With a large segment of the population suffering from depression, anxiety, or both, treatment options continue to grow. Alternative treatments, especially non-invasive ones, are of particular interest to researchers and patients. The effectiveness of alternative treatments, as well as side effects and length of treatment, continue to be explored in clinical settings.
Kim and colleagues explain that lavender oil “recognized for centuries for promoting ‘well-being’ and for reduction of distress contains more than 160 substances” (p. 280). Silexan, an oral treatment formulated from lavender oil, has been approved in some countries for the treatment of anxiety and co-morbid depression. Prior reviews and meta-analyses have focused on the anxiety-reducing properties of lavender oil.
This meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of lavender on depression and anxiety using randomized controlled trials (a total of 4319 participants). The method of administering lavender varied across studies, including massage, inhalation, tea, or Silexan. Outcome measures included self-report (questionnaires) and physiological indicators such as blood pressure, heart rate, or cortisol in saliva.
Results showed that lavender significantly reduced depression and anxiety compared to control conditions. The route of delivery of lavender mattered: massage was most effective on depression, followed by inhalation, and oral administration (Silexan pill). Results for anxiety were similar, but inhalation proved more effective than massage. Drinking lavender tea had no significant impact. These effects were documented by self-report measures: physiologic measures did not change from pre- to post-treatment, with the exception of systolic blood pressure.
Citation: Kim, M., Nam, E. S., Lee, Y., & Kang, H-J. (2021). Effects of lavender on anxiety, depression, and physiological parameters: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Asian Nursing Research, 15, 279-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.2021.11.001
©Jennie Dilworth, Ph.D