Intro
The Additional Benefits of Lavender Oil
Lavender Oil has long been held as a premium fragrance ingredient due to its appearing aromatic properties. As a result, it has been included in personal care, home care as well as fabric applications globally. Lavender Oil when used in the correct quantities also has additional benefits.
Benefits
Major components found are linalool, linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, B-ocimene, terpinen-4-ol, l-fenchone, camphor, and viridiflorol.[10,16] However, the relative level of each of these constituents varies in different species. Lavender oil, obtained from the flowers of Lavandula angustifolia (Family: Lamiaceae) by steam distillation, is chiefly composed of linalyl acetate (3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3yl acetate), linalool (3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol), lavandulol, 1,8-cineole, lavandulyl acetate, and camphor.
The activity of linalool reflects that of the whole oil, indicating that linalool may be the active component of lavender oil.[13]
Therapeutic properties
- Antimicrobial activity: EOs extracted from Lavandula stoechas L. exhibit good antimicrobial activities against most of the bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeasts. In the study of Benabdelkader et al., minimum inhibitory concentrations were found to be ranging from 0.16 to 11.90 mg/ml.[10] It also shows antipseudomonal activity[16]
- In vitro study on the antibacterial activity of the EO of Lavandula coronopifolia against antibiotic-resistant bacteria suggested its bactericidal effect[17]
- Anxiolytic: Lavender EO is reported to reduce stress, anxiety, and improve mood when inhaled or orally administered.[18,19] It is not very effective in cases of high anxiety[20]
- Antifungal: EOs of Lavandula luisieri show an inhibitory effect on yeast, dermatophyte, and Aspergillus strains.[21] Lavandula viridis is reported to have fungicidal effect. Cryptococcus neoformans is the most sensitive fungus, followed by Candida species.
(source:Essential oils, their therapeutic properties, and implication in dentistry: A review. Namrata Dagli, Rushabh Dagli, Rasha Said Mahmoud, and Kusai Baroudi)