Essential oil of bay leaf is comparable analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects to morphine and piroxicam, respectively. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of the leaf essential oil of Laurus nobilis Linn.
Phytother Res. 2003 Aug;17(7):733-6. PMID: 12916069
Department of Physiology&Pharmacology, Institute Pasteur of Iran, Pasteur avenue, Tehran, Iran.
The leaf essential oil of Laurus nobilis Linn. (Lauraceae) has been evaluated for antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in mice and rats. The essential oil exhibited: (1) a significant analgesic effect in tail-flick and formalin tests; (2) a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect in the formalin-induced edema and (3) a moderate sedative effect at the anti-inflammatory doses. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of the essential oil was comparable to reference analgesics and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs: morphine and piroxicam. Present results make the essential oil worthy of further investigations.