It is thought to have been one of the major sources of the medicinal plant leaves known in classic and medieval times as malabathrum (or malobathrum).

[9] It is often used in kumbilappam or chakka-ada, an authentic sweet from Kerala, infusing its characteristic flavor to the dumplings.

Malabar had been traditionally used to denote the west coast of Southern India that forms the present-day state of Kerala and adjoining areas.

The word mala or malaya means "mountain" in the Tamil and Malayalam languages, as also in Sanskrit.

The word "malabathrum" is thought to have been derived from the Sanskrit tamālapattram (तमालपत्त्रम्), literally meaning "dark-tree leaves".