The most widely used floral genus as an eventual co-adjuvant in medicine or as part of holistic medicine is definitely Lavender. Lavender (Lavandula sp.) is a plant of the Labiatae (Lamiaceae) family, known for its medicinal properties and largely utilized in the aromatherapy, food, cosmetics, and perfume sectors in addition to herbal medicine. We can find lavender in the regions bordering the Mediterranean Sea, from southern Europe through north and east Africa, the Middle East, southwest Asia, and southeast India. Among more of 30 species of lavender, L. angustifolia, generally referred to as English lavender, is one of the four main species of lavender. Other species are L. latifolia, a Mediterranean grass-like lavender; L. stoechas, a huge plant with greenish-gray foliage and late blooming with a potent scent (also known as French lavender); and L. intermedia, a sterile hybrid between L. latifolia and L. angustifolia.
Linalool, perillyl alcohol, linalyl acetate, camphor, limonene, tannin, triterpene, coumarin, cineole, and flavonoids are one of the more than 100 ingredients of lavender and the various species have varying relative concentrations of each of these chemicals.
Lavender, especially in form of essential oil, according to scientific literature, has several medical properties, such as:
Analgesic effect, also during chemotherapy;
Improvement of sleep quality, especially in the elderly and in babies. Linalool is active on GABA receptors. The effect on sleep is also due to the anxiolytic effect;
Antifungal, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-parasitic effects;
Efficiency against brain tumours: a compound formed by lavender and silver nanopaticles seemed to promote an increased expression of apoptotic proteins such P53 and caspases 3, 8, and 9, causing apoptosis in tumor cells, considering this compound as a potential adjunctive therapy for glioblastoma;
Neuroprotection: by counteracting the effects of A1-42 protein components’ dysregulation of Ca 2 + homeostasis via voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) and NMDA receptors, lavender essential oil can reduce A1-42 protein components’ neurotoxicity, stopping the dysregulation from causing reactive oxygen to be produced and activating caspase-3, which sets off an apoptotic cascade. So linalool, the primary component of lavender essential oil, it has been proposed as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Meanwhile, lavender essential oil could protect against neuronal degeneration by increasing the gene expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of Multiple Slcerosis patients who are experiencing relapses and remissions thanks to the effect on the gene expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and interleukin-23 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells;
Reduction of blood sugar levels: lavender has long been recognized for its therapeutic potential in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and is currently being tested;
Anxiolytic and anti-depressive effects. Silexan is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation from the flowers of Lavandula Angustifolia. It has been shown to be useful in reducing symptoms in anxiety disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder, and depressive symptoms, while also promoting better sleep quality in these patients. The mechanism of action appears to moderate the inhibition of voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCC). It also promotes neuroplasticity via activation of the transcription factor CREB;
Effect in labor pain, dysmenorrhea, episiotomy healing and reduction in perineal discomfort. The use of flower essences in general has, according to various studies, proved to be useful during childbirth, increasing the sistolic pressure, the intensity and frequency of contractions, and a reduction in the length of time it takes to deliver, with an increase in the number of vaginal deliveries and improved vital parameters of foetal activity.
References:
Magaton APFDS, Lara SRG, Gabrielloni MC, Barbieri M. Maternal and perinatal effects with the use of floral therapy in childbirth: randomized clinical trial. Rev Gaucha Enferm. 2022 Jul 31;43:e20210127. English, Portuguese. doi:10.1590/1983-1447.2022.20210127.en. PMID: 35920480.
Müller WE, Sillani G, Schuwald A, Friedland K. Pharmacological basis of the anxiolytic and antidepressant properties of Silexan®, an essential oil from the flowers of lavender. Neurochem Int. 2021 Feb;143:104899. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104899. Epub 2020 Nov 9. PMID: 33181239.
Friedland K, Silani G, Schuwald A, Stockburger C, Koch E, Nöldner M, Müller WE. Neurotrophic Properties of Silexan, an Essential Oil from the Flowers of Lavender-Preclinical Evidence for Antidepressant-Like Properties. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2021 Jan;54(1):37-46. doi: 10.1055/a-1293-8585. Epub 2020 Nov 30. PMID: 33254260.
Seifritz E, Kasper S, Möller HJ, Volz HP, Müller WE, Eckert A, Hatzinger M. Effect of anxiolytic drug silexan on sleep - a narrative review. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Sep;23(7):493-500. doi: 10.1080/15622975.2021.2013092. Epub 2022 Oct 19. PMID: 36259937.
Batiha GE, Teibo JO, Wasef L, Shaheen HM, Akomolafe AP, Teibo TKA, Al-Kuraishy HM, Al-Garbeeb AI, Alexiou A, Papadakis M. A review of the bioactive components and pharmacological properties of Lavandula species. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2023 May;396(5):877-900. doi: 10.1007/s00210-023-02392-x. Epub 2023 Feb 11. PMID: 36773055; PMCID: PMC10079719.
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