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Lavender

Lavender is a plant whose flowers and oil are used to make perfume and medicine. Lavender is used for restlessness, insomnia, nervousness and depression. It is also used for a range of digestive complaints such as meteorism (a bloated stomach due to an excessive accumulation of gas in the colon or stomach), loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, flatulence and stomach discomfort. Some people use lavender for pain conditions such as migraine headaches, toothaches, nerve pain, ulcers, and joint pain. Lavender is also used for acne and cancer, as well as to promote menstruation. Lavender is applied to the skin for circular hair loss (alopecia areata), pain and to ward off mosquitoes and other insects. Some people add lavender to bath water to treat circulatory disorders and improve mental well-being.

As an inhalant, lavender is used as part of aromatherapy for insomnia, pain and agitation associated with dementia. Lavender is used as a flavoring agent in food and beverages. In the industrial sector, lavender is used as an ingredient in pharmaceutical products and as a fragrance for soap, cosmetics, perfume and potpourri. Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) is often contaminated with related species such as Lavandula Hybrida, a hybrid of Lavandula Angustifolia and Lavandula Latifolia.

How effective is lavender?

Lavender may be effective for treating what is known as circular hair loss (alopecia areata) when used in combination with thyme oil, rosemary oil and cedarwood oil. There is evidence that this combination can improve hair growth by up to 44% after 7 months of treatment. There is insufficient scientific data on the effectiveness of lavender in the following areas of application:

  • Insomnia: Recent scientific research suggests that using lavender oil in a diffuser or on a compress next to the bed may help with mild insomnia.
  • Agitation in dementia patients: There are conflicting study results here. In one study, the use of lavender oil in a nebulizer next to the bed reduced agitation in patients with various forms of dementia after 3 weeks. In another study, a compress soaked in lavender oil attached to clothing had no effect on patients suffering from advanced dementia.
  • General psychological well-being: Some research suggests that adding 3 ml of a blend of 20% lavender oil and 80% grapeseed oil to daily bath water resulted in a slight improvement in mood compared to baths containing only grapeseed oil.
  • Migraine: Some research suggests that rubbing 2 or 3 drops of lavender oil on the upper lip may reduce migraine headaches and nausea by inhaling the evaporating oil, as well as prevent the headache from spreading.

There is not enough scientific data on the effectiveness of lavender for colic, headaches, loss of appetite, toothache, acne, nausea, vomiting, cancer and other ailments, as well as its use to repel mosquitoes and other insects, to make a conclusive statement. Further scientific research is required.

How does lavender work?

Lavender contains an oil that appears to have calming effects and could relax certain muscles.

Are there any safety concerns?

Lavender is probably safe in the quantities in which it is found in food and possibly safe in medicinal quantities. When taken orally, lavender can cause constipation, headaches and an increased appetite. Applying lavender to the skin may cause skin irritation in some cases.

Precautions and warnings

Children: Applying products containing lavender oil to the skin does not appear to be safe or safe for boys who have not yet reached puberty. Lavender oil appears to have hormone-like effects that may interfere with normal hormonal processes in the body. In some cases, this has led to abnormal growth of the mammary glands in boys, also known as gynecomastia. The safety of these products for use by young girls is not known.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Not enough is known about the safety of using lavender during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid lavender to be on the safe side.

Surgeries: Lavender could slow down the functioning of the central nervous system. In combination with anesthetics and other medications administered during surgery, lavender could slow down the function of the central nervous system too much. For this reason, the use of lavender should be discontinued at least 2 weeks before upcoming operations.

Interactions with medications

Care should be taken when combining lavender with the following medications:

Chloral hydrate

Chloral hydrate causes drowsiness and dizziness. Lavender appears to increase the effects of chloral hydrate. Taking lavender in combination with chloral hydrate may increase drowsiness too much Sedatives (barbiturates and CNS suppressants) Lavender may cause drowsiness and dizziness. Drugs that cause drowsiness are called sedatives. Taking lavender in conjunction with sedatives could increase drowsiness too much.

Are there any interactions with medicinal herbs or supplements?

There are no known interactions with medicinal herbs or supplements.

Are there any interactions with food?

There are no known interactions with food.

Dosage

The following dosages have been scientifically investigated:

  • For the treatment of circular hair loss: One study used a combination of essential oils including 3 drops of lavender oil, 3 drops of rosemary oil, 2 drops of thyme oil and 2 drops of cedarwood oil mixed with 3 ml of jojoba oil and 20 ml of grapeseed oil. This mixture was massaged into the scalp for 2 minutes every evening, after which a warm towel was wrapped around the head to increase absorption.

References

  1. Sasannejad P, Saeedi M, Shoeibi A, et al. Lavender essential oil in the treatment of migraine headache: a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eur Neurol 2012;67:288-91.
  2. Hirokawa K, Nishimoto T, Taniguchi T. Effects of lavender aroma on sleep quality in healthy Japanese students. Perceptual and Motor Skills 2012;114:111-22.
  3. Lewith GT, Godfrey AD, Prescott P. A single-blinded, randomized pilot study evaluating the aroma of Lavandula augustifolia as a treatment for mild insomnia. J Altern Complement Med 2005;11:631-7.
  4. Lin PW, Chan W, Ng BF, Lam LC. Efficacy of aromatherapy (Lavandula angustifolia) as an intervention for agitated behaviours in Chinese older persons with dementia: a cross-over randomized trial. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2007;22:405-10.
  5. Morris N. The effects of lavender (Lavendula angustifolium) baths on psychological well-being: two exploratory randomized control trials. Complement Ther Med 2002;10:223-8.
  6. Henley DV, Lipson N, Korach KS, Bloch CA. Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils. N Eng J Med 2007;356:479-85.
  7. Hajhashemi V, Ghannadi A, Sharif B. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the leaf extracts and essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. J Ethnopharmacol 2003;89:67-71.
  8. Lynn A, Hovanec L, Brandt J. A Controlled Trial of Aromatherapy for Agitation in Nursing Home Patients with Dementia. J Alt Comp Med 2004;431-7.
  9. Akhondzadeh S, Kashani L, Fotouhi A, et al. Comparison of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. tincture and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized trial. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2003;27:123-7
  10. Buckle J. Use of aromatherapy as a complementary treatment for chronic pain. Altern Ther Health Med 1999;5:42-51.
  11. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. 1st ed. Springhouse, PA: Springhouse Corp, 1999.
  12. Hay IC, Jamieson M, Ormerod AD. Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata. Arch Dermatol 1998;134:1349-52.
  13. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Title 21, Part 182 -- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe. Available at: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid= 786bafc6f6343634fbf79fcdca7061e1&rgn=div5&view= text&node=21:3.0.1.1.13&idno=21