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The homeland of the noble laurel (lat. Laurus nobilis) is the Southern Mediterranean. The plant is cultivated in Europe and the USA, as well as in the south of Russia. Laurel leaves are rich in essential oils, so they are most often used in cooking as spices. In folk medicine, the plant has been used since antiquity as a carminative, antimicrobial and antidiarrheal agent. Laurel tincture on vodka (alcohol) fights the symptoms of colds and flu, and also helps with cancer.
Useful properties of laurel
Laurel forests once covered large areas of Rome and Greece, so the plant was widely used in ancient medicine. The Roman philosopher and naturalist Pliny the Elder named a number of ailments that laurel oil was used to treat, including paralysis, spasms, headaches, ear infections, and rheumatism. In Crete, women used a tincture of bay leaves to strengthen their hair, and also lubricated with bruises and bruises.
The leaves contain 1,3% essential oils, which include a whole range of useful ingredients:
- eucalyptol – has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect;
- terpenes – act as antiseptic, expectorant and antispasmodic agents;
- methyleugenol – protects cells from the penetration of free radicals;
- linalool – relieves spasms, improves sleep;
- tannins – remove excess salts from the joints, improve mobility.
In addition to the listed components, the composition of the leaves includes more than 50 organic compounds, most of which are organic acids and phenols. In 2017, a group of scientists at the University of Salerno studied the beneficial properties of the plant’s essential oil. The researchers tested the substance on bacterial strains and fungi and determined its high antimicrobial activity.
An extract from laurel leaves actively suppressed the viability of neuroblastoma cells, a malignant tumor of the nervous system. The experiment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of plant components in the fight against neuralgia, parkinsonism and cancer. Scientists have concluded that laurel can be used as an adjuvant in the treatment of these diseases.
How to make bay leaf tincture at home
In the treatment of various diseases, decoctions, ointments and essential oils based on the plant are used. Tincture of bay leaves on vodka or diluted alcohol helps to eliminate heaviness and aching in the joints, fights inflammation.
In the preparation of photo products, fresh raw materials should be used, since when dried, laurel loses more than half of its useful components.
Small trees and shrubs are grown in the southwest of the Krasnodar Territory, in the Crimea and in the Transcaucasus. Laurel can be planted at home or in a personal plot, if the climate allows, but the leaves can be collected only after 3-4 years, when the crown is at least half a meter in size.
Cut off the side shoots at the top of the bush, so as not to harm the plant. For 0,5 liters of vodka, you will need 18-20 medium-sized fresh leaves.
Recipe for tincture of bay leaves
- Wash and dry the glass jar thoroughly.
- Lay whole leaves on the bottom of the container.
- Pour in vodka.
- Put the jar for a week in a cool and sun-protected place.
- Shake every day.
- Strain and pour the tincture into another bowl.
Homemade bay tincture is used for lotions or compresses, rubbing. Moisten a soft cloth with the product, apply to the sore spot, insulate and soak for at least an hour. The duration of the course of treatment is at least a month.
At the same time, the herbal remedy can be taken orally. To do this, 2 tablespoons of tincture must be dissolved in half a glass of water and drunk twice a day between meals.
Bay leaf tincture contraindications
Before treatment, it is necessary to test the agent for possible allergic reactions on the inner bend of the elbow – after a day there should be no redness or rashes on the skin.
It is strictly forbidden to take tincture during pregnancy, as the components in the composition of the leaves can cause bleeding.
With caution, it is necessary to treat phytotherapy with laurel for diseases of the cardiovascular system, since the essential oil has a cardiostimulating effect.
Attention! Self-medication can be dangerous, consult your doctor.