Traditional Uses of Allspice

Pimenta dioica, commonly known as allspice, has been traditionally used for gastrointestinal issues. Various allspice preparations have also been used to relieve toothaches, rheumatic pains, and cramps. Traditional uses for allspice may further vary by culture.

In Ayurvedic medicine, allspice has traditionally been used to improve breath and relieve toothaches. While in Jamaican folk medicine, allspice is supposedly made into a tea, which Jamaicans use for colds, menstrual cramps, and stomach complaints. Cubans have used the tea as a depurative, stimulant, and tonic.

Haitian immigrants in Cuba have used allspice in medicinal herbal mixtures to tone the stomach and help with digestive problems. These mixtures were much like those used in traditional Cuban medicine. In the Dominican Republic, a tea made with allspice leaves is used to reduce vomiting.

In Europe, allspice may be used as a stomachic and purgative. The British Pharmacopoeia of 1898 purportedly recognized pimento oil and pimento water. Oil of pimento, however, was deleted from the British Pharmacopeia of 1914. The British Pharmacopeia Codex supposedly still retained pimento water.

The indigenous people of Mexico supposedly used allspice in traditional medicine in pre-Hispanic times, although the exact details are unclear.

In modern (western) herbal medicine, an allspice extract has purportedly been used in plasters for neuralgic or rheumatic pains. It has also been used as an aromatic stimulant and carminative for the gastrointestinal tract and as a tonic, purgative and flavoring agent.

References
1.Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. http://www.naturalstandard.com/

http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/