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Abstract

Lavender essential oil is popular as a complementary medicine in its own right and as an additive to many over the counter complementary medicine and cosmetic products¹⁻³. Indeed, products derived from the popular garden herb Lavender (Lavandula spp.) have been used for centuries as a therapeutic agent, with the more ’recent’ addition, the essential oils derived from these plants, being widely used as an antibacterial in World War I1,4. The oil is traditionally believed to have sedative, carminative, anti-depressive and antiinflammatory properties, in addition to its recognised antimicrobial effects. Many of the activities attributed to lavender oil have not, however, been substantiated in the scientific literature. This is further complicated by the fact that the majority of research into lavender essential oils has been based on oil derived from English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), with little or no differentiation being made between this and other lavender essential oils. The therapeutic potential of essential oils produced from other varieties, such as L. x intermedia (lavandin), L. stoechas (French lavender) and L. x allardii, have largely been ignored. Although the ethnobotanical uses and major chemical constituents are similar between various lavenders, some differences do occur in both oil composition and in the reported therapeutic uses for different species3,5. The significant scientific interest in recent years into the validity/veracity of the traditional beliefs surrounding lavender oil and their scientific basis, if any, was recently reviewed by Cavanagh & Wilkinson³. In this paper we provide an overview of the use of lavender oil in infectious disease and an update on recent research on alternative uses of lavender oil.
Australian Infection Control
Lavender essential oil: a review
Heather
MA
Cavanagh
BSc(Hons) Microbiology
Jenny
M
Wilkinson
BSc(Hons)(Qld), GradDip FET(SQld),
(University of Glasgow), PhD(Macq)
PhD Molecular Virology (University of Glasgow), School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, NSW
PGCE (Strathclyde University)
School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, NSW
Abstract
Lavender essential oil is popular as a complementary medicine in its own right and as an additive to many over the counter
complementary medicine and cosmetic products
'
\
Indeed, products derived from the popular garden herb Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
have been used for centuries as a therapeutic agent, with the more 'recent
'
addition, the essential oils derived from these plants, being
widely used as an antibacterial in World War
I],!
The oil is traditionally believed to have sedative, carminative, anti-depressive and anti-
inflammatory properties, in addition to its recognised antimicrobial effects.
Many of the activities attributed to lavender oil have not, however, been substantiated in the scientific literature. This is further
complicated by the fact that the majority of research into lavender essential oils has been based on oil derived from English lavender
(Lavandula angustifolia), with little or no differentiation being made between this and other lavender essential oils. The therapeutic
potential of essential oils produced from other varieties, such as L.
x
intermedia (lavandin), L. stoechas (French lavender) and L.
x
allardii,
have largely been ignored. Although the ethnobotanical uses and major chemical constituents are similar between various lavenders,
some differences do occur in both oil composition and in the reported therapeutic uses for different ~pecies~,~. The significant scientific
interest in recent years into the validity/veracity of the traditional beliefs surrounding lavender oil and their scientific basis, if any, was
recently reviewed by Cavanagh
&
Wilkinson? In this paper we provide an overview of the use of lavender oil in infectious disease and
an update on recent research on alternative uses of lavender oil.
Lavender oil (primarily L. angustifolia) has been found to be
active against many species of bacteria, including those resistant
to antibiotics such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE)
b~R.
Recent
investigations into the antibacterial properties of a range of
Lavandula oils (L. angustifolia, L. allardii, L.
x
intermedia 'Grosso',
L.
x
intermedia 'Seal', L.
x
intermedia 'Miss Donnington', L.
x
heterophylla and
L.
stoechas 'Avonview') support the anecdotal use
of lavender oils as antibacterial agents and demonstrated that
Despite the known antibacterial activity, questions remain about
the clinical utility of lavender oil. The MIC (minimum inhibitory
concentration) values of lavender oil (L. angustifolia and
L.
latifolia) have been reported as being comparable to that of tea
tree oil (0.16% against Haemophilus influenzae, 0.32% against S.
pyogenes and S. aureus and greater than 0.32% against
E.
~oli)'~.
These figures would appear to support the use of lavender oils as
a prophylactic or for use in topical application for surface
infection rather than for use against deep-seated infections.
some oils which had previously not been investigated (e.g. L. Lavender oil has also been reported to be an effective antifungal
heterophylla) displayed good antibacterial activity against a range agent against fungi of both medical and agricultural importance,
of bacteria including Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterobacter aerogenes, especially in inhibition of germ-tube growth
".
A recent study
S. aureus, MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter freundii, demonstrated that all Lavandula essential oils examined to date
Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, VRE, Shigella sonnei and displayed some antifungal activity, with oils derived from
L.
Propionibacterium acnes
9.
an~ustifolia and L.
x
intermedia demonstrating the greatest effect
-.
Interestingly, there was considerable variability in the activity of against Aspergillus nidulans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes.
the essential oils, with L. angustifolia and
L.
x
intermedia oils In contrast, oil derived from L, stoechas was particularly effective
showing the highest activity against several bacteria. However, against the agricultural fungi Leptosphaeria maculans and Sclerotinia
no one oil produced the highest level of antibacterial activity sclerotiorum, demonstrating that Lavandula oils have activity
against all bacteria tested, suggesting that differences in chemical against fungi of both medical and agricultural importance, and
composition make some oils more effective against particular suggesting that essential oils from various lavender varieties may
bacteria. No strong correlation has been observed between be useful in the treatment of fungal infections
''.
percentage of major chemical components and antibacterial
activity, and
P
aeruginosa was not susceptible to any Lavandula oil The recent interest in the therapeutic use of hydrosols, however,
tested9. These results support the anecdotal use of lavender oils appears unlikely to have scientific merit as no antimicrobial
as antibacterial agents and demonstrate that some oils which had activity has been found to be associated with any Lavandtlla
previously not been investigated have good antibacterial activity. hydrosols examined by this group to date
12.
Hydrosols or
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Australian Infection Control
distillate waters are a by-product of steam distillation and
contain variable amounts of essential oil and other plant derived
components. The variation found in the activity of the different
oils suggests that different oils should be targeted for different
therapeutic uses. Further work is required to determine whether
the
in uitro
results are realised in a clinical environment, but it is
clear that not all lavenders are equal in terms of their
antimicrobial properties.
Interestingly, the volatile components of Lavandula essential oils
have also been found to display potent antifungal activity;
however, no significant differences in activity have been reported
between different
Lauandula
oil volatiles
l2I5.
Vapour treatment
would appear to have an advantage over solution treatment in
that the microbial growth could be inhibited by a smaller amount
of essential oil, while potentially also acting as a potent inhibitor
of sporulation, assuming that suitable vapour concentration and
treatment times can be determined. Initial studies suggest that
the gaseous contact activity of the essential oils was determined
mainly by the maximum vapour concentration at an early stage
of incubation and that maintaining high vapour concentration for
long periods of time was not necessary
15.
It should be noted,
however, that the effective vapour concentrations in a clinical
setting have not yet been directly related to the concentrations
used routinely in aromatherapy.
The use of essential oil volatiles for therapeutic benefit is not new.
Indeed, lavender oil today is used predominantly in
aromatherapy or massage, and many benefits are claimed for its
use in this way, including relief of the symptoms of stress and
depression, in improving 'mood' and relieving anxiety
3.
Aromatherapy is thought to be therapeutically effective due to
both the psychological effect of the odour and the physiological
effects of the inhaled volatile compounds, where the latter effects
are believed to act via the limbic system, particularly the
amygdala and hippocampus. However, although inhalation of
lavender oil volatiles has been reported to be capable of altering
patient mood and improving sleep patterns, the true therapeutic
benefit of inhalation of lavender oil remains controversial
',
16, 17.
This may be related to the fact that many studies combine both
massage and lavender oil and are unable to determine whether
the benefits seen are as a result of massage or of lavender oil
inhalation/absorption.
For example, a recent study investigating the use of lavender oil
aromatherapy in dementia patients found no evidence that a
purely olfactory form of aromatherapy led to decreased agitation
in severely demented patients and suggested that cutaneous
application of the essential oil may be necessary to achieve the
optimum effect 18. Similarly, although percutaneous
administration of one of the main ingredients of lavender oil,
(-)-
linalool, led to a decrease in systolic blood pressure and skin
temperature, compared to a corresponding control group
receiving a placebo, no effect on subjective evaluation of well-
being was noted
19.
In another study, although massages with lavender essential oil
and an inert carrier oil were unable to demonstrate any
significant long-term benefits in improving pain control, but
anxiety or quality of life (compared to those patients who
received the inert carrier oil only or no massage) and sleep scores
improved significantly in both the massage and the combined
massage (aromatherapy and massage) groups. These findings
were accompanied by a statistically significant reduction in
depression scores in the massage group, whether lavender oil
was used or not 20. Inhalation of lavender aromatherapy during
radiotherapy was also found to reduce anxiety
21.
Conversely, several authors have noted an association between
lavender odour, positive emotional states and therapeutic
benefit
22~25.
For example, Diego
et al.
26
found that individuals
receiving lavender oil (10%) odour for
3
minutes were
significantly more relaxed, had decreased anxiety scores, better
moods and showed increased alpha power in their EEGs (an
indication of increased drowsiness). Similarly, in a pilot study by
Walsh
&
Wilson 27, long-stay neurology in-patients also showed
increased mood scores and reduced psychological distress
following aromatherapy (tea tree, rosemary and
L. angustifolia
oils), suggesting that lavender aromatherapy can improve
patients' experiences in intensive care with no detrimental
physical or behavioural outcomes.
Inhalation of lavender oil is also reported to be of benefit in pain
relief. Lavender oil has been shown to be an effective short-term
treatment for lower back pain when acupoint stimulation was
followed by acupressure with aromatic lavender oilZR. In an other
recent (animal) study, it was shown that inhalation of lavender oil
(L.
x
intermedia
'Grosso') for
1
hour resulted in significant
analgesic activity at doses that did not produce a sedative side-
effect, with the oil appearing to significantly reduce the acetic
acid-writhing response in a naloxone-sensitive manner.
A
similar
effect was found with oral (100mg/kg) administration2'.
It has been suggested, however, that, rather than having a direct
analgesic effect, inhalation of lavender oil may simply elicit a
more positive appraisal and subsequent positive retrospective
evaluation of treatment-related pain from the patient when they
report on lavender aromatherapy associated pain relief
".
Interestingly, Barocelli
et al.
z'
also reported that oral
administration of lavender oil, or its major constituents linalool
or linalyl acetate, could protect animals against acute ethanol-
induced gastric ulcers.
Extensive research is now being carried out worldwide to
identify and isolate the chemical components of lavender oil,
which will allow the identification of biologically active
constituents of the oil and determination of any synergistic
effects of the 'mixed' components. While it is known that the
main constituents play a major role in the biological activity of
lavender oil, it has also been reported that the antimicrobial
activity of different types of lavender oil are not all related to
these major constituents.
For example, studies investigating the relationship between
biological activity and chemical composition of lavender have
found no correlation between linalool or linalyl acetate content
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Issue
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2005
Australian Infection Control
and antibacterial or antifungal activity
7.
In addition, very little is
known of any synergistic relationships which occur between the
oil constituents.
There is no doubt that identification of the biologically active
components of lavender oil and determination of their mechanisms
of action,
in
isolation and in combination, will help to clarify many
of the inconsistencies currently found in lavender oil research and
may lead to identification of novel, effective therapeutic
compounds. Indeed, one constituent of lavender oil, perillyl
alcohol
(POH)
has recently been identified as a potential anticancer
agent, which may be useful in both treatment and prevention3l.".
Lavender is traditionally regarded as a 'safe' oil and, although it
was recently reported that lavender oil, and its major constituent
linalyl acetate, are toxic to human skin cells
in
vitro,
contact
dermatitis to lavender oil appears to occur at only a very low
frequency
3z
34. The relevance of this
in
vitro
toxicity to
dermatological application of
Lavandula
oils remains unclear.
Despite the apparent safety of lavender oil as a topical agent, oral
administration is not recommended.
In conclusion, many more claims are made for therapeutic benefit
derived from lavender oil than are reviewed in this paper;
however, controversy surrounds many aspects (reviewed in
Cavanagh
&
Wilkinson
9).
Further research is required to
determine the true bioactivity of lavender oil and its constituents.
Despite this lack of evidence for many claims, lavender continues
to be used by the general public and clinical staff, perhaps
because any potential therapeutic benefit is seen as a possible
'bonus' to the simple love of lavender.
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... Lavender extracts have demonstrated numerous health benefits, likely attributed to their rich phytochemical composition, including terpenoids and flavonoids [7]. Historically, lavender oil has been linked with anti-depressive, sedative, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties [8]. Moreover, preclinical studies have indicated promising anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and anti-mutagenic effects of these phytochemical extracts from lavender [8][9][10][11]. ...
... Historically, lavender oil has been linked with anti-depressive, sedative, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties [8]. Moreover, preclinical studies have indicated promising anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and anti-mutagenic effects of these phytochemical extracts from lavender [8][9][10][11]. With the emergence of long-read sequencing and chromosome conformation capture technologies, L. angustifolia has embarked on the genomic era [12,13]. This advancement led to a high-quality genome assembly, facilitating evolutionary research within Lamiaceae and the identification of genes integral to the terpenoid biosynthesis pathway [12]. ...
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Background Lavandula angustifolia holds importance as an aromatic plant with extensive applications spanning the fragrance, perfume, cosmetics, aromatherapy, and spa sectors. Beyond its aesthetic and sensory applications, this plant offers medicinal benefits as a natural herbal remedy and finds use in household cleaning products. While extensive genomic data, inclusive of plastid and nuclear genomes, are available for this species, researchers have yet to characterize its mitochondrial genome. This gap in knowledge hampers deeper understanding of the genome organization and its evolutionary significance. Results Through the course of this study, we successfully assembled and annotated the mitochondrial genome of L. angustifolia, marking a first in this domain. This assembled genome encompasses 61 genes, which comprise 34 protein-coding genes, 24 transfer RNA genes, and three ribosomal RNA genes. We identified a chloroplast sequence insertion into the mitogenome, which spans a length of 10,645 bp, accounting for 2.94% of the mitogenome size. Within these inserted sequences, there are seven intact tRNA genes (trnH-GUG, trnW-CCA, trnD-GUC, trnS-GGA, trnN-GUU, trnT-GGU, trnP-UGG) and four complete protein-coding genes (psbA, rps15, petL, petG) of chloroplast derivation. Additional discoveries include 88 microsatellites, 15 tandem repeats, 74 palindromic repeats, and 87 forward long repeats. An RNA editing analysis highlighted an elevated count of editing sites in the cytochrome c oxidase genes, notably ccmB with 34 editing sites, ccmFN with 32, and ccmC with 29. All protein-coding genes showed evidence of cytidine-to-uracil conversion. A phylogenetic analysis, utilizing common protein-coding genes from 23 Lamiales species, yielded a tree with consistent topology, supported by high confidence values. Conclusions Analysis of the current mitogenome resource revealed its typical circular genome structure. Notably, sequences originally from the chloroplast genome were found within the mitogenome, pointing to the occurrence of horizontal gene transfer between organelles. This assembled mitogenome stands as a valuable resource for subsequent studies on mitogenome structures, their evolution, and molecular biology.
... In France, Spain and Italy it is in cultivation practices. This plant have been used as a therapeutic agent in world war-I, the essential oils of L. bipinnata were widely used as an antibacterial (Cavanagh and Wilkinson, 2005) [4] . Seeds of L. bipinnata contain 27.2% essential oil and are rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as linolenic and linoleic acid (Murthy et al., 2005) [5] . ...
... In France, Spain and Italy it is in cultivation practices. This plant have been used as a therapeutic agent in world war-I, the essential oils of L. bipinnata were widely used as an antibacterial (Cavanagh and Wilkinson, 2005) [4] . Seeds of L. bipinnata contain 27.2% essential oil and are rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as linolenic and linoleic acid (Murthy et al., 2005) [5] . ...
... A small study in 2016 focusing on postpartum women discovered that lavender aromatherapy helped prevent stress, anxiety, and depression following childbirth. Another study from 2015 examined individuals with kidney disease and found that those exposed to lavender scent during hemodialysis experienced lower levels of depression and stress compared to those who were not (Cavanagh, 2005). ...
... Khadi Naturals, inspired by Ayurvedic principles, integrates lavender oil into its range of shampoos and bath gels. These companies cater to the growing demand for natural and holistic wellness solutions, harnessing the soothing properties of lavender essential oil for their products (Cavanagh, 2005). ...
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... Lavender oils have many health benefits and biological properties [5]. Volatile compounds of plant extracts, particularly essential oils are known as secondary plant metabolites which have been used primarily in aromatherapy, cosmetics, and medicinal purposes [6]. ...
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... Guenther (1950) states that compounds such as terpenes, phenols, and esters are responsible for the unique scent and healing attributes of each oil. Can you provide an example of how lavender essential oil contains linalool and linalyl acetate, which have calming and anxiety-reducing effects (Cavanagh & Wilkinson, 2005). ...
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... essential oils have been both therapeutically and cosmetically used for centuries. The oil is traditionally believed to have sedative, carminative (smooth muscle relaxing), anti-depressive and anti-inflammatory properties, effective for burns and insect bites in addition to its recognized antimicrobial effects [63,64]. Also, its wound healing effects have been widely claimed and studied which may be partly related to its antimicrobial effects; since, antimicrobial action is of great focus in wound dressing [65,66]. ...
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FULL TEXT available free from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2672.1999.00780.x/pdf The antimicrobial activity of plant oils and extracts has been recognized for many years. However, few investigations have compared large numbers of oils and extracts using methods that are directly comparable. In the present study, 52 plant oils and extracts were investigated for activity against Acinetobacter baumanii, Aeromonas veronii biogroup sobria, Candida albicans, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia col, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype typhimurium, Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus aureus, using an agar dilution method. Lemongrass, oregano and bay inhibited all organisms at concentrations of < or = 2.0% (v/v). Six oils did not inhibit any organisms at the highest concentration, which was 2.0% (v/v) oil for apricot kernel, evening primrose, macadamia, pumpkin, sage and sweet almond. Variable activity was recorded for the remaining oils. Twenty of the plant oils and extracts were investigated, using a broth microdilution method, for activity against C. albicans, Staph. aureus and E. coli. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations were 0.03% (v/v) thyme oil against C. albicans and E. coli and 0.008% (v/v) vetiver oil against Staph. aureus. These results support the notion that plant essential oils and extracts may have a role as pharmaceuticals and preservatives.