The 1999 Herb of the Year, Lavender is a wonderful plant, lovely to look at and fun to use.

Eastern European countries, particularly Bulgaria, as well as France, Britain, Australia, and Russia grow large quantities of lavender. The fragrant flowers of lavender are used in the preparation of herbal medicines.

Lavender is probably best known as a perfume, but this herb also has other valuable qualities.

Lavender has been used in connection with the following conditions: pregnancy, indigestion and heartburn, insomnia.

A diuretic, tonic and a sedative. Lavender has a nurturing tonic effect on your nervous system. Its gentle action may help you slip into a soothing and natural sleep. Gently rub Lavender oil on your temples when you have a headache or use locally to relieve arthritic pain.

Alleviates fainting, exhaustion, dizziness and as a stimulant may lift you out of a mild depression.

Traditionally, herbalists used lavender for a variety of conditions of the nervous system, including depression and fatigue.1 It has also been used for headache and rheumatism. Due to its delightful odor, lavender has found wide application in perfumes and cosmetics throughout history.

Active constituents: The volatile oil (also called essential oil) of lavender contains many constituents, including perillyl alcohol and linalool. The oil is thought to be calming2 and thus can be helpful in some cases of insomnia. One trial of elderly people with sleeping troubles found that inhaling lavender oil was as effective as some commonly prescribed sleep medications.3 A large clinical trial found that lavender oil added to a bath was no more effective than a placebo for relieving perineal discomfort immediately after childbirth.4 However, perineal pain was reduced three to five days afterward. Lavender is recommended by the German Commission E monograph for indigestion and nervous intestinal discomfort.5

Dosage: The German Commission E monograph suggests 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 grams) of the herb be taken as a tea.6 The tea can be made by steeping 2 teaspoons (10 grams) of leaves in 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water for fifteen minutes. Three cups (750 ml) can be consumed each day. For internal applications, 1/2–3/4 teaspoon (2–4 ml) of tincture can be taken two or three times per day. Several drops of the oil can be added to a bath or diluted in vegetable oil for topical applications. The concentrated (essential oil) oil is not for internal use, except under medical supervision.

Sside effects or interactions: Internal use of the volatile oil can cause severe nausea. Very small amounts should be used only under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Excessive intake (several times more than listed above) may cause drowsiness.7 External use in reasonable amounts is safe during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with lavender.

References:
1. Hoffmann D., The New Holistic Herbal, 2d ed. Rockport, MA: Element, 1990, 210.
2. Buchbauer G, Jirovetz L, Jager W, et al., Aromatherapy: Evidence for sedative effects of the essential oil of lavender after inhalation. Z Naturforsch [C] 1991;46:1067–72.
3. Hardy M, Kirk-Smith MD, Stretch DD., Replacement of drug therapy for insomnia by ambient odour. Lancet 1995;346:701 [letter].
4. Dale A, Cornwell S., The role of lavender oil in relieving perineal discomfort following childbirth: A blind randomized trial. J Adv Nursing 1994;19:89–96.
5. Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J., Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications, 2000, 226–9.
6. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds)., The Complete Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 159–60.
7. Leung AY, Foster S., Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 339–42.
 

• See Essential Oils for Lavender Aromatherapy Oils