Herb Profile
Lavender
Botanical profile with evidence, safety, and practical fit.
Last reviewed: •5 human studies cited
A StrongUse extra caution — Oral standardized lavender oil may reduce anxiety symptoms in studied adult populations. Details
- Evidence
- Strong Human Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- Moderate caution
- Best for
- Sleep, Stress
- Avoid / review if
- Caution With Sedatives
Monograph visual
Lavender
Generated profile category visual
Where to go next — guides & comparisons
Continue reading
- If you want help sleeping → Sleep guides
- If you want help with anxiety or stress → Anxiety & stress guides
- If you want to browse more herbs → All herbs
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.
60%
Moderate caution — review 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
These pairings share a flagged risk mechanism. They are additive-effect cautions derived from contraindication data, not confirmed clinical interactions. Consult a clinician before combining.
Moderate Caution
68 flagged pairingsSedation / CNS depression
Moderate Caution
68 flagged pairingsSedation / CNS depression
Browse the grouped cautions below. The list scrolls inside this card when long.
Sedation / CNS depression
- American Yellow Lotus
- Artemisia Absinthium
- Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
- Bacopa
- Black Seed
- Black Tea
- Blue Lotus
- Calamus
- Catuba
- Celastrus Paniculatus
- Chamomile
- Chinese Skullcap
- Coriandrum Sativum
- Corydalis
- Cymbopogon Citratus
- Damiana
- California Poppy
- Eucalyptus
- Gastrodia
- Glycine
- Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
- Hops
- Hypericum Perforatum
- Jatamansi
- Jujube
- Lavender
- Lavender Extract
- Lemon balm
- Lemon Balm Extract
- Lemon Verbena
- Lemongrass
- Lobelia Inflata
- Longan
- Magnolia
- Melatonin
- Lemon Balm
- Milk Oats
- Mugwort
- Muira Puama
- Myristica Fragrans
- Nicotiana Glauca
- Nicotiana Tabacum
- Oatstraw
- Ocimum Basilicum
- Parsley
- Passionflower
- Passionflower
- Passionflower Extract
- Passionflower Extract (Standardized)
- Kava
- Polygala
- Poria
- Raspberry Leaf
- Sage
- Schisandra Berry
- Schisandra Chinensis
- Scutellaria Baicalensis
- Skullcap
- Shankhpushpi
- Sophora Flavescens
- theanine
- Valeriana officinalis
- Valerian Extract (Standardized)
- Valerian Root Extract
- Valerian
- Verbena Officinalis
- Ashwagandha
- Wormwood
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Most useful for practical interpretation when safety context also fits.
StrongStrong Human Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Present in source signals
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Stress Response Modulation
Research maturity: More interpretable — 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.
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.
A
Strong
Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
B
Moderate
Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
C
Preliminary / Mixed
Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
D
Traditional / Theoretical
Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (4)Cited studies informing this profile. RCTs and reviews shown first.
| Study | Type | Sample | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
M. Dold; L. Bartova; H. Volz; E. Seifritz; H. Möller; S. Schläfke; S. Kasper (2023) | Meta-analysis | — | Source → |
Biological activities of lavender essential oil Cavanagh HM et al. (2002) | — | — | PubMed → |
Effects of lavender on anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis Donelli D et al. (2019) | — | — | PubMed → |
Yeung KS et al. (2018) | — | — | 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 pathways
Proposed mechanisms from in vitro and animal research; these do not confirm clinical outcomes in humans.
Stress Response Modulation
Active Compounds
Key constituents studied in Lavender, with full pharmacology and safety profiles.
Condition guides
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.
Affiliate Disclosure: Shopping links may earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Links are chosen on quality and availability, never commission tiers; safety warnings and evidence ratings stay independent.
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.
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.
Free safety checklist
Get the Lavender research notes
Evidence summaries, dosing context, and safety updates for this herb — straight to your inbox.
We use your email to send the checklist and occasional evidence-first supplement updates. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy.
Botanical profile context
How to interpret Lavender
Lavender dosage ranges, effects, drug interactions, and harm-reduction safety guide for sleep. Strong Human Evidence research evidence. Use this herb profile as a starting point for evidence review, not as a recommendation to start a new supplement. Botanical products can vary by plant part, extract ratio, standardization, dose, and contaminant testing, so two labels with the same common name may not behave the same way.
When reviewing Lavender, compare the traditional-use context against the human evidence, mechanism notes, and safety cautions. Pay special attention to pregnancy, breastfeeding, liver or kidney disease, blood-pressure effects, sedation, stimulation, anticoagulant use, antidepressants, and any prescription medication overlap.
For product decisions, prefer transparent labels, named extracts, clear serving sizes, and third-party quality testing. Avoid treating a long list of possible mechanisms as proof that an herb will solve a specific condition.