What Is Lavender Oil?
Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. Like all essential oils, it is not a pure compound. It is a complex mixture of naturally occurring phytochemicals, including linalool and linalyl acetate.
Lavender oil has long been used in the production of perfume and in aromatherapy. The scent has a calming effect which may aid in relaxation and the reduction of anxiety. According to Wikipedia, Lasea capsules containing lavender oil with a high amount of linalool and linalyl acetate, is approved as an anxiolytic in Germany. The approval is based on a finding that the capsules are comparable in effect to low-dose lorazepam, a type of bezodiazepine
How To Use Lavender Oil
May be applied directly onto skin and nails. Use sparingly.
Use in a diffuser.
Mix into shampoo, conditioner or a carrier oil.
May be used as a dietary supplement.
Beauty Benefits
Insomnia, hair loss, burns, nervous tension, respiratory infections, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, menstrual problems/PMS, skin conditions, blood fat/cholesterol reduction, reducing excess sebum on skin
Science Behind Lavender Oil
According to a study published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology (Feb. 16, 2011), Lavender oil could be used to combat infectons resistant to anti-fungal medication. The essential oil shows a potent antifungal effect against strains of fungi responsible for common skin and nail infections.
Scientists from the University of Coimbra in Portugal distilled lavender oil from the Lavandula viridis L'Hér shrub that grows in southern Portugal. The oil was tested against a range of pathogenic fungi and was found to be lethal to a range of skin-pathogenic strains namely, dermatophytes and various species of Candida.
Dermatophytes cause infections of the skin, hair and nails. They use the keratin within these tissues to obtain nutrients. Dermatophytes are responsible for conditions such as Athletes' foot, ringworm and can also lead to scalp and nail infections. Candida species coexist within most healthy individuals without causing problems but may cause mucocutaneous candidosis (thrush) in some people. In immunocompromised patients, Candida may cause serious infection if the fungal cells penetrate into the blood stream.
Currently, there are relatively few types of antifungal drugs to treat infections. Those that are available often have side effects. Professor Lígia Salgueiro and Professor Eugénia Pinto who led this study explained that alternative fungicides are urgently needed beacuse in the last few years there has been an increase in the incidence of fungal diseases, particularly among immunocompromised patients. They said, there is also increasing resistance to anti-fungal drugs. Research by their group and others have shown that essential oils may be a cheap, efficient alternative that have minimal side effects.
Essential oils distilled from the Lavandula genus of lavender plants are already used widely, in the food, perfume and cosmetic industries. Studies of the biological activities of these oils suggest Lavandula oils have sedative and antispasmodic properties as well as being potent antimicrobials and antioxidants.
This group has demonstrated that lavender oil works by destroying the cell membranes of fungal cells. They believe that further research into the mechanisms by which this essential oil works could have significant clinical benefits. "Lavandula oil shows wide-spectrum antifungal activity and is highly potent. This is a good starting point for developing this oil for clinical use to manage fungal infections. What is now required is clinical trials to evaluate how our in vitro work translates in vivo," said Professor Salgueiro
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