English Lavender

This image of lavender comes from the first edition of *De historia stirpium commentarii insigne,* a book produced by Leonhart Fuchs in 1542. This book was one of the most celebrated herbals from the sixteenth century, which features over 500 woodcut illustrations, all of which were hand-colored. This book can be found in the John R. Martin Rare Book Room in Hardin Library.

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region, the Arabian Peninsula, and Russia (Lavender, 2007). In ancient Rome lavender was used to scent bathwater; the name lavender comes from the Latin verb “lavare” which means “to wash” (Prusinowska & Smigielski, 2014). The aroma of lavender is popular and this evergreen plant is used in perfumes, cleaning products, and potpourri. Medicinally, lavender oil capsules are used to treat mild to severe anxiety and a few clinical studies have shown it to be similarly effective as medications commonly used to treat anxiety (Kasper et al., 2010, 2014, 2014; Uehleke et al., 2012; Woelk & Schlafke, 2010). Lavender aromatherapy is used to treat depression and some evidence has shown that it is helpful in reducing symptoms, particularly in women experiencing postpartum depression (Conrad & Adams, 2012; Kianpour et al., 2016; Xiong et al., 2018). One study has shown lavender oil, in a combination with essential oils from cedarwood, thyme, and rosemary, to be successful in improving hair growth (Hay et al., 1998).

Historical Use

Historically, the medicinal properties of lavender have been described in many herbal texts. This excerpt, from A nievve herbal, produced in 1578 by Rembert Dodoens, describes the virtues of lavender. The text indicates that lavender may be taken alone or mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to “[cure the beating of the heart.]”

Similarly, this excerpt from The Herbal by John Gerard, produced in 1633 promotes mixing lavender in compositions for “head-ace of long continuance” and promotes drinking a decoction of the husks and flowers for “cleansing and driving forth all evill and corrupt humors.”

Latest Research

Effect of aromatherapy with peppermint, ginger, and lavender on postoperative nausea severity after oral surgery under general anaesthesia: A single-blind randomized controlled trial
by Emi Ishikawa on March 28, 2025 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that aromatherapy with peppermint, ginger, and lavender significantly improved patient satisfaction and severity of postoperative nausea after oral surgery under general anaesthesia. Therefore, given the benefits of aromatherapy, it would be advantageous to consider a combination of measures that include aromatherapy, as one of the multimodal antiemetic measures. This trial was registered at the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCTs: 01121002).
Evaluating the impact of lavender aromatherapy and music therapy on reducing stress, anxiety, and depression in female nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic
by Hao-Jan Yang on March 24, 2025 at 10:00 am
CONCLUSIONS: This study found that aromatherapy effectively reduced the physical and psychological stress of nurses, with even greater benefits when combined with music therapy. This approach not only provided immediate effects but also were associated with lasting benefits for an extended duration.
Pharmaceutical quality of herbal medicinal products and dietary supplements – a case study with oral solid formulations containing Lavandula species
by Banaz Jalil on February 14, 2025 at 11:00 am
The effectiveness and safety of regulated herbal medicinal products and dietary/food supplements are key areas of research. However, limited evidence exists of their pharmaceutical performance quality (including the standard in the respective pharmacopeial monographs). We evaluated the applicability of the European Pharmacopoeia general chapter protocols for disintegration testing of oral dosage forms using 73 products containing Lavandula species. Several Lavandula species, hybrids and…
Code Lavender: Roots and Wings
by Angela Hamm on January 23, 2025 at 11:00 am
In this article, two long-time practitioners of Code Lavender (a holistic nurse and board-certified chaplain) describe its history and current state. They analyze what makes it such a successful tool in addressing staff stress and sketch possible future directions. Case studies as well as techniques are discussed.
The efficacy of lavender oil on fatigue and sleep quality in patients with hematological malignancy receiving chemotherapy: a single-blind randomized controlled trial
by Dilek Yildirim on January 8, 2025 at 11:00 am
CONCLUSIONS: Consequently, it was determined that aromatherapy with lavender essential oil significantly alleviated fatigue and lowered PFS total and subscale scores in patients with hematological malignancies undergoing chemotherapy. Also, sleep quality significantly enhanced in the overall PFS and its subscales.

References

Conrad, P., & Adams, C. (2012). The effects of clinical aromatherapy for anxiety and depression in the high risk postpartum woman—A pilot study. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 18(3), 164–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2012.05.002

Hay, I. C., Jamieson, M., & Ormerod, A. D. (1998). Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata. Archives of Dermatology, 134(11), 1349–1352. https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.134.11.1349

Kasper, S., Gastpar, M., Muller, W. E., Volz, H.-P., Moller, H.-J., Dienel, A., & Schlafke, S. (2010). Silexan, an orally administered Lavandula oil preparation, is effective in the treatment of “subsyndromal” anxiety disorder: A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 25(5), 277–287. https://doi.org/10.1097/YIC.0b013e32833b3242

Kasper, S., Gastpar, M., Muller, W. E., Volz, H.-P., Moller, H.-J., Schlafke, S., & Dienel, A. (2014). Lavender oil preparation Silexan is effective in generalized anxiety disorder—A randomized, double-blind comparison to placebo and paroxetine. The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 17(6), 859–869. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1461145714000017

Kianpour, M., Mansouri, A., Mehrabi, T., & Asghari, G. (2016). Effect of lavender scent inhalation on prevention of stress, anxiety and depression in the postpartum period. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 21(2), 197–201. https://doi.org/10.4103/1735-9066.178248

Lavender. (2007, March 1). NCCIH. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/lavender/ataglance.htm

Prusinowska, R., & Smigielski, K. (2014). Composition, biological properties and therapeutic effects of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.). A review. Herba Polonica, 60(2), 56–66.

Uehleke, B., Schaper, S., Dienel, A., Schlaefke, S., & Stange, R. (2012). Phase II trial on the effects of Silexan in patients with neurasthenia, post-traumatic stress disorder or somatization disorder. Phytomedicine : International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology, 19(8–9), 665–671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2012.02.020

Woelk, H., & Schlafke, S. (2010). A multi-center, double-blind, randomised study of the Lavender oil preparation Silexan in comparison to Lorazepam for generalized anxiety disorder. Phytomedicine : International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology, 17(2), 94–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2009.10.006

Xiong, M., Li, Y., Tang, P., Zhang, Y., Cao, M., Ni, J., & Xing, M. (2018). Effectiveness of Aromatherapy Massage and Inhalation on Symptoms of Depression in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), 24(7), 717–724. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2017.0320

Other Resources

Natural Medicines record: Lavender (Access to UI only)

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: https://nccih.nih.gov/health/lavender/ataglance.htm