Lavender

FAMILY: Lamiaceae.

HABITAT: Mediterranean basin and Middle East.

USED PART: the aerial parts of the plant.

PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS: mother tincture, essential oil with the following title: 25 to 38% linalool, 25 to 45% linalyl acetate, 0.1 to 0.5% limonene, 0.3 to 1.5% cineole, 0.2 to 0.5% camphor, 0.3 to 1% alpha terpineol 4 to 10% beta ocimene cis, 2 to 6% beta ocimene trans, 2 to 6% 1-terpinen-4-ol, 0.5 to 1.8% 3-octanone and 0.3 to 0.6 lavandulol. The drug must contain no less than 0.8% essence (French Pharmacopoeia X). Dry extract titrated in esseza min. 4%, daily dosage ranging from 5 to 7 mg/kg/day, in two administrations morning and evening preferably between meals.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: the essential oil shall contain 25 to 38% linalool, 25 to 45% linalyl acetate, 0.1 to 0.5% limonene, 0.3 to 1.5% cineole, 0.2 to 0.5% camphor, 0,3 to 1% alpha terpineol, 4 to 10% beta ocimenes cis, 2 to 6% beta ocimenes trans, 2 to 6% 1-terpinen-4-ol, 0.5 to 1.8% 3-octanone and 0.3 to 0.6 lavandulol. The drug must contain no less than 0.8% essence (French Pharmacopoeia X). It also contains a good amount of tannins (about 12%) and also flavonoids, coumarin derivatives and phytosterols, and fair amounts of rosmarinic acid.

THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES:
Antibacterial action: Lavender essential oil has modestly antibacterial action, demonstrated in vitro and directed mainly against aerobic Gram+ germs, which can be bacteriostatic and, at higher concentrations, even bactericidal. This drug also appears to be active against filamentous fungi and yeasts.
An in vitro study evaluated the effect of Lavender essential oil on Tricophyton mantagrophytes and Tricophyton rubrum grown on agar. In particular, the above-mentioned essential oil has been shown to kill conidia, inhibit germination and hinder the elongation of fungal hyphae at a minimum dose of 40 micrograms/ml.
An in vitro study examined the action of lavender essential oil on Candida albicans. This oil was seen to inhibit the growth of various Candida strains with MICs of 0.69% (vol./vol.) on vaginal samples and 1.04% on oropharyngeal samples. Linalool was more effective than oil as a whole, with MICs of 0.09% on vaginal samples and 0.29% on oropharyngeal samples. Linalyl acetate was almost inactive. Lavender oil at 2% destroyed all Candida strains within 15 minutes, while linalool at 0.5% destroyed them all within 30 seconds. Lavender essential oil and linalool inhibited the formation of microtubules and the elongation of fungal hyphae by Candida at low concentrations, while at higher concentrations they destroyed the fungal cells.

Action on the central nervous system: Exerts neurodepressant activity, so it is used in the symptomatic treatment of neurotonic states in adults and children and in sleep disorders. Recent electroencephalographic studies have demonstrated its neurosedative and relaxing activity when used by inhalation, indicating that even small doses of this drug have a significant influence on brain activity.
In another study, inhaled lavender was found to reduce motility in mice by up to 78% compared to placebo and up to 40% if the animal was made hyperactive by the administration of caffeine. The inhalation of Lavender essential oil significantly increases the hypnotic effect of pentobarbital.
Measurements by gas chromatographic and spectroscopic methods 10 minutes after inhalation of lavender revealed the presence of significant doses of phytocomplex in the blood (up to 10.7 ng./ml.). Absorption of the phytocomplex of this drug by the topical cutaneous route is even greater, as high concentrations of the active ingredient have been found in the blood (up to 130 ng/ml.) using the methods described above.
A study in dogs evaluated the effect of lavender essence on agitation induced by car travel. The animals had to sniff lavender essence or a placebo aroma for three days and then go on a car journey, evaluating the animals' behaviour during the journey. It was seen that dogs in the verum group were significantly less agitated than those in the placebo group, regardless of sex, age and castration. No notable adverse effects were observed. The study indicates that lavender essence can be useful to sedate animals before a car journey.
A study in the rat investigated the anxiolytic effect of linalool and its potential interaction with the GABAA receptor. The animals were treated with placebo, linalool, midazolam and flumazenil + linaiol and the subject's anxiogenic state was assessed by elevated plus maze, serum catecholamine and serum corticosterone levels. Linalool was found not to bind to the GABAA receptor, so its anxiolytic action is not related to this mechanism of action.
A controlled clinical trial evaluated the neurosedative effect of lavender essential oil in agitated patients with dementia. Fifteen patients were enrolled, who fulfilled the ICD-10 diagnostic requirements for dementia and had a Pittsburgh Agitation Scale (PAS) score of at least 3 points. They had to inhale a solution with 2% lavender essential oil or a placebo for 4 hours a day for a period of 10 days. At the end of the trial, it was noted that 9 patients (60% of the total) had a significant improvement on the PAS scale, while the others showed no progress. The study concludes that the inhalation of lavender essential oil may have some utility in sedating agitated patients with dementia.

Spasmolytic action: Lavender has been shown to have spasmolytic action on the guinea pig ileum and rat uterus in vitro and also reduces skeletal muscle tone. This action is post-synaptic and not atropine-like and appears to be mediated through cAMP and not cGMP, and closely resembles that of mint essential oil.
Important for the spasmolytic effect of lavender is its calcium-antagonist action, confirmed by the fact that the drug inhibits K+-induced contractions and similar to that of a specific calcium channel blocker such as verapamil. It is also useful in the topical treatment of small skin lesions, superficial burns, insect bites and minor pathology of the oral cavity.

Main indications: mild to moderate anxiety syndrome.

Main action: sedative-anxiolytic.

Other actions: visceral spasmolytic.

SIDE EFFECTS: Like all essential oils, it can be toxic at even moderately high doses, especially when used internally. In rare cases, allergic dermatitis may occur either through inhalation or contact with lavender essential oil, which in severe cases may require the administration of a corticosteroid.
The cases of three young men with prepubertal gynaecomastia who used topical products containing lavender essence and melaleuca oil are described. The gynaecomastia disappeared within a few days of discontinuing the above-mentioned products. Breast biopsies showed that these oils had an oestrogenic and antiandrogenic action. These data indicate that topical application of lavender and melaleuca oils should be done with caution in prepubertal males due to the risk of inducing gynaecomastia.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: It should be used with caution in children under 12 years of age, during pregnancy and lactation.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: not known.

TOXICOLOGICAL DATA: not available.