Lavender Essential Oil
Often known as therapeutic lavender, real lavender, or common lavender, is an evergreen perennial plant of the family Lamiaceae.
Lavenders produce and store EO in specialized structures known as
peltate glandular trichomes, or oil glands [. In these structures,
six to eight secretory cells are specialized to produce and secrete EO
constituents;
According to a research, there are 300 chemical components in lavender essential oil (Prusinowska and Smigielski, 2014).
wild populations of the same species of Lavandula can show variation in phenotype and essential oil composition and production due to various reasons.
Two main constituents of most lavender essential oils are Linalool and Linalyl acetate.
Essential oils have been commonly used in cosmetics for their
pleasing aromas in products such as moisturizers, sunscreen,
lotions, shampoos, bath and body products, soaps and perfumes, for
centuries; Recent evidence suggests that essential oils may
have other functions in cosmetics as well.Several studies have shown that Lavandula essential oils have efficacy as natural preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products.
Although Lavandula essential oils have shown promise as natural cosmetic additives, adverse side effects from usage have
also been observed. Previous studies have shown extracts of L.officinalis and other plants to cause contact allergies in patients with
cosmetic dermatitis. Pure linalool and linalyl acetate, which are present in a variety of cosmetic products, have specifically been shown to cause contact dermatitis. These
constituents, which are commonly used for their aroma, have the tendency to oxidize upon air exposure, which transforms them from
weak sensitizing agents to moderate sensitizing agents capable of causing frequent dermal contact reactions as strong fragrance
allergens. As such, although Lavandula essential oils have potential for use in cosmetics, stringent ingredient labelling and allergen information should be available to consumers to
prevent allergic reactions.
Additionally, nanofiber burn dressings made from alginate and Lavandula essential oils have also shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity
& anti-microbial effects which promoted healing of the burns.
Topical application of essential oils has shown medicinal advantage due to fast oil absorption and ease of delivery directly to the site of
inflammation. This has been demonstrated in a Lewis rat model of Rheumatoid Arthritis in which topical application of lavender
essential oil-containing ointment to the site of inflammation resulted in a decrease in cartilage damage and inflammation, which are
characteristic to the disease. The α-pinene constituents of Juniperus oxycedrus leaves, which are also present in Lavandula essential oils, have also proven effective as an inhibitor of NF-kB, a
transcription factor that plays a vital role in the activation of inflammatory mediators in arthritic diseases.
Lavender aromatherapy has also
exhibited positive effects on heart disease with increased relaxation, reduced serum cortisol levels, and increased coronary circulation
with improved coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) in healthy adult men. Similarly, aromatherapy foot massage with
Lavandula oils decreased blood pressure, and anxiety in men and women as well as somewhat increasing quality of life score in men and women.
Aromatherapy, refers the medicinal use of plant essential oils and
fragrant extracts in a variety of clinical settings, including mood augmentation, treatment and prevention of disease and disease
symptoms, sleep and cognitive improvement, and pain relief. Administration by inhalation and massage are the most
common methods of treatment used in aromatherapy. Lavandula essential oils, inhaled or massaged into the skin, are absorbed and
enter the bloodstream, with linalool and linalyl acetate constituents having been apparent in the blood, thus implicating that benefits of
aromatherapy may be due to essential oil constituents entering the bloodstream. Aromatherapy has become increasingly popular
as naturopathic and complementary medicine become more prevalent and natural alternatives become more sought after.
The essential oils of Lavandula varieties, due to their analgesic properties, are also useful complements in pain reduction in other
clinical settings. Use of lavenders in aromatherapy demonstrated reduced pain upon needle insertion both in healthy volunteers and in
hemodialysis patients. Postoperatively, Lavandula
essential oils can be effective when used as a complement with conventional pain medications, in increasing sedation as well as
decreasing the need for the use of opioids. As such, it does not appear to have any effect on severe postoperative pain.
References:
• Lavandula Essential Oils: A Current Review of Applications in
Medicinal, Food, and Cosmetic Industries of Lavender
2018
Vol. 13
No. 10
1403 - 1417
Rebecca Wells, Felisha Truong, Ayelign M. Adal, Lukman S. Sarker and Soheil S. Mahmoud* .
• Anitha Selwyn, Sujatha Govindaraj, Study of plant-based cosmeceuticals and skin care, South African Journal of Botany, Volume 158, 2023, Pages 429-442, ISSN 0254-6299, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2023.05.039. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254629923002971)