Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. It is commonly used in aromatherapy, perfumery, and as a flavoring or Aroma compound in Final good. A standardized oral preparation known as Silexan is also used for the treatment of Anxiety disorder.
There are over 400 types of lavender worldwide with different scents and qualities. Two forms of lavender oil are distinguished, lavender flower oil, a colorless oil, insoluble in water, having a density of 0.885 g/mL; and lavender spike oil, a distillate from the herb Lavandula latifolia, having a density of 0.905 g/mL. Like all essential oils, it is not a pure compound; it is a complex mixture of , including linalool and linalyl acetate.
Lavender oil has been used in perfumes, aromatherapy, Massage, and topical skin applications, though these uses lack strong clinical evidence of effectiveness. It may cause allergic reactions in massage therapy. Silexan is approved in Germany for anxiety-related restlessness and has shown some clinical effectiveness in reducing anxiety symptoms, though its overall efficacy remains debated. Although generally recognized as safe, lavender oil may act as an endocrine disruptor, is toxic if ingested, especially for children, and can cause poisoning symptoms, Irritation, and Drug interaction.
Historically, spike lavender oil was used as a solvent in oil painting before turpentine became common. Lavender oil is primarily produced through steam distillation of harvested lavender blooms—typically between late June and August—with leading global producers including Bulgaria, France, and China.
Lavender oil is produced around the world, with Bulgaria, France and China leading its production.
In Germany, Silexan is approved as a medicine for restlessness associated with anxiety. A 2024 review found that an oral 80 mg dose of lavender oil per day reduced symptoms in people with anxiety disorders compared to placebo. The effectiveness of using oral lavender oil for treating anxiety remains undetermined. Lavender oil may be useful for treating depression.
Oil of spike lavender was used as a solvent in oil painting, mainly before the use of distilled turpentine became common.
Many essential oils, including lavender oil, can be poisonous if swallowed. In general, of a diluted essential oil may cause toxicity in adults, whereas can be toxic in children. Over 2014-18 in New South Wales, there were 271 reported cases of lavender oil poisoning mostly in children accounting for 6.1% of all essential oil poisoning cases. The main toxic constituents of lavender oil are linalyl acetate and linalool.
Symptoms of lavender oil poisoning by ingestion include blurred vision, difficulty breathing, burning pain in the throat, burns to the eye, confusion, decreased level of consciousness, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, and rash. Topical application of lavender oil may cause contact dermatitis.
Ingestion of lavender oil may cause drug interaction with prescription drugs, including , , and .
The composition of lavender essential oil as obtained by chromatography:
Adverse effects
Phytochemicals
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Monoterpenols28.92 % 49.47 % 0.90% 1.08% 0.09% 1.43% 0.82% 4.32% 0.78% /
Terpene esters32.98 % 0.60% 0.32% 0.65% 4.52% / 0.41% 0.54% 0.33% 0.30% 3.09% 4.44% 0.12% /
Terpenoid oxides25.91 % /
Sesquiterpenes4.62% 2.10% 2.73% 0.27% 0.28%
Camphor13.00 % 0.72%
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