Herb Profile
Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Oral lavender oil preparation Silexan has stronger anxiety evidence than generic lavender/aromatherapy claims; meta analysis of 5 placebo controlled trials used 80 mg/day for 10 weeks and showed anxiolytic effects with favorable tolerability.
Last reviewed: •5 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·A Strong
Use extra caution — Oral standardized lavender oil may reduce anxiety symptoms in studied adult populations. Details
- Evidence
- Strong Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- Moderate caution
- Best for
- Sleep, Stress
- Avoid / review if
- Caution With Sedatives
Safety
Safety & Cautions
Oral standardized lavender oil may reduce anxiety symptoms in studied adult populations. | Do not imply any lavender product has the same evidence; do not sell essential oil ingestion advice.
Elevated caution
Caution level: Elevated. One caution category applies — read it before use.
Detailed safety fields
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications
- Caution With Sedatives
Full safety note
- Oral standardized lavender oil may reduce anxiety symptoms in studied adult populations. | Do not imply any lavender product has the same evidence; do not sell essential oil ingestion advice. | Make the page specifically distinguish Silexan/oral lavender oil from aromatherapy.
Evidence-based safety
Caution when combined
Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.
Moderate Caution
68 flagged pairingsSedation / CNS depression
Moderate Caution
68 flagged pairingsSedation / CNS depression
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Sedation / CNS depressionCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 68 of 68 pairings in this mechanism group.
- American Yellow Lotus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Artemisia Absinthium — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Bacopa — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Seed — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Tea — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Blue Lotus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Calamus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Catuba — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Celastrus Paniculatus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Chamomile — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Chinese Skullcap — Theoretical interaction certainty
+56 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Evidence
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Most useful for practical interpretation when safety context also fits.
StrongStrong Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Present in source signals
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Stress Response Modulation
Research maturity: Established research — Long Term Human Evidence May Be Limited.
Safety boundary: Safety note available — Oral standardized lavender oil may reduce anxiety symptoms in studied adult populations.
This profile cites 5 human studies.
Study design details
Evidence Grade
Grade A: Strong Evidence
Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.
- Design Match
- Meta-analysis
- Risk of Bias
- Low
- Consistency
- Consistent
Strongest recorded design is a meta-analysis, drawn from 10 recorded studies, 9 in people. No disagreement is recorded across them.
How evidence grades work
Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.
- Strong
- Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
- Moderate
- Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
- Preliminary / Mixed
- Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
- Traditional / Theoretical
- Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (8)7 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · ~9,193 participants across 1 human evidence source with reported N · Consistency not yet classifiable
Filter by study class
Showing 8 of 8 studies.
What the evidence actually shows
This table contains 8 structured sources, including 7 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials. Across 1 human evidence source with a reported sample size, the approximate participant total is 9,193; overlapping publications may include some of the same people.
| Study | Design | N | Dose | Duration | Population | Outcome | Result & magnitude | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Effects of lavender on anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis Donelli D et al. · Phytomedicine · 2019 Background | Meta-analysis Statistically combines results from multiple eligible studies; confidence still depends on the quality, consistency, and directness of those studies. | n=9193 | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
M. Dold; L. Bartova; H. Volz; E. Seifritz; H. Möller; S. Schläfke; S. Kasper · European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience · 2023 Background | Meta-analysis Statistically combines results from multiple eligible studies; confidence still depends on the quality, consistency, and directness of those studies. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Background | Meta-analysis Statistically combines results from multiple eligible studies; confidence still depends on the quality, consistency, and directness of those studies. | — | — | — | — | — | Lavender aromatherapy reduced anxiety and fatigue in hemodialysis patients in pooled analyses. | PubMed → |
Effect of Lavender Oil on Preoperative Anxiety: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Background | Meta-analysis Statistically combines results from multiple eligible studies; confidence still depends on the quality, consistency, and directness of those studies. | — | — | — | — | — | Lavender oil significantly reduced preoperative anxiety versus control across the pooled literature. | PubMed → |
Yeung KS et al. · Phytother Res · 2018 Background | Systematic review Uses a predefined method to find and evaluate relevant studies, but may or may not pool their results statistically. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Anxiety-Reducing Effects of Lavender Essential Oil Inhalation: A Systematic Review Background | Systematic review Uses a predefined method to find and evaluate relevant studies, but may or may not pool their results statistically. | — | — | — | — | — | Ten of eleven included clinical trials reported reduced anxiety after lavender essential-oil inhalation. | PubMed → |
Show 2 more studies
Background | Systematic review Uses a predefined method to find and evaluate relevant studies, but may or may not pool their results statistically. | — | — | — | — | — | All included studies reported improvement in their measured stress, anxiety, and/or sleep outcomes. | PubMed → |
Biological activities of lavender essential oil Cavanagh HM et al. · Phytother Res · 2002 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Dosing & Timing
- Dose guidance
- Silexan 80 mg/day orally for 10 weeks in meta analysis. Do not generalize to all lavender oils/teas/aromatherapy. | Proprietary oral lavender oil preparation (Silexan); separate from essential oil inhalation and topical lavender.
How Lavender works
Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.
Mechanism Pathway — How Lavender Works
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways (preclinical)
- Stress Response Modulation
Active Compounds
Key constituents studied in Lavender, with full pharmacology and safety profiles.
Compare related active botanicals
Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.
Compare & Sourcing
Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.
Review available sources for Lavender
Independent database mapping — evaluated separately from safety and efficacy scores.
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Safety first · Harm reduction
This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.
Founder & Head Researcher · Oak Ridge, TN · Last reviewed August 2026
Editorial Review
Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.
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