk Różański
Cherry laurel water was used for respiratory problems, cough, epilepsy, pain, nausea and spasms.
„Indications: cough, bronchitis, whooping cough, epilepsy, nausea with vomiting, intestinal spasms, shallow breathing during infectious diseases.
Cherry laurel water – Aqua Laurocerasi, 2 g 3 times a day, or smaller doses more often.
I can also recommend Maceratio Pruni, a macerate made from fresh cherry laurel or bird cherry leaves, or from fresh bark of the common bird cherry, Prunus Padus Linne (Cortex Pruni padi).”Wskazania: kaszel, zapalenie oskrzeli, koklusz, padaczka, nudności z wymiotami, skurcze jelit, spłycenie oddechu w przebiegu chorób zakaźnych.
Woda wawrzynowiśniowa – Aqua Laurocerasi 2 g 3 razy dziennie lub mniejsze dawki częściej.
Ze swojej strony mogę polecić macerat Maceratio Pruni ze świeżych liści laurowiśni lub czeremchy, albo ze świeżej kory czeremchy pospolitej Prunus Padus Linne (Cortex Pruni padi).
Henryk Różański
Macerate made from fresh cherry laurel leaves could be used after dilution, while the concentrated macerate was used to wash the skin.
„I can also recommend Maceratio Pruni, a macerate made from fresh cherry laurel or bird cherry leaves, or from fresh bark of the common bird cherry, Prunus Padus Linne (Cortex Pruni padi). Chop 1 part leaves or bark and pour over 4 parts warm water and 1 part pure alcohol.”Ze swojej strony mogę polecić macerat Maceratio Pruni ze świeżych liści laurowiśni lub czeremchy, albo ze świeżej kory czeremchy pospolitej Prunus Padus Linne (Cortex Pruni padi). 1 część liści lub kory rozdrobnić i zalać 4 częściami ciepłej wody i 1 częścią spirytusu czystego.
Henryk Różański
The leaves contain cyanogenic compounds, and fresh plant material contains an enzyme that breaks them down; cherry laurel water contains about 0.1% hydrogen cyanide.
„Active constituents: cyanogenic glycosides – nitrilosides (prunasin = prunasin (d-mandelonitrile glucoside) and prulaurasin = prulaurasin (dl-mandelonitrile glucoside) – about 1.4%, triterpenes (ursolic acid, about 1%), tannins, benzaldehyde, cyanohydrin (hydroxynitrile). Ash 5–7%. The enzyme emulsin, always present in fresh plant material, breaks down cyanogenic glycosides.”Składniki czynne: glikozydy cyjanogenne – nitrylozydy (prunazyna = prunasin (d-mandelonitrile glucoside) i prularazyna = prulaurasin (dl-mendelonitrile glucoside)– ok. 1,4%, trójterpeny (kwas ursolowy, ok. 1%), garbniki, aldehyd benzoesowy, cyjanohydryna (hydroksynitryl). Popiół 5-7%. Enzym emulsyna obecny zawsze w surowcu świeżym rozkłada glikozydy cyjanogenne.
Research from PubMed · Europe PMC
We selected 2 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.
Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 9.
In Turkish folk medicine, fresh leaves were applied externally for pain and feverish symptoms, and a study in mice found that leaf extract had anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.
Aim of the study: Effects of the extracts, fractions and isolated compounds from the leaves of L. officinalis were investigated using in vivo models of inflammation and pain in mice.
Results: Ethanolic extract of the leaves was shown to possess significant inhibitory activity in the assay methods without inducing any gastric damage. Through bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation procedures three phenolic compounds, 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-2-hydroxyphenyl-acetic acid (1), kaempferol-3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2) and (+)-catechin (3) were isolated from the active fraction and their structures were elucidated by spectral techniques (1D and 2D NMR, ESIMS). The experimental data verified that Laurocerasus officinalis leaves displayed remarkable anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity.
Money for the studyuniversity or foundation · The Scientific Research Project of Gazi University
Do the authors have ties to companies?not stated
Did a manufacturer help with the study?unknown
Type of studyanimal study
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
Cherry laurel leaves contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides, so they should not be confused with edible bay leaves.
Aim of the study: The misidentification between edible and poisonous plants is an increasing problem because of the new trend to collect wild plants, especially by amateur collectors who do not have the botanical skills to distinguish between edible and toxic species. Moreover, morphologically similar species are sometimes responsible for accidental contamination or used in the intentional adulteration of products for human and animal consumption.
Results: Conversely, cherry laurel leaves, morphologically similar to those of laurel, contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides. Considering this, the aim of this study was to carry out an in-depth evaluation of laurel and cherry laurel leaves by using light and scanning electron microscopy coupled with three step phytochemical analyses (qualitative and quantitative colorimetric assays and liquid chromatography). This allowed to highlight the distinguishing features of plant species investigated features such as the venation pattern, presence/absence of nectaries, calcium oxalate crystals, secretory idioblasts, and cyanogenic glycosides. Concluding, this multidisciplinary approach can be useful for the identification of plants but also fragments or pruning residues containing cyanogenic glycosides, in quality control tests, intoxications, and criminal cases.
Money for the studynot stated
Do the authors have ties to companies?no — the authors say so
Did a manufacturer help with the study?NO
Type of studyother
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
Perspectives and opinion materials
The content below presents the authors’ opinions, interpretations and hypotheses. It is not treated as equal to scientific studies and systematic reviews.
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„(Ralph Campbell, MD, is a retired pediatrician and an active cherry orchard farmer. At age 89, he still sets out his irrigation pipelines himself.”(Ralph Campbell, MD, is a retired pediatrician and an active cherry orchard farmer. At age 89, he still sets out his irrigation pipelines himself.
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„The article, published in the September 12, 2005 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (1) concluded, “These findings give plausibility to intravenous ascorbic acid in cancer treatment.” Orthomolecular medical researchers, including Nobel laureate Linus Pauling, have long recognized the great importance of vitamin C in fighting cancer. (2) Scientists associated with the Bio-Communications Research Institute (BRCI) in Wichita, Kansas have published 20 scientific articles on the subject. (3) BCRI researchers first reported in 1995 that vitamin C in sufficient amounts is selectively toxic to tumor cells.”The article, published in the September 12, 2005 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (1) concluded, These findings give plausibility to intravenous ascorbic acid in cancer treatment. Orthomolecular medical researchers, including Nobel laureate Linus Pauling, have long recognized the great importance of vitamin C in fighting cancer. (2) Scientists associated with the Bio-Communications Research Institute (BRCI) in Wichita, Kansas have published 20 scientific articles on the subject. (3) BCRI researchers first reported in 1995 that vitamin C in sufficient amounts is selectively toxic to tumor cells.
Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Opinion material
„JOM published pioneering research on candidiasis in 1978, mercury amalgam toxicity in 1982, and chronic fatigue syndrome in 1988. The Journal has published over 100 papers on nutritional medicine and cancer, and over 400 articles on schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses. JOM is peer-reviewed. The Journal was founded in 1967 as the Journal of Schizophrenia, and subsequently titled the Journal of Orthomolecular Psychiatry until 1986. Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling authored 9 papers in the Journal from 1970-1992.”JOM published pioneering research on candiasis in 1978, mercury amalgam toxicity in 1982, and chronic fatigue syndrome in 1988. The Journal has published over 100 papers on nutritional medicine and cancer, and over 400 articles on schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses. JOM is peer-reviewed. The Journal was founded in 1967 as the Journal of Schizophrenia, and subsequently titled the Journal of Orthomolecular Psychiatry until 1986. Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling authored 9 papers in the Journal from 1970-1992.
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