Evidence supporting the use of: Sweet Bay
For the health condition: Headache (tension)

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis), also known as bay laurel, has a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine. In historical European and Mediterranean folk medicine, the leaves of Sweet Bay were commonly used in remedies to alleviate headaches, particularly tension-type headaches. The traditional approach often involved applying crushed bay leaves to the forehead or temples, or infusing the leaves in hot water to make a tea. The rationale was partly based on the aromatic, soothing properties of the essential oils found in bay leaves, such as eugenol and cineole, which were believed to have mild analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

However, despite this widespread traditional use, scientific studies evaluating the efficacy of Sweet Bay specifically for tension headaches are scarce. There are no well-designed clinical trials confirming its benefit for this condition. Some laboratory research has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and mild analgesic properties in bay leaf extracts, but these findings have not been directly linked to headache relief in human subjects. Therefore, while Sweet Bay’s use for headaches is well-anchored in folk medicine, scientific validation is currently lacking, and its effectiveness for treating tension headaches remains unproven beyond traditional accounts.

More about Sweet Bay
More about Headache (tension)

Other ingredients used for Headache (tension)

ashwagandha
waterhyssop
black cumin
Indian frankincense
chamomile
cucumber
turmeric
turmeric
feverfew
ginger
greek mountain tea
kudzu
lavender
lemon
licorice root
magnesium
moringa
passionflower
passionflower
Peppermint
riboflavin (vitamin B2)
sage
schizonepeta
triphala
chickweed
Indian bael
alpinia galangal
ferula assafoetida
commiphora
blackboard tree
peony
Szechuan lovage
morus
chrysanthemum
wintergreen
menthol oil
aster root
cayenne pepper
Avens
Agastache
Angelica
Asarum heterotropoides
Albizia
Aconite
Aerva lanata
Anemone
Amor seco
Atractylone
Black Seed
Blackthorn
Broussonetia
Balsam
Bayleaf
Butea monosperma
Bael
Baccharoides anthelmintica
Black willow
black salt
Bombax
Borassus Palm
Borassus aethiopum
Black Hellebore
Borneol
Camellia sinensis
Chinese Silkvine
Clerodendrum trichotomum
Cinquefoil
Citron
Cajuput
Coca
Campylandra fimbriata
Centipeda
Corydalis
Carthamus
cola nut
Clerodendrum indicum
DIVI-DIVI
Dragonhead
Dichrostachys glomerata
Erodium cicutarium
Evodia
Elephant's Head
Fernbush
Gnaphalium
Gardenia jasminoides
Galangal
Henna
Herb Robert
Hempnettle
Horsemint
Indian Coraltree
Indian Fagonia
Ledebouriella
Lesser speargrass
Litsea
Linden
Ligustilides
Lotus
Labrador Tea
Large-Leaved Linden
Loranthus
Linalool
Mentha haplocalyx
Mustard
Mallow
Malva sylvestris
Mountain mahogany
Matapalo Tree
Morning Glory
Meadowsweet
Macaranga indica
Nardostachys
Nymphaea nouchali
Osha
Onosma bracteatum
Osmanthus
Premna
Piper chaba
Pulsatilla
Pluchea
Pimpinella
Paeoniflorin
Poppy
Plectranthus amboinicus
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)
Rue
Rubiaceae
Sophora
Spanish Needle
Self-Heal
Salvia
Sensitive Plant
Sagebrush
Sandalwood
Semecarpus anacardium
Stereospermum
Sweet Bay
Storax
Sedanenolide
Tamarind
Vervain
Water Pepper
Willow
Winter Begonia
Winter Savory
Yerba buena
Zingerone

Products containing Sweet Bay

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.