Lavender

Generic name: Lavender
Drug class: Herbal products

Usage of Lavender

Lavender is an herb also known as Alhucema, English Lavender, French Lavender, Garden Lavender, Huile Essentielle de Lavande, Lavanda,Lavande des Alpes, Lavande du Jardin, Lavande Espagnole, Lavande Fine, Lavande Française, Lavandula, Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula dentate, Lavandula latifolia, Lavandula spica, Lavandula stoechas, Lavandula vera, Lavender Essential Oil, Ostokhoddous, Spanish Lavender, Spike Lavender, and other names.

Lavender has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in treating hair loss, anxiety, canker sores, pain after a C-section, and to help prevent falls in older adults.

Lavender has also been used to treat cancer-related pain, dementia, and pain around the vagina and anus. However, research has shown that lavender may not be effective in treating these conditions.

Other uses not proven with research have included agitation, eczema, colic in infants, constipation, depression, menstrual pain, high blood pressure, lice, migraines, ear infections, acne, nausea and vomiting, as well as other conditions.

It is not certain whether lavender is effective in treating any medical condition. Medicinal use of this product has not been approved by the FDA. Lavender should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.

Lavender is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

Lavender may also be used for purposes not listed in this product guide.

Lavender side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Although not all side effects are known, lavender is thought to be likely safe for most people.

Stop using lavender and call your healthcare provider at once if you have:

severe drowsiness.

Common side effects of lavender may include:

constipation;

headache:

increased appetite; or

skin irritation when used topically.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Lavender

Before using lavender, talk to your healthcare provider. You may not be able to use lavender if you have certain medical conditions.

Ask a doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider if it is safe for you to use this product if you have:

high or low blood pressure.

It is not known whether lavender will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are pregnant.

It is not known whether lavender passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without medical advice. Lavender products for the skin might be possibly unsafe for children, especially young boys.

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Warnings

Follow all directions on the product label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

What other drugs will affect Lavender

Other drugs may interact with lavender, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Do not take lavender without medical advice if you are using any of the following medications:

medicines that cause sleepiness such as sedatives, barbiturates and benzodiazepines (chloral hydrate, amobarbital (Amytal), bUTAbarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), Pentobarbital (Nembutal), phenobarbital (Luminal), secobarbital (Seconal), lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium), midazolam (Versed), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others); or

medicines for high blood pressure: Captopril (Capoten), Enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), diltiazem (Cardizem), Amlodipine (Norvasc), Hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL), furosemide (Lasix), and many others.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with lavender, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this product guide.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

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