Identity & origin
BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Kew describes this taxon as a tree. This notice concerns Pimenta racemosa, family Myrtaceae. The pharmacopoeial material is: leaves — cutaneous-use notation.
Botanical and documentary notice: the inventory alone is insufficient to propose a therapeutic use.
Also known as: Pimenta racemosa Bois d’Inde Quatre-épices, Pimenta racemosa
Pimenta racemosa is the species covered. The cutaneous-use notation for its leaves does not permit ingesting essential oil or equating it with bay laurel.A photograph alone does not guarantee identification for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
Uses & evidence
UNDERSTANDING THE USES
Properties & uses.
Pharmacopoeial record
Traditional-use listing is documented for this material. The inventory does not establish a clinically validated indication here.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
Precautions before use
BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
The following warnings do not constitute a complete review of interactions or contraindications. An unstudied combination cannot be considered compatible.
Contraindications & precautions
- The references in this notice do not establish a complete contraindication list. This limitation does not mean absence of risk.
Medicine interactions
- Medicine compatibility is not assessed in this notice; a pharmacist should check it before any use.
“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.
Adverse effects
- The inventory alone does not establish adverse-effect type or frequency.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
The retained data do not support recommending medicinal use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Children & adolescents
No paediatric use is proposed; pharmacopoeial listing does not establish a child-appropriate dose.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
Sources & last review
CHECKING REFERENCES
Sources for this profile.
- ANSM — French Pharmacopoeia, List A, January 2026, p. 28Accessed on 09/10/2026
- GBIF — taxonomy of Pimenta racemosaAccessed on 09/10/2026
- Kew POWO — Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J.W.MooreAccessed on 09/10/2026
Image: Guillaume Delaitre · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.