Lavender
Botanical Description & Habitat
Lavandula angustifolia, L. vera, L. officinalis and L. spica
Family
Lamiaceae
Habitat
Mediterranean region
Medicinal Parts
Flowers and leaves, dried
Historical Properties & Uses
Lavender is used in Western herbal medicine as an antispasmodic, carminative and cholagogue, as well as a sedative, stimulant, stomachic an tonic. It has similar uses in Chinese medicine. Lavender is usually used as an oil, to treat flatulence, migraine headaches, fainting and dizziness.
Medicinally, in Western and Chinese medicine, lavender is usually used in combinations with other cholagogues and gastrointestinal agents, rather than by itself. Considerable experience is required to known just how to use lavender.
This herb has approval status by the German Commission E for internal use as well as balneotherapy.
Internally it is used for: mood disturbances e.g. insomnia and nervous stomach.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Method of Action
Lavender has Cholagogue and Choleretic Action
Lavender contains a valuable essential oil better known for its cosmetic applications than for its medicinal action. It is a mild cholagogue and choleretic. It works by direct stimulation of the vagus nerve, which produces the secretion of bile. In Europe, lavender is used in numberless proprietary combinations, but as a single agent is about unknown.
Lavender Oil is Sedative
Lavender oil is one of the best known herbal sedatives, ranking next to valerian root in effectiveness, with effects comparable to lemon balm and calamus.
The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia recognizes lavender as a carminative, spasmolytic, antidepressant and antirheumatic (the oil as a rubefacient), for use in the treatment of flatulent dyspepsia, colic, depressive headache, and the oil topically in rheumatism. Combined with rosemary, oats, and cola in depression; with lady's slipper and valerian root in migraine headaches; with filipendula and black cohosh in rheumatism.
Lavender May have Anti-Allergy Action
Some Russian research extends the actions of lavender oil to the realm of allergy. It was found the lavender oil was spasmolytic against Ach, serotonin, histamine, anaphylatoxin, etc. They recommend lavender be used in combination with similar substances (such as mint, sage, and dill) to treat conditions characterized by intensive peristalsis and spasms of smooth muscle organs.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Possible Interactions
The antacid nature of lavender may decrease or delay the absorption of nalidixic acid and the sulfonamides.
Due to the spasmolytic nature of lavender it may interact in unknown ways with CNS depressants or stimulants.
Lavender should not be used with methotrimeprazine, a potent CNS depressant analgesic.
Comments
In the absence of other hard data, it may still be assumed observable interactions may occur between the many central nervous system drugs and the psychoactive principles in lavender.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Lavender oil, in large doses, is highly poisonous, a narcotic poison causing death by convulsion.
Lavender flower has approval status by the German Commission E.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Preparation & Administration
Use three times daily
Infusion
Use 1-2g of dried flowers
Tincture
Use 2-4ml of 1:5 in 60% alcohol
Compound Lavender Tincture B.P.C. (1949)
Use 2-4ml
Lavender Oil B.P.C. (1973)
Use 0.06-0.2ml
This herb has approval status by the German Commission E.
Recommended daily dosages in Germany are as follows:
1 - 2 teaspoons of the herb per cup of water to make Lavender tea.
1 - 4 drops of Lavender oil on a sugar cube.
20 - 100 g of the herb for a 5 gallon bath.
References:
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Bhakuni, D.S., M.L. Dhar, M.M. Dhar, B.N. Dhawan & B.N. Mehrotra. Screening of indian plants for biological activity. Part II. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 7(10), 250-262, 1969.
Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.
British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, British Herbal Medicine Association, 1983.
Duke, J.A. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. CRC Press. Inc. Boca Raton, Florida, 1985.
Facts and Comparisons. The Lawrence Review of Natural Products. Aug, 1998.
Hardy, M et al., Lancet, 1995, 346 (Sept 9):701.
Holtmeier, H.J. Taschenbuch der Pathophysiologie fuer Mediziner und Ernaehrungswissenschaftler. Bd. 3825-142. Stuttgart, NY, 1977.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Shipochliev, T. Pharmacological investigation into several essential oils. Veterinarno Meditsinski Nauki, 5(6), 63-69, 1968.
Wagner, H. & L. Sprinkmeyer. Ueber di pharmacologische wirkung von melissengeist. Deut. Apotheker Zeitung, 113, 1159-1166, 1973.
Weiss, R.F. Herbal Medicine. Beaconsfield Publishers, LTD, Beaconsfield, England, 1988.
Essential Oil
See Lavender Essence under Aromatherapy
Multimedia
Lavandula angustifolia
© Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
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