Bay leaves (Laurus nobilis) have been shown to improve insulin function in vitro but the effects on people have not been determined. The objective of this study was to determine if bay leaves may be important in the prevention and/or alleviation of type 2 diabetes. Forty people with type 2 diabetes were divided into 4 groups and given capsules containing 1, 2 or 3 g of ground bay leaves per day...

The accurate identification of bay leaf in natural products commerce may often be confusing as the name is applied to several different species of aromatic plants. The true "bay leaf", also known as "bay laurel" or "sweet bay", is sourced from the tree Laurus nobilis, a native of the Mediterranean region. Nevertheless, the leaves of several other species including Cinnamomum tamala, Litsea glau...

The transmission ecology of Phytophthora ramorum from bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) leaves was compared between mixed-evergreen and redwood forest types throughout winter and summer disease cycles in central, coastal California. In a preliminary multisite study, we found that abscission rates of infected leaves were higher at mixed-evergreen sites. In addition, final infection counts we...

ABSTRACT Sources of inoculum were investigated for dominant hosts of Phytophthora ramorum in a redwood forest. Infected trunks, twigs, and/or leaves of bay laurel (Umbellularia californica), tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), and redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) were tested in the laboratory for sporangia production. Sporangia occurred on all plant tissues with the highest percentage on bay laurel...

Phytophthora ramorum (Oomycota) (Werres et al., 2001) is the plant pathogen responsible for the lethal disease of several oak species in California known as sudden oak death. The pathogen also causes a foliar disease on Umbellularia californica (bay laurel or simply bay). Bay leaves have been identifi ed as the major source of natural inoculum in California coastal woodlands. Because of the epi...

Introduced plant pathogens have major ecological impacts in many parts of the world. While the spread of pathogens can be strongly mediated by the composition and structure of local host plant communities, little is known about effects of plant community structure on invasion dynamics of introduced pathogens. The progress of infection by the invasive pathogen Phytophthora ramorum in coastal Cal...

Insulin resistance is caused by the inability of target tissues to respond to insulin. Bay leaf (Eugenia polyantha Wight) extract has been used for the treatment of insulin-resistant type-2 diabetes mellitus (IRDM), but it has low solubility and bioavailability. To overcome these problems, chloroform extract of bay leaves was formulated into a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS)...

Foliar infections in California bay (Umbellularia californica) are the most important known source of inoculum contributing to Phytophthora ramorum canker in coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia). This research addressed the question whether there is a “safe” distance between California bay and coast live oak beyond which the risk of disease is acceptably low. We quantitatively evaluated bay cover...

ABSTRACT During 2001 to 2003, the transmission biology of Phytophthora ramorum, the causal agent of sudden oak death, was studied in mixedevergreen forest, a common forest type in northern, coastal California. Investigation of the sources of spore production focused on coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) and bay laurel (Umbellularia californica), dominant hosts that comprised 39.7 and 46.2% of t...