Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. Two forms are distinguished, lavender flower oil, a colorless oil, insoluble in water, having a density of 0.885Â g/mL; and lavender spike oil, a distillate from the herb Lavandula latifolia, having density 0.905Â g/mL. Like all essential oils, it is not a pure compound; it is a complex mixture of phytochemicals, including linalool and linalyl acetate. As of 2011, the biggest lavender oil producer in the world is Bulgaria.
Production
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Pure lavender essential oil is produced through steam distillation. This generates a greater amount of oil compared to other methods due to reduction of polar compound loss. Harvest of lavender blooms are typically around June. Lavender flowers are compacted into a still. Fewer air pockets in the still result in greater oil yield. A boiler is then used to steam the bottom of the lavender flower filled still at a very low pressure. The lavender flower pockets containing oil are broken from this heating process and a pipe of cold water is run through the center of the still. The hot lavender oil vapor condenses on the cold pipe with the cold water and is collected into a holding tank where it is allowed to settle. Due to polarity and densities of the water and oil, these two will separate in the holding tank whereupon the water is piped out, leaving just lavender essential oil.
Uses
Lavender oil has long been used in the production of perfume.
Oil of spike lavender was used as a solvent in oil painting, mainly before the use of distilled turpentine became common.
Lavender oil is used in massage therapy as a way of inducing relaxation through direct skin contact for application.
Lavender oil is a common ingredient in mosquito and other insect repellents.
In aromatherapy, lavender oil produces a significant decrease in performance of working memory and impaired reaction times for both memory and attention based tasks compared to healthy controls using a CDR System. Self-reported anxiety and stress levels were decreased following aromatherapy sessions. While physiological stress factors vary from person to person, aromatherapy results in a significant decrease in stress and anxiety levels in patients. Lavender oil is a potential treatment for agitated behavior in patients with dementia through application via aromatherapy.
Adverse effects
Lavender oil appears to be an endocrine disruptor, exhibiting anti-androgenic activity in vitro.
Lavender oils in soaps, shampoos, and other skin applied medications may cause prepubertal gynecomastia, which is breast development in young boys. This suggests that repeated exposure to lavender oil may promote adverse symptoms and effects. These oils can also result in skin irritation and other allergic reactions when in contact with skin, causing nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and overall bodily discomfort.
Consumption of lavender oil in conjunction with other sedatives can lead to detrimental effects on the body. Lavender oil taken with chloral hydrate can cause chronic drowsiness due to exponential buildup of this pharmaceutical sedative.
Composition
The exact composition of lavender essential oil varies from species to species but consists primarily of monoterpeneoids and sesquiterpeneoids. Of these linalool and linalyl acetate dominate, with moderate levels of lavandulyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol and lavandulol. 1,8-cineole and camphor are also present in low to moderate qualities. In all lavender oil typically contains many more than 100 compounds, although a great many of these are present at very low concentrations.
The composition of lavender essential oil as obtained by chromatography:
See also
- Lavender
- Essential oil
References
External links
- http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-838-lavender.aspx
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002711.htm
