Lovely Lavender

Many peoples first foray into aromatherapy comes via a bottle of lavender essential oil, it is the most well-known essential oil in the western world and also the most adulterated. More bottles of lavender are sold in the world each year than what is harvested so be selective about where you purchase from. If you are lucky enough to live near a Lavender Farm it is well worth visiting for the wonderful experience, chance to chat to the growers and also to support small businesses.

In 1910 French chemist and scholar René-Maurice Gattefossé discovered the healing properties of the essential oil. Gattefossé badly burned his hand during an experiment in a perfumery plant and plunged his hand into the nearest tub of liquid, which just happened to be lavender essential oil. He was later amazed at how quickly his burn healed and with very little scarring. This started a fascination with essential oils and inspired him to experiment with them during the First World War on soldiers in the military hospitals.

There are over 500 different types of lavender plants. Some are cloned, some are seeded, some are grown high up in the French mountains and others are grown in the middle of England. While all lavender plants contain essential oil, the oil in each plant is different chemically. They all might resemble the lavender aroma but the chemical components within them could vary hugely and so will not have the same pharmacological effects on the body. Always ask your supplier for a GC-MS so you can see which components that batch of essential oil has.

Lavandula angustifolia is the Latin name for lavender oil (this is the one you want to purchase) although there are many differ strains including spike lavender and lavandin and it is mainly grown in France and Bulgaria. It has a distinct scent that most people can recognise that is flowery and herbaceaous with a woody edge to it.

It is known as being the most versatile oil in aromatherapy as lavender can be used in treating inflamed skin conditions such as acne, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and wounds. It has antiseptic and pain relieving qualities as well as being beneficial for aches and pains. Most commonly it is known for its ability to help people sleep which researchers have put down to its harmonising effect on the nervous system. Be aware though Lavender essential oil main aims is to balance so too much of lavender might actually keep you awake, with this oil less is more.

Lavender oil has been the focus of many clinical trials and has successfully been used in some hospitals as a massage oil, bring vaporised to help dispel anxiety and as an alternative to orthodox medicine to help patients sleep. The sedative effects of lavender oil have been indicated by human studies. For example, Moss et al. (2003) found inhalation of lavender for 5 minutes significantly reduced working memory, reaction times and attention in memory and attention-based tasks compared to controls, suggesting a central nervous system depressant effect.

The respiratory system also benefits from lavender oil and is recommended for treatments of colds, coughs, bronchitis and throat infections. It also well used for people suffering with headaches. Linalool, linalyl acetate and 1,8-cineole, major constituents of lavandin and lavender were found to reduce inflammation in rats (Peana, et al., 2002; Santos, and Rao, 2000) so may be beneficial for respiratory tract inflammation when inhaled.

Being such a diverse essential oil and having so many properties the famous saying is if in doubt use lavender although we recommend using it in the correct dilutions. Contact an aromatherapist for advise before using essential oils.

References

Henry, J., et al., Lavender oil for night sedation of people with dementia. The international Journal of Aromatherapy, 6(2): 28-30

Lawless J. The encyclopaedia of essential oils. Element Books Limited, Great Britain, 1992.

Moss, M. et al. (2003) Aromas of Rosemary and Lavender Essential Oils Differentially Affect the Mood and Cognition of Healthy Adults. International Journal of Neurosience, 1 (13), pp. 15-38.

Peana, A.T.et al. (2002) Anti-inflammatory activity of linalool and linalyl acetate constituents of essential oils. Phytomedicine, 9 (8), pp. 721-726