Wondrous Essential Oils: Lavender and the Nervous System (Part 2)

Human studies:

Although there is considerable debate over whether the different species of lavender have significant clinical potential, either alone as additives to other substances, many human studies support its effectiveness in different neurological and psychological disorders. Lavender is mainly used through oral administration, aromatherapy or massage, and in several clinical studies many benefits were attributed to its use in this way.

In addition to psychological effects, aromatherapy is believed to be therapeutically effective due to the physiological effects of inhaled volatiles. It is believed that when inhaled, the limbic system - a system consisting of several brain structures that manage physiological responses to emotional stimuli. It is related to memory, attention, sexual instincts, emotions for example pleasure, fear, aggressiveness, personalities and behavior. The limbic system consists of parts of the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, corpus callosum, septum and brain-, particularly the amygdala and hippocampus, the linalool and linalyl acetate (which is a vast, different kind of organic derived compounds) are rapidly absorbed through the skin after topical application to massage, and are believed to be capable of causing depression in the central nervous system.

Lavender in Anxiety and Depression:

Lavender is used in the treatment of anxiety and related disorders. In three clinical trials, recently investigated, were identified the effectiveness of the administration of Lavender oil orally when taken once a day and at a dose of 80 mg / day, in anxiety disorders and generalized anxiety disorders as well as anxiety and agitation. The anxiolytic effect of Lavender exceeded a placebo group, administered to 221 patients suffering from anxiety disorder. In addition, the Lavender improved symptoms associated with the restlessness, sleep disorders, and somatic complaints, also had a beneficial influence on the welfare and quality of life in general.



According to this study, during 6-week, after oral intake of Lavender oil compared with lorazepam, was found efficacy in generalized anxiety disorder in adults, this Lavender study indicated that effectively reduces generalized anxiety.

In the study it reported relief of anxiety and mood improved in thirty-six patients admitted to an intensive care unit and receiving Lavender oil (diluted at a concentration of 1%) in the form of aromatherapy.

The same results were presented for fourteen female patients who were being treated with chronic hemodialysis (it is a process of purifying the blood in people that their kidneys are not working normally). In a survey conducted on a long stay in the outpatient department of Neurology, showed an increase in the results of mood and psychological distress after application of aromatherapy with Lavender, and was accompanied by the oil of 'Tea tree ' and 'Rosemary '.

An investigation about the effects of Lavender in aromatherapy (diluted in a concentration of 2%), on cases of anxiety and depression in postpartum women at high risk, showed significant improvement. This study was conducted using the scale Postnatal Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorders, after four consecutive weeks of administration of the Lavender. The smell of lavender reduces anxiety in dental patients; however, it has no effect on anxiety thoughts surrounding future dental visits.



In the test of 'visual analog scales' to assess anxiety, it shown that Lavender has low risk during a simple cost-effective intervention for the purpose of potentially improves preoperative anxiety. Lavender capsules orally administered containing 100 or 200 ul of organic Lavandula Aangustifolia oil, were tested on responses to movie clips that cause anxiety. In this study, shown by the scale, the assessment of mood either positively or negatively affected the heart rate. The galvanic response, suggested that Lavender has anxiolytic effects in humans suffering from low anxiety, but these effects can not extend to the conditions of severe anxiety.

A clinical research indicated an antidepressant effect of Lavender. Adjuvant therapy infusion of Lavender, and imipramine (which is a chemical group belonging to antidepressant drug, whose use is in clinical cases of major depression, and its use is evaluated in cases of disorder and / or panic attacks ) used in the treatment of forty-eight adult outpatients suffering from mild to moderate depression, it led to a high improvement. Side effects such as dry mouth and urinary retention were observed less frequently when administered with Lavender Imipramine. These results suggest that Lavender is an effective adjuvant therapy in combination with imipramine, resulting in a superior and more rapid improvement in depressive symptoms.

Neuroimaging and Lavender:


An evaluation of regional cerebral metabolic activity, with positron emission tomography, in ten healthy women after stimulation to the smell of Lavender showed improvement in the orbitofrontal neuron, the posterior cingulate gyrus, brainstem, thalamus, and the cerebellum. These findings suggest that Lavender in aromatherapy, plus relaxation effect may increase the level of excitement in some subjects.

Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) a significant activation was shown in the main olfactory brain structures, including the olfactory primary cortex, the entorhinal cortex, the hippocampus, cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, orbitofrontal cortex and insular cortex, and the extension of the lateral inferior frontal region. This study, reported, was conducted in nineteen healthy participants after application of 10% diluted in Lavender Dipropylene (which it is an organic alcohol compound, a colorless, tasteless and odorless. It is a clear oily liquid used as a solvent).

After sensory stimulation with Lavender, increased of the cortical perfusion was observed. This was assessed by computed tomography photon emission in ten healthy adults. Significant activation was observed in the gyrus rectus, the orbitofrontal cortex and superior temporal cortical areas. A slight increase in perfusion was also average temporal and parietal-occipital regions. The smell of Lavender was made ​​through orthonasal (odor perceived through the nose) and aftertaste (odor perceived by mouth), the routes and the response of the brain were measured with fMRI in 20 subjects.



Besides activation on the basis of the central sulcus, by Lavender, retro nasal smell stimulation resulted in a 'spike' in the ventral insula significant compared to orthonasal application. In contrast, orthonasal application was a 'spike' in the right caudal nucleus of the brain, which came in importance compared to the retro nasal way.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) and Lavender:

It has been suggested that some neurological disorders, shown significantly through the EEG, such as epilepsy, can be benefited by using aromatherapy. Lavender affects human pattern (EEG) with his anxiolytic effect. It has been reported that inhalation of Lavender (diluted in a 10% concentration) for 3 minutes increases power curve alpha EEG and reduces anxiety and improved mood, these were observed in 40 healthy adults.

The increases in activity of the theta (4-8 Hz) and alpha (8-13 Hz) may display a variety of general relaxation effects and can be induced by chemical and non-chemical techniques. It has been shown that during inhalation of Lavender (diluted in a 10% concentration) in 20 participants, the potency of activities theta and alpha was significantly increased in all brain regions. This study found relaxing effects increments of alpha wave activity after administration of Lavender; this is indicated in EEG tests relaxation and was produced by using aromatherapy.

Moreover, aromatherapy using Lavender was reported to produce EEG patterns with features in the subjects, of 'feel comfortable“. Lavender oil administered in a stream of aroma, it showed modest efficacy in the treatment of agitated behavior in patients with severe dementia.



As for the front asymmetry shown by EEG, suggested be a predictor of change in symptoms, functioning effectively in patients with social anxiety disorders in their final state, and undergoing psychological treatment. Assessing the frontal EEG asymmetry performed in thirty-nine adult participants and Twenty-seven newborns, revealed ended on greater activation in the left frontal EEG (associated with increased behavioral approach and affecting less depressed) after use of aromatherapy with Lavender.

Other studies in these volunteers indicated that Lavender can induce in the left frontal EEG changes in adults and children who show higher baseline on the right frontal EEG activation. It is suggested that children and adults with greater activation of the right frontal EEG compared to baseline, may be more affected by the application of the Lavender.

Sleep and Lavender:

Lavender has been recommended as an excellent natural remedy to treat insomnia and improve sleep quality. Randomized studies, which were investigated, showed the effectiveness of the smell of lavender in the quality of sleep, and showed that the mean scores improved sleep quality in fifteen and sixty-four patients with ischemic heart disease (which is a generic designation for a group of closely related disorders, where there is an imbalance between oxygen supply and demand substrates heart) and in thirty-four middle-aged women with insomnia. The ten people with insomnia, verified by a score of 5 or more in the index Pittsburgh Sleep Quality (ICSP), were treated with the smell of Lavender. They received six to eight drops of Lavender oil added every night in the cartridge, showing improving to -2.5 score points ICSP.



Most notable improvements were observed in women and younger participants, and insomnia also improved more in most serious cases. The oil dressing oral Lavender (mixed) - 80 mg / day - showed a beneficial and significant influence on the quality and duration of sleep, and the improvement of mental and physical health in general. This study was applied on 221 patients suffering from disorder of syndrome of anxiety, without causing any unwanted sedative or other specific effects of drugs. A blend of essential oils like Lavender, basil, juniper, and marjoram, shown to reduce sleep disturbances, and improve the general welfare in older patients.

In a clinical study in four geriatric patients dependent on benzodiazepines (which are psychotropic drugs that act on the central nervous system with, sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, amnestic and muscle relaxant effects) a significant decrease in sleep duration it was found by discontinuation of benzodiazepines, which was restored to previous levels by replacing aromatherapy with Lavender oil. This study suggests that environmental Lavender oil can be used as a temporary relief of continuous medication for insomnia and reduces the side effects of these drugs.



In a study in thirty-one hospitalized patients, the administration of Lavender oil showed a trend towards a better quality of wakefulness during the day and more sustained sleep at night. Contrary to these data, it should be noted that the use of aromatherapy with Lavender oil has no beneficial effect on sleep patterns in children with autism, assisting a residential school. It was suggested that this therapy may show greater effects on the home environment or long-term interventions.

Part 2 of 3

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