ABSTRACT
Laurus nobilis (Laurel, Lauraceae), commonly found on the coast of Aegean, Mediterranean, and Black Sea in Turkey, is a valuable plant in terms of ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological properties. The most important part that makes this plant valuable is the oils which are known as “Laurel oil” or “Bay oil” in English, “Daphne” in Greek, and “Defne” in Turkey. The fixed oil is used for healing rheumatism, against parasites and losing hairs, dandruff remover, and antiseptic in traditional Turkish medicine. The essential oil is used as rubefacient in rheumatism.
L. nobilis is a very important plant in terms of medicine and industry both in Turkey and in the world. In this chapter, an overview of L. nobilis is given due to its traditional and medicinal importance. The plant has been reported to contain mainly terpenes which possess antioxidant, antibacterial, anticholinergic, anticonvulsant, anti-ulcerogenic, antimutagenic, antiviral, neuroprotective, and wound healing effects. Here, the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and uses of L. nobilis are presented in detail.
