Lavender

Lavender is an herb known by many names, including 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 others.

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

Lavender has also been used for cancer-related pain, dementia, and pain around the vagina and anus. However, research indicates that lavender may not be effective for these conditions.

Other uses that have not been proven through research include agitation, eczema, colic in infants, constipation, depression, menstrual pain, high blood pressure, lice, migraines, ear infections, acne, nausea and vomiting, and other conditions.

It is not clear whether lavender is effective for treating any medical condition. The FDA has not approved the medicinal use of this product. Lavender should not be used instead of medication prescribed by your doctor.

Lavender is often sold as an herbal supplement. Many herbal products lack regulated manufacturing standards, and some supplements have been found to be contaminated with harmful metals or other drugs. It is important to buy herbal/health supplements from a trustworthy source to reduce the risk of contamination.

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

When thinking about using herbal supplements, talk to your doctor. You may also want to consult a practitioner who specializes in herbal or health supplements.

If you decide to use lavender, follow the instructions on the package or those given by your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider. Do not use more of this product than what is recommended on the label.

Do not use different forms of lavender (like tablets, liquids, and others) at the same time, unless a healthcare professional specifically tells you to. Using different forms together can increase the risk of an overdose.

Call your doctor if the condition you are treating with lavender does not get better, or if it worsens while using this product.

Lavender can affect blood pressure and your central nervous system. If you need surgery or dental work, stop taking lavender at least 2 weeks beforehand.

Store at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.

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.

Before using lavender, speak with 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 if lavender will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are pregnant.

It is not known if 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.

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 right away if you have:

• severe drowsiness.

Common side effects of lavender may include:

• constipation;
• headache;
• increased appetite; or
• skin irritation when used on the skin.

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.

Skip the missed dose if it is close to the time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra lavender to compensate for the missed dose.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Follow your healthcare provider's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.

Lavender might cause sleepiness. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Avoid using lavender together with other herbal/health supplements that can also cause sleepiness. This includes calamus, California poppy, catnip, hops, Jamaican dogwood, kava, St. John's wort, skullcap, valerian, yerba mansa, and others.

Avoid using lavender together with other herbal/health supplements that can lower blood pressure, such as andrographis, casein peptides, cat's claw, coenzyme Q-10, fish oil, L-arginine, lycium, stinging nettle, theanine, and others.

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.