Use

The berries have been used in pickling and in condiments, and are especially used with meats. A form of allspice cured meat was known in the Caribbean as boucan, and European sailors who relied on this staple were called buccaneers. Caribbean cooking utilizes allspice in many dishes; it is of limited popularity elsewhere.

Allspice is used in toiletries and liqueurs, and it used to be added to flannel to make a plaster for treating neuralgia or rheumatism. The eugenol content (which is more characteristic of cloves) can provide a mild analgesic effect.

Medicinal Use

“Both pimento and the oil possess aromatic, carminative, and stimulant properties. The action of pimento is similar to that of cloves, and it may therefore be employed for the same purposes; thus to relieve flatulence, check vomiting, and as an adjunct to other medicines to cover their nauseous taste, and to prevent griping, etc.”