Lavender flower

Lavandula angustifolia

Description: Lavender is a heavily branched shrub which is indigenous to the Mediterranean. The flowers form whorls of 6 to 10 blossoms. The bracts are often brown, brown-violet, or violet tinged.

Composition: The medicinal parts include the essential oil from the fresh flowers, and flowers gathered shortly before fully unfolding. The essential oil contains linalyl acetate, linalool, camphor, beta-ocimene, and 1,8-cineol. The herb also contains tannins.

Actions:
Internal: Sedative. Antiflatulent. Cholagogue. External: Rubefactant.

Use:
Internal: Used for mood disturbances such as restlessness or insomnia, functional abdominal complaints (nervous stomach irritations, Roehmheld syndrome, meteorism, nervous intestinal discomfort).

External: For treatment of functional circulatory disorders.

Cautions: The volatile oil has a weak potential for sensitization.

Administration: May be used in tea and as a bath additive.