Lavender
Botanical Name: Lavandula angustifolia
Origins: Mediterranean Region and North Africa
Lavender is an aromatic flowering herb that has been used in medicine and perfumery for more than twenty-five hundred years. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians valued lavender for its soothing effects as well as its disinfecting properties.
Its name is thought to come from the Latin word lavare (to wash) as the herb was historically used in cleaning. Among the nearly forty species that belong to its genus, English lavender is among the most commonly used in herbal medicine today. Though not native to England, the herb may have received this moniker thanks to the affections of Queen Elizabeth I, who is said to have adored the flavor and aroma of lavender in preserves, tea, and perfume.
Lavender owes its enduring popularity to a unique combination of aromatic oils that have relaxing and uplifting effects. It is recommended for reducing irritability and nervousness, as well as the mild muscle tension and upset stomach that sometimes accompany stress, enabling better sleep, greater relaxation, and improved mood. It’s commonly consumed in teas and tinctures alongside other herbs such as passionflower and chamomile to treat stress-related insomnia.
Notes from the Herbarium
Major constituents
Lavender contains volatile oils (linabol, linalyl acetate, lavendulyl acetate, terpinenol, cineole, camphor, borneol, pinene, limonene); tannins; coumarins (coumarin, umbelliferone, hemiarin), flavonoids, triterpenoids, and rosmarinic acid.
Affinities for various body systems and actions
Lavender has affinities for the nervous system and digestive system. It also soothes the skin. Lavender has numerous properties as an analgesic, antidepressant, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-viral, diaphoretic, diuretic, nervine, sedative, and vulnerary herb.
Contraindications
Excessive internal use should be avoided by those who are pregnant or nursing. See the Memorial Sloan Kettering About Herbs website for further information.
Herb-drug interactions
Lavender may increase or potentiate the effects of sedatives, CNS depressants, anticonvulsants, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and anticoagulants.
