Lavender
Scientific Name(s): Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (syn. L. officinalis Chaix. and L. spica L.), L. stoechas , L. dentata , L. latifolia and L. pubescens Decne. Family: Lamiaceae (mints)
Common Name(s): Aspic , lavandin (usually refers to particular hybrids), lavender , spike lavender , true lavender
Clinical Overview
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 User Reviews & Ratings
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Uses of Lavender
Therapeutic : Antispasmotic, carminative, antidiabetic agent, for restlessness, and insect repellant. Nutritional : Food flavoring agent.
Lavender Dosing
Lavender oil has been used for aromatherapy of dementia as a 2% solution. Sixty drops daily as a 1:5 tincture in 50% ethanol has been administered for depression. Stimulant and carminative doses have traditionally been 0.1 mL of oil.
Contraindications
Contraindications have not yet been identified.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Lavender Interactions
May increase or potentiate the CNS depressant effects of sedative-hypnotics.
Lavender Adverse Reactions
Allergic contact dermatitis.
Toxicology
Research reveals little or no information regarding toxicology with the use of this product.
Botany
Lavender plants are aromatic evergreen sub-shrubs that grow to about 3 feet high. The plants are native to the Mediterranean region. Fresh flowering tops are collected, and the essential oil is distilled or extracts are obtained by solvent extraction. 1 The plant has small blue or purple flowers. The narrow leaves are fuzzy and gray when young and turn green as they mature. 2 Lavender is cultivated extensively for use as a perfume, potpourri and as an ornamental.
History
Lavender has long found a role in folk medicine. The plant has been used as an antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic and general tonic. Extracts have been used to treat conditions ranging from acne to migraines. 1 Although the plant has been known to increase bile flow output and flow into the intestine, its greatest value is not in the treatment of biliary conditions. 2 Lavender has been used quite extensively as an antidiabetic agent in parts of Spain and is included in some commercial herbal antidiabetic preparations. 3 Fresh leaves and flowers are applied to the forehead to relieve headaches and to joints to treat rheumatic pain. The vapors of steamed flowers are used as a cold remedy. 4 Chileans drink the tea to induce or increase menstrual flow. 5
Lavender is usually administered in the form of an infusion, decoction or oil and is either taken internally or applied topically for relief of neuralgia. Today, lavender oil and extracts are used as pharmaceutical fragrances and in cosmetics. Spike lavender oil is often used in soaps because it is inexpensive but of lower quality than true lavender oil. Lavandin oil, lavender absolute (an extract) and spike lavender oil are used in concentrations of up to 1.2% in perfumes. 1 Small amounts (0.002% to 0.004%) of the oil are used to flavor food.
Lavender's versatility is seen in its various applications as a fragrance in perfumes, bath and shower products, hair care products, toiletry soaps, detergents, typical formulations, synthetic derivatives and production figures. 6
Chemistry
Lavender flowers contain between 1% to 3% essential oil. 7 Lavandin hybrids contain a higher volatile oil content, but its composition is extremely variable. The oil is a complex mixture of more than 150 compounds, the most abundant of which are linaloyl acetate (30% to 55%), linalool (20% to 35%), cineole, camphor, beta-ocimene, limonene, caproic acid, caryophyllene oxide and tannins (5% to 10%). 1 , 7 However, the relative amounts of these compounds can vary widely between species. 8 , 9 Perillyl alcohol, a distillate of L. angustifolia has been shown to exert anticancer effects. 10 Several articles on lavender are available, discussing analysis methods, 11 , 12 , 13 enantiomeric purity and distinctiveness, 14 , 15 , 16 variety deviation, 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 essential oil quality, 21 , 22 GC retention indices, 23 and lavender content in perfumes. 24
Lavender Uses and Pharmacology
AromatherapyAnimal data
Spike lavender oil has a spasmolytic effect on animal smooth muscle. These effects are consistent with the pharmacologic activities of many other common volatile oils. In mice, lavender oil exhibits CNS depressant activity, characterized by anticonvulsant activity and a potentiation of chloral hydrate-induced sleep. Another report on aromatherapy finds “exposure time-dependent” decreases in motility in mice after inhalation of lavender fragrance. This helps to confirm folk remedies such as herbal pillow use to facilitate rest or minimize stress in people. 25
Clinical dataOne report investigated the effects of lavender oil aromatherapy for insomnia and concluded that it is comparable to hypnotics or tranquilizers. 26 Lavender aromatherapy has also been utilized to increase mental capacity and diminish fatigue, 27 and to improve mood and perceived levels of anxiety. 28 Oils of different lavender species yield different results. 29 The German Commission E Monograph lists among lavender's uses, to be helpful for restlessness and difficulties in sleeping. 7 Lavender EEG studies, which have shown various alpha wave responses to different odors, can be used for psychophysiological response evaluation. 30 A study of percutaneous absorption of lavender oil in massage found that within 5 minutes after application, main constituents of the oil were detected in the blood. After this rapid absorption, most of the lavender oil was excreted within 90 minutes. 31
Hypoglycemic effectsAnimal data
The infusion and suspension of L. stoechas cause hypoglycemia in normoglycemic rats, reaching maximum activity 30 minutes after administration. 3 Further studies with L. dentata and L. latifolia have found the active hypoglycemic components to be partially water soluble. Furthermore, the extracts were not active in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes, indicating the need for intact pancreatic cells for a pharmacologic effect to occur. The active components have not been chemically classified. 32
Clinical dataResearch reveals no clinical data regarding the use of lavender for hypoglycemic effects.
GI disordersThere is little direct evidence to support the use of lavender oil as a choleretic or for the treatment of GI disorders.
Animal dataResearch reveals no animal data regarding the use of lavender for GI disorders.
Clinical dataA Bulgarian report discusses choleretic and cholagogic action of Bulgarian lavender oil. 33 Many volatile oils also may share these common actions. One of lavender's uses listed in the German Commission E Monograph includes helping in functional disorders of the upper abdomen with irritable stomach and intestinal disorders of nervous origin. Its effects are both calming and antiflatulent. 7
Cancer chemopreventionHerbal research finds perillyl alcohol, a compound distilled from lavender but also found in cherries, mint, and celery seeds, possess anticancer activities. 10 This monoterpene is being tested in clinical trials to study its role in cancer chemoprevention and therapy. 34 , 35
A variety of mechanisms are proposed to explain perillyl alcohol's chemopreventative and chemotherapeutic effects. One such mechanism is that it promotes apoptosis, a self-destructing ability the cell has when its DNA is severely damaged. In cancer, these cells lack this self-destructing ability, resulting in abnormal cell growth. 10 In 1 report, liver tumor formation was not promoted by perillyl alcohol, but its growth was inhibited by this apoptosis mechanism by enhancing tumor cell loss. 36 In another report, the rate of apoptosis was more than 6-fold higher with perillyl alcaohol treated pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells than in untreated cells. 37
Another proposed mechanism of monoterpenes is inhibition of post-translational isoprenylation of cell growth-regulatory proteins (such as Ras). 38 Perillyl alcohol has inhibited in vivo prenylation of specific proteins in one report 39 and has altered Ras protein synthesis and degradation in another. Interfering with these pathways can regulate malignant cell proliferation. 40
Animal dataMonoterpene-treated rat mammary tumors have been remodeled and redifferentiated to more benign phenotypes. 38 Perillyl alcohol treatment resulted in 70% to 99% inhibition of “aberrant hyperproliferation,” a late occurring event preceding mammory tumorigenesis in vivo. 41
Other cancers where perillyl alcohol has been effective include: murine melanoma growth suppression in vitro and in vivo; 42 pancreatic carcinoma in hamsters; 43 , 44 colon carcinogenesis in rats; 45 mammary cancer in rats; 38 , 46 liver tumors in rats; 34 and lung cancer in rats. 10
Clinical dataWith such promising results from animal studies, human clinical trials are under way to treat patients with breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers. Results are not yet available. 10
Postnatal perineal discomfortAnimal data
Research reveals no animal data regarding the use of lavender for postnatal perineal discomfort.
Clinical dataA report evaluated the role of lavender oil as a bath additive to relieve perineal discomfort after childbirth. When compared with placebo and synthetic oil, analysis of daily discomfort scores show less discomfort between days 3 to 5 with true lavender oil use. 47
Other usesBesides anticancer effects, perillyl alcohol has been used orally in rabbits to reduce vein graft intimal hyperplasia. 48 It was also found to suppress hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity, a rate limiting step in cholesterol synthesis, lowering serum cholesterol. 49
Extracts of lavender are used in Europe as insect repellents. This effect appears to be related to compounds in the volatile oil. 50
Dosage
Lavender oil has been used for aromatherapy of dementia as a 2% solution. Sixty drops daily as a 1:5 tincture in 50% ethanol has been administered for depression. Stimulant and carminative doses have traditionally been 0.1 mL of oil. 51 , 52
Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
One report in mice observes an interaction between a 1/60 dilution of lavender oil, and pentobarbital, where sleeping time is increased. 53
Adverse Reactions
Lavender and lavandin oil have been reported to be nonirritating and nonsensitizing to human skin. 1 However, 3 reports discuss allergic contact dermatitis from lavender oil and fragrance. 54 , 55 , 56 These examples are few, probably because the oil is used in small quantities in foods and cosmetics and has not been associated with major toxicity during normal use. The German Commission E Monograph lists no known side effects or contraindications. 7
Toxicology
Lavender oil exhibited a low order of toxicity when administered subcutaneously to animals. Although lavender absolute has been reported to be a skin sensitizer, no human phototoxicity has been reported.
Bibliography
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52. Holmes C, Hopkins V, Hensford C, MacLaughlin V, Wilkinson D, Rosenvinge H. Lavender oil as a treatment for agitated behaviour in severe dementia: a placebo controlled study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry . 2002;17:305-308.
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