Advice: Lavender and its medicinal properties

A History

  The first formal publication about the health benefits of lavender oil, was in 60AD in a compendium called ‘De Materia Medica’ by the ancient physician Pedanius Dioscorides. Even though this was the first time the effects were published, by 60AD its uses have been well-established in early medicine, dating back thousands of years. The Romans used lavender and lavender essential oil as an additive to soaps and perfumes.

  By the Middle Ages it was one of the most valuable oils on the market. It was still used in soaps and perfume, but its medicinal value was also being discovered. It was used as a laxative and food additive. Furthermore, they found that lavender also acted as a mild sedative and pain-reliever. It was also used as a treatment for epilepsy (though, of course, this is not applicable in today’s time anymore). Lavender also used to be prescribed as an antidepressive, anxiolytic and for migraines.

Mechanism of Action

Mechanism of Action

  Lavender consists of linalool, perillyl alcohol, linalyl acetate, camphor, limonene, tannin, triterpene, coumarin, cineole and flavonoids, amongst more than one hundred others. Some suspect that lavender’s hypnotic and anticonvulsant activity is due to GABA-enhancement. Cineole supresses acetylcholine-induced muscle contractions. Furthermore, lavender is associated with lower cholesterol levels in rats.

  Lavender oil can also be applied undiluted to the skin. It is rather rapidly absorbed by the skin during massage with levels reaching peak after nineteen minutes. This means that lavender is as effective as a topical agent as when taken orally. Animal studies have also proven a local anesthetic effect. In human studies, it has also proven to be a strong antioxidant.

  In another study, the effectiveness of lavender as an anxiolytic was measured against Lorazepam. It was found that lavender had the same effect as 0.5mg Lorazepam daily.  Multiple studies have proved the effects of lavender on insomnia and sleep quality in both healthy and ill adults.

  Of note, lavender oil’s effects have been studied as an antimicrobial; it was effective against E. Coli, P. Aeruginosa and S. Aureus (cangrene).

Medicinal Uses

Medicinal Uses

  Lavender has a wide range of applications. The most studied is its effects on insomnia and its calming properties. There is, however, ever more studies on the effectiveness of alternatives to conventional medicine.

  The oil can be used as a preventative for a variety of microbes, making it effective as a topical antibiotic. Topical applications also have an anesthetic effect.

  In more modern forms, lavender is combined with other substances, like olive oil and beeswax as a topical salve for scrapes, aches, small wounds, eczema and other inflammatory dermatological conditions.

  To see more about the effects of bee products, see here!

For more detailed info, please see the links to medical studies below:

To view our range of natural health products, click here!

For more detailed info, please refer to the medical studies below:

Lavender and the Nervous System – PMC (nih.gov)

Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Plants Belonging to the Lavandula Genus – PMC (nih.gov)

A review of the bioactive components and pharmacological properties of Lavandula species – PMC (nih.gov)