It is mainly used as condiment for its flavoring abilities, though Hippocrates used it as a painkiller for the pains of childbirth and said that the essential oil cure infertility.

Traditionally in Crete used laurel oil for rubbing in scalp hair loss.

Laurel acts as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, digestive, cholagogue and diaphoretic and helps in colic problems, dyspepsia, flatulence, anorexia, catarrh, cough and colds.