Lavandin is a natural hybrid resulting from the reproduction between Lavender officinalis (also called True Lavender, Lavendula officinalis or Lavendula vera) and Aspic Lavender (Lavandula spica or Lavandula latifolia cineolifera). It was discovered in the 1920s and is part of the Lamiaceae family. The Lavandin cannot reproduce naturally alone: it requires cuttings. The world production of Lavandin essential oil is about 1,000 tons per year. France accounts for 90% of production spread over 16,000 ha located mainly in the South-East region of the Provence (LESAGE-MEESSEN & al., 2015).
The Lavandin is found between 200 and 800-1,000 meters of altitude while the Lavender officinalis grows from 800 meters and beyond. Its flowers are purplish blue in color and very fragrant. Lavandin is larger than true Lavender and is highly valued for its high yield of essential oils (GARZOLI & al., 2019). It is widely used worldwide by the fragrance industry. It is a common ingredient in soaps and skincare (GARZOLI & al., 2019).
The essential oil extracted from Lavandin flowers is used for its many beneficial properties. It contains in particular monoterpenols such as linalool, terpene esters such as linalyl acetate (17-34%), terpene oxides such as cineole (3-7%), as well as camphor (4-9%) (RENAUD & al., 2001 ; CARRASCO & al., 2016).
Lavandin essential oil exhibits proven antioxidant activities in five different in vitro tests. These properties are associated with linalool and the linalyl acetate it contains. In addition, it has an inhibitory effect on pro-inflammatory lipoxygenase mediators, which gives it an anti-inflammatory effect. This effect is mainly explained by its linalool and camphor content (CARRASCO & al., 2016).
Another study confirmed the antioxidant activity of the essential oil of a cultivar of Lavandin in DPPH tests which test the antiradical activity in vitro, highlighting antioxidant properties significantly stronger than the essential oil of Lavender (BLAŽEKOVIĆ & al., 2018).
In addition, oral treatment with Lavandin essential oil has an anti-inflammatory effect in mice with experimental colitis. It decreases disease-related morbidity and mortality and protects against mucosal damage. In addition, it modifies the inflammatory response by decreasing the infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages, reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, l interleukin (IL)-22, macrophage inflammatory protein-2α, and increasing regulatory T cell populations compared to untreated mice (BAKER & al., 2012).
Lavandin essential oil reduces stress and anxiety in humans and animals. Indeed, the inhalation of essential oil vapors of Lavandin and linalool vapors decrease the level of adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH), and opposes the increase in the levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine induced by ether inhalation in rats (YAMADA & al., 2005).
In a study performed in an intensive care unit, Lavandin used topically was found to be more effective than true Lavender in reducing emotional and behavioral stress in 28 patients who underwent cardiotomy (BUCKLE & al., 1993).
Furthermore, in an experimental study carried out on 150 patients before surgery and comparing the effect of Lavandin essential oil with that of standard pre-operative care, Lavandin oil was shown to decrease the anxiety assessed by visual analog scale scores during transfer to the surgery room (BRADEN & al., 2009).
Lavandin essential oil exhibits a broad spectrum of antibacterial and antifungal activities. Lavandin essential oil exhibits antibacterial effects against both Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Listeria innocua and Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study, the authors report a greater sensitivity of Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative bacteria (WELLS & al., 2018).
In another study, the bacteria Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most sensitive strains to Lavandin essential oil. The weakest antibacterial activity of this oil was observed against Proteus mirabilis (BLAŽEKOVIĆ & al., 2018).
Regarding antifungal activity, Lavandin essential oil inhibits the growth of fungi including different species of the genera Candida, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium. In addition, Lavandin essential oil inhibits the growth of different strains of dermatophytes such as Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Tricophyton rubrum. Of the two dominant compounds tested comparatively in this study, linalool was found to be a much more potent active than linalyl acetate (BLAŽEKOVIĆ & al., 2018).
Lavandin essential oil exhibits insecticidal activity by fumigation and by contact against the crop parasite Drosophila suzukii. This activity is particularly linked to its linalool and cineole content (ERLAND & al., 2015). It also has toxic effects against insects and mites such as the insect Spodoptera littoralis and the tick Hyalomma lusitanicum (ORTIZ DE ELGUEA-CULEBRAS & al., 2018). Lavadin essential oil also exerts high in vitro toxicity on the plant-parasitic nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and Pratylenchus vulnus, even at very low concentrations (D’ADDABBO & al., 2021).
You will never see the princess of the gardens, so deliciously fragrant and extremely effective, and your wardrobes the same way again.
