Many people appreciate lavender Lavandula angustifolia

Lavender

Overview:

Plant Description:

The oil in lavender's small, blue-violet flowers gives the herb its fragrant scent. The flowers are arranged in spirals of 6 - 10 blossoms, forming interrupted spikes above the foliage.

Parts Used:

Medicinal Uses and Indications:

In folklore, pillows were filled with lavender flowers to help the restless fall sleep. There is now scientific evidence to suggest that aromatherapy with lavender may slow the activity of the nervous system, improves sleep quality, promote relaxation, and lift mood in people suffering from sleep disorders. Studies also suggest that massage with essential oils, particularly lavender, may result in improved sleep quality, more stable mood, increased mental capacity, and reduced anxiety. In one recent study, participants who received massage with lavender felt less anxious and more positive than participants who received massage alone. Lavender flowers have also been approved in Germany as a tea for insomnia, restlessness, and nervous stomach irritations.

In one study of 86 people with alopecia areata (a disease of unknown cause characterized by significant hair loss, generally in patches), those who massaged their scalps with lavender and other essential oils daily for 7 months experienced significant hair re-growth compared to those who massaged their scalps without the essential oils. It is not entirely clear from this study whether lavender (or a combination of lavender and other essential oils) was responsible for the beneficial effects.

Aromatherapists also use lavender as a tonic in inhalation therapy to treat headaches, nervous disorders, and exhaustion. Herbalists treat skin ailments, such as fungal infections (like candidiasis), wounds, eczema, and acne, with lavender oil. It is also used externally in a healing bath for circulatory disorders and as a rub for rheumatic ailments (conditions affecting the muscles and joints). One study evaluating essential oils, including lavender, for treating children with eczema concluded that the oils added no benefit to therapeutic touch from the mother; in other words massage with and without essential oils was equally effective in improving the dry, scaly skin lesion. A recent study found that the use of lavender oil may improve postoperative pain control. Fifty patients undergoing breast biopsy surgery received either oxygen supplemented with lavender oil or oxygen alone. Patients in the lavender group reported a higher satisfaction rate with pain control than patients in the control group.

Available Forms:

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  Aromatherapy oil
  
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  Bath gels
  
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  Extracts
  
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  Infusions
  
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  Lotions
  
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  Soaps
  
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  Teas
  
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  Tinctures
  
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  Whole, dried flowers
  

How to Take It:

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  Oral use in children is not recommended.
  
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  May be used topically in diluted concentrations to treat skin infections and injuries, such as minor cuts and scrapes. DO NOT USE ON OPEN WOUNDS -- seek medical attention. A small study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007, however, concluded that lavender and tea oils in some shampoos, soaps, and lotions may cause gynecomastia, breast development in a male, in boys.
  
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  May be used as aromatherapy for children. Use 2 - 4 drops in 2 - 3 cups of boiling water. Inhale vapors for headache, depression, or insomnia.
  

The following are recommended adult doses for lavender:

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  Internal use: Tea: 1 - 2 tsp whole herb per cup of hot water. Steep for 10 - 15 minutes and drink, 1-3 times a day.
  
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  Tincture (1:4): 20 - 40 drops, 3 times a day
  
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  Inhalation: 2 - 4 drops in 2 - 3 cups of boiling water. Inhale vapors for headache, depression, or insomnia.
  
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  Topical external application: lavender oil is one of the few oils that can be safely applied undiluted. For ease of application, add 1 - 4 drops per tablespoon of base oil (such as almond or olive oil). DO NOT USE LAVENDER OIL INTERNALLY. Also, avoid contact with the eyes or mucous membranes such as the lips and nostril.
  

Precautions:

Although side effects are rare, some individuals may develop an allergic reaction to lavender. Nausea, vomiting, headache, and chills have also been reported in some individuals following inhalation or absorption of lavender through the skin.

Pregnant and breast-feeding women should avoid using lavender.

Possible Interactions:

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  CNS Depressants -- There are no known scientific reports of interactions between lavender and conventional medications. However, due to the relaxing qualities of lavender, this herb could potentially enhance the effects of central nervous system depressants, including narcotics (such as morphine or oxycodone) for pain and sedative and anti-anxiety agents (such as lorazepam, diazepam, and alprazolam). Talk to your health care provider before using lavender with these and other sedating medications.
  

Alternative Names:

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  Reviewed last on: 1/17/2007
  
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  Ernest B. Hawkins, MS, BSPharm, RPh, Health Education Resources; and Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD, private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
  

Supporting Research

Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000:226-229.

Cauffield JS, Forbes HJ. Dietary supplements used in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Lippincotts Prim Care Pract. 1999; 3(3):290-304.

Diego MA, Jones NA, Field T, et al. Aromatherapy positively affects mood, EEG patterns of alertness and math computations. Int J Neurosci. 1998;96(3-4):217-224.

Ernst E. The Desktop Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine: An Evidence-Based Approach. Mosby, Edinburgh; 2001:130-132.

Ghelardini C, Galeotti N, Salvatore G, Mazzanti G. Local anaesthetic activity of the essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia. Planta Med. 1999;65(8):700-703.

Graham PH, Browne L, Cox H, Graham J. Inhalation aromatherapy during radiotherapy: results of a placebo-controlled double-blind randomized trial. J Clin Oncol. 2003;21(12):2372-6.

Gyllenhaal C, Merrit SL, Peterson SD, Block KI, Gochenour T. Efficacy and safety of herbal stimulants and sedatives in sleep disorders. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2000;4(2):1-24.

Han SH, Hur MH, Buckle J, Choi J, Lee MS. Effect of aromatherapy on symptoms of dysmenorrhea in college students: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Altern Complement Med. 2006;12(6):535-41.

Hardy M, Kirk-Smith MD. Replacement of drug treatment for insomnia by ambient odor. Lancet. 1995;346:701.

Hay IC, Jamieson M, Ormerod AD. Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata. Arch Dermatol. 1998;134(11):1349-1352.

Henley DV, Lipson N, Korach KS, Bloch, CA. Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;5(365):479-485.

Kim JT, Wajda M, Cuff G, et al., Evaluation of aromatherapy in treating postoperative pain: pilot study. Pain Pract. 2006;6(4):273-7.

LaValle JB, Krinsky DL, Hawkins EB, et al. Natural Therapeutics Pocket Guide. Hudson, OH:LexiComp; 2000: 468-469.

Lee IS, Lee GJ. [Effects of lavender aromatherapy on insomnia and depression in women college students] Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. 2006;36(1):136-43.

Lis-Balchin M, Hart S. A preliminary study of the effect of essential oils on skeletal and smooth muscle in vitro. J Ethnopharmacol. 1997;58(4):183-187.

Moon T, Wilkinson JM, Cavanagh HM. Antiparasitic activity of two Lavandula essential oils against Giardia duodenalis, Trichomonas vaginalis and Hexamita inflata. Parasitol Res. 2006;99(6):722-8.

Motomura N, Sakurai A, Yotsuya Y. Reduction of mental stress with lavender odorant.Percept Mot Skills. 2001;93(3):713-718.

Rho KH, Han SH, Kim KS, Lee MS. Effects of aromatherapy massage on anxiety and self-esteem in Korean elderly women: a pilot study. Int J Neurosci. 2006;116(12):1447-55.

Schulz V, Hansel R, Tyler V. Rational Phytotherapy: A Physicians' Guide to Herbal Medicine. 3rd ed. Berlin, Germany: Springer; 1998:74-75.

Soden K, Vincent K, Craske S, Lucas C, Ashley S. A randomized controlled trial of aromatherapy massage in a hospice setting. Palliat Med. 2004;18(2):87-92.

White L, Mavor S. Kids, Herbs, Health. Loveland, Colo: Interweave Press; 1998:34.

Williams TI. Evaluating effects of aromatherapy massage on sleep in children with autism: a pilot study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2006;3(3):373-7.

Yip YB, Tse SH. An experimental study on the effectiveness of acupressure with aromatic lavender essential oil fo r sub-acute, non-specific neck pain in Hong Kong. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2006;12(1):18-26.

Source: University of Maryland Medical Center