Headache tree is a pain in the brain - Scientists have deciphered how an ingredient in the bay laurel tree (Umbellularia californica) triggers headaches in some people.

Bay laurel swells cranial blood vessels By Rachel Ehrenberg
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

Scientists have deciphered how an ingredient in the bay laurel tree (Umbellularia californica) triggers headaches in some people.

One whiff of a plant known as the headache tree can spur intense, excruciating pain — and now scientists know why. An ingredient in the tree sets off a chain of events that eventually amps up blood flow to the brain’s outer membrane.

Other headache triggers, such as chlorine, cigarette smoke and formaldehyde, interact with some of the same cellular machinery, suggesting they all work via the same pain-inducing mechanism.

In the new study, an international group of researchers extracted the plant compound umbellulone from dried bay laurel leaves and then exposed various mouse and rat cells to the compound. Umbellulone tickles the same cellular detector that responds to painfully cold stimuli and the sinus-clearing scent of wasabi and mustard oil, the researchers report online October 27 in Brain.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/335845/title/Headache_tree_is_a_pain_in_the_brain

Blimey, I hope I never come into close contact with the headache tree! I'd never heard of that. Very interesting.

I found this interesting too.... but what stood out to me is that formaldehyde works in the same way......

'Other headache triggers, such as chlorine, cigarette smoke and formaldehyde, interact with some of the same cellular machinery, suggesting they all work via the same pain-inducing mechanism'

This is a great article on it:

http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/formaldehyde.htm

Bearing in mind the problems I am having with chemical...... I wonder if it goes beyond ones coming out of a bottle........... this would also explain why I had problem when we bought a new sofa, new bed and when the kitchen went in............ so want a little wooden house in the woods so I can hid lol

Not to mention the chlorine in water!! Definitely time to live in a bubble!