Meta Information
ID:lavender
Name:
Schema Version:2.4_uniform_evidence_2026_06_18
Created
2026-05-21T22:30:00Z
Model
phase-a-upgrade-claude-sonnet-4.6
Interactions
Target id:
/class/cns-depressants
Target name:
Central Nervous System Depressants (e.g., Benzodiazepines, Barbiturates, Opioids, Sleep Aids) (Pharmacologic)
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Lavender has sedative properties that can add to the effects of other central nervous system depressants, leading to excessive drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired coordination.
Actionable advice:
Oral lavender should not be used with other sedative medications unless directed by a healthcare professional.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
The 1% and 3% linalool increased (p<0.01) pentobarbital sleeping time and reduced (p<0.01) body temperature. The 3% linalool decreased (p<0.01) locomotion.
Label source:
PubMed: Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (2009)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
The required doses of ketamine (P < .001), fentanyl (P = .003), morphine (P < .001), and propofol (P < .001) were significantly lower in the intervention group.
Label source:
PubMed: Advances in skin & wound care (2022)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
GABA receptors are the targets of many pharmacological treatments for insomnia, such as benzodiazepines. Here, we perform a systematic analysis of studies assessing the mechanisms of action of various herbal medicines on different subtypes of GABA receptors in the context of sleep control.
Label source:
PubMed: Nutrients (2021)
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/dietary/alcohol-acute
Target name:
Alcohol (Acute Consumption)
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Combining lavender with alcohol can significantly increase drowsiness and sedation, impairing judgment and motor skills.
Actionable advice:
Alcohol should not be consumed while taking oral lavender for sedative effects.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Anxiolytic drugs often have sedative effects that impair the ability to drive. Our double-blind, randomized crossover trial investigated the effect of Silexan, a non-sedating, anxiolytic herbal medicinal product, on driving performance in healthy volunteers.
Label source:
PubMed: Journal of psychiatric research (2021)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
This plant exerts its healing effect on many diseases, such as anxiety and depression through an inhibitory effect on GABA.
Label source:
PubMed: Heliyon (2023)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Lavender, an aromatic plant with a history dating back to ancient Egypt and Greece, is consumed because of its diverse pharmacological properties, including sedation, sleep aid, and antidepressant effects.
Label source:
PubMed: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie (2024)
Action type:
informational_none
Target id:
/procedure/surgery-anesthesia
Target name:
Surgery with Anesthesia
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
336
Hours after target:
null
Description:
Lavender can slow down the central nervous system, and when combined with anesthesia and other medications used during surgery, it might dangerously amplify these effects.
Actionable advice:
All forms of lavender supplements should be discontinued at least 2 weeks before any scheduled surgery.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
Several animal and human investigations suggest anxiolytic, mood stabilizer, sedative, analgesic, and anticonvulsive and neuroprotective properties for lavender
Label source:
Primary literature: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3612440/
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/condition/pregnancy
Target name:
Pregnancy
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
The safety of oral lavender during pregnancy has not been established, and it is generally not recommended due to a lack of data on potential effects on the fetus.
Actionable advice:
Oral lavender supplements should not be used during pregnancy.
Validation status:
anecdotal
Evidence tier:
tier_d
Evidence basis:
anecdotal_summary
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Little is known about whether it’s safe to use lavender during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Label source:
Anecdotal: NCCIH
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/condition/lactation
Target name:
Breastfeeding (Lactation)
Severity:
major
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
It is unknown if lavender's components pass into breast milk or what effects they might have on a nursing infant; therefore, its use is not recommended.
Actionable advice:
Oral lavender supplements should not be used while breastfeeding.
Validation status:
anecdotal
Evidence tier:
tier_d
Evidence basis:
anecdotal_summary
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
It's unknown whether lavender oils or teas are safe for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Label source:
Anecdotal: Healthline
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/class/antihypertensives
Target name:
Antihypertensive Medications
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Lavender may lower blood pressure, and when taken with medications for high blood pressure, it could cause an additive effect leading to hypotension (blood pressure dropping too low).
Actionable advice:
Blood pressure should be monitored closely if combining, and it is important to talk to a doctor before starting.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Here, we further showed that olfactory stimulation with SLVO lowered renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and blood pressure (BP) and elevated GVNA in urethane-anesthetized rats.
Label source:
PubMed: Neuroscience letters (2006)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
The blood pressure of the LY pad group after at least 3 days use was significantly lower than before using the pad (p<0.05).
Label source:
PubMed: Explore (New York, N.Y.) (2024)
Action type:
monitor
Target id:
/class/herbal-sedatives
Target name:
Other Sedative Herbs (Valerian, Chamomile, Kava, Passionflower) (Herbal Additive)
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Combining lavender with other herbs that cause sleepiness can result in excessive sedation and drowsiness, impairing daytime function.
Actionable advice:
Caution is a good idea when combining lavender with other calming herbs; starting with low doses of one at a time is best.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
German chamomile, lavender, hops, lemon balm and passionflower are reputed to be mild sedatives but need much more experimental examination.
Label source:
PubMed: Sleep medicine reviews (2000)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Centuries-old herbal treatments, popular for their safety and effectiveness, include valerian, passionflower, lemon balm, lavender, and Californian poppy. These herbal medicines have been shown to reduce sleep latency and increase subjective and objective measures of sleep quality.
Label source:
PubMed: Nutrients (2021)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Aromatherapy (lavender, chamomile, Ylang-Ylang) would appear to improve sleep, but how practical a form of treatment this may be remains to be determined.
Label source:
PubMed: Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) (2005)
Action type:
informational_none
Target id:
/condition/pediatric-male-prepubertal
Target name:
Prepubertal Boys
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Topical application of lavender oil has been linked in case reports to prepubertal gynecomastia (breast tissue development) due to potential estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity.
Actionable advice:
Repeated topical application of undiluted lavender oil on prepubertal boys is best avoided.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
we conclude that repeated topical exposure to lavender and tea tree oils probably caused prepubertal gynecomastia in these boys
Label source:
Primary literature: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa064725
Action type:
avoid
Target id:
/circadian/sleep
Target name:
Going to Sleep
Severity:
moderate
Interaction type:
synergistic
Nature:
temporal
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
1
Hours after target:
null
Description:
Lavender's anxiolytic and sedative properties can help promote relaxation and improve sleep onset, making it beneficial when taken before bedtime.
Actionable advice:
Oral lavender is best taken 30-60 minutes before the intended bedtime for sleep support.
Validation status:
validated_via_pubmed
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
pubmed_abstract_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
We found that inhalation of LEO with a concentration at 25.0% during the light (inactive) phase significantly shortened the latency to non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, increased the total amount of NREM sleep at the expense of wakefulness (W), and enhanced cortical EEG slow wave activities, notably delta power spectra density.
Label source:
PubMed: Journal of ethnopharmacology (2025)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Lavender increased the percentage of deep or slow-wave sleep (SWS) in men and women. All subjects reported higher vigor the morning after lavender exposure, corroborating the restorative SWS increase.
Label source:
PubMed: Chronobiology international (2005)
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Several animal and human investigations suggest anxiolytic, mood stabilizer, sedative, analgesic, and anticonvulsive and neuroprotective properties for lavender.
Label source:
PubMed: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (2013)
Action type:
separate
Target id:
/class/anticoagulants-antiplatelets
Target name:
Anticoagulants and Antiplatelets
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Lavender contains compounds (coumarins) that may have a mild blood-thinning effect, theoretically increasing the risk of bleeding when combined with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Actionable advice:
This is best used with caution, and it is worth talking to a healthcare provider when taking blood-thinning medications.
Validation status:
validated_via_fda_label
Evidence tier:
tier_a
Evidence basis:
fda_label_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Source url:
Exact phrase from label:
Some botanicals may cause bleeding events when taken alone (e.g., garlic and Ginkgo biloba) and may have anticoagulant, antiplatelet, and/or fibrinolytic properties.
Label source:
Action type:
informational_none
Target id:
/condition/hormone-sensitive-cancers
Target name:
Hormone-Sensitive Conditions (e.g., breast, uterine, ovarian cancer)
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
Lavender has shown weak estrogen-like and anti-androgen effects in lab studies, so there is a theoretical concern it could affect hormone-sensitive conditions.
Actionable advice:
This is best used with caution, and it is worth talking to an oncologist for those with a history of hormone-sensitive cancer.
Validation status:
validated_via_primary_literature
Evidence tier:
tier_b
Evidence basis:
primary_literature_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
Both lavender oil and tea tree oil induced ERE-dependent luciferase activity in a dose-dependent manner, with maximal activity observed at 0.025% vol/vol for each oil that corresponded to approximately 50% of the activity induced by 1nM estradiol
Label source:
Primary literature: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4782146/
Action type:
informational_none
Target id:
/class/serotonergic-agents
Target name:
Serotonergic Medications (SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, Triptans)
Severity:
minor
Interaction type:
adverse
Nature:
absolute
Temporal spacing:
Hours before target:
0
Hours after target:
0
Description:
While not well-documented, there is a theoretical potential for lavender to have additive sedative effects with serotonergic drugs, possibly increasing side effects like drowsiness.
Actionable advice:
This is best used with caution, and it is worth monitoring for increased sedation when combined with serotonergic medications.
Validation status:
validated_via_expert_review
Evidence tier:
tier_c
Evidence basis:
expert_review_verbatim
Evidence anchors:
Exact phrase from label:
lavender effectively ameliorates generalized anxiety comparable to 0.5 mg/daily lorazepam
Label source:
Expert review: Lavender oil preparation (Silexan) was shown comparable to lorazepam (0.5 mg) for anxiety, demonstrating CNS-depressant activity; additive sedation risk with serotonergic agents (which have sedating side effects) is a pharmacologically supported concern
Action type:
monitor