Last update Sept. 29, 2015
Likely Compatibility
Suggestions made at e-lactancia are done by APILAM team of health professionals, and are based on updated scientific publications. It is not intended to replace the relationship you have with your doctor but to compound it. The pharmaceutical industry contraindicates breastfeeding, mistakenly and without scientific reasons, in most of the drug data sheets.
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Lavender in other languages or writings:
Lavender belongs to these groups or families:
Main tradenames from several countries containing Lavender in its composition:
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Flowers are used for infusion, also oral and inhaled liquid preparations, and essential oil.
The essential oil contains flavonoids, linalyl (45%), linalool (45%) and small amounts of camphor (1%) eucalyptol (2%).
Properties attributed by the traditional use without definite evidence are: antispasmodic, sedative and anxiolytic. Neither it has been demonstrated their effectiveness as an abortive substance.
It is usually used as tranquilizer to calm topically local pain and through inhalation for aromatherapy purposes. There is a moderate evidence of efficacy in pain relief during and after delivery and cesarean and menstrual pain.
The essential oil has mild estrogenic and antiandrogenic effect, with capacity to behave as endocrine disruptor, being important not to apply it on the chest to prevent ingestion by the infant. There have been reports of transient gynecomastia in children after topical application of essential oil as cosmetic.
At last update, there were not found published data on excretion in breast milk.
Given the lack of toxicity, as reported, moderate consumption of lavender flowers in infusion during lactation, has little or no risk.
In addition to the estrogenic effect of essential oil, it is known that the eucalyptol is excreted into milk, so that consumption of essential oil should be moderate or nil during lactation since, although contained in small amount, it is neurotoxic and convulsive.