ABSTRACT
The family Lauraceae consists of 50 genera and 2000 species of trees and shrubs which are recognized in field collection by their aroma, the bark which is smooth and thick, the bay-like leaves, and their drupaceous fruits which are glossy and ovoid seated on a cupular vestigial perianth. This family is interesting because the alkaloids it produces are cytotoxic and neuroactive. This chapter discusses Lauraceae among which are Cinnamomum sintoc, Beilschmiedia pahangensis, Beilschmiedia tonkinensis Ridl., Cryptocarya griffithiana, Litsea cubeba, Litsea odorifera, and Litsea umbellata. Cinnamomum sintoc Bl. is a tall tree which grows to a height of 40m with a girth of 2.5m. The plant is quite common on the hill forests of Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The bark is gray–brown, smooth to shallow fissured. This plant is an esteemed remedy for chronic diarrhea and as and antispasmodic by the natives of the Malay coast of New Guinea where it is known as sintok.
