- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2022.102832
- September 2022, 102832
Tina Ghavamia Mohsen Kazeminiaa 1 FatemehRajatib 2
Abstract
Background
Lavender is considered as one of the medicinal plants to manage stress. Although many preliminary studies evaluated the effect of lavender on individuals’ stress level, to the best of our knowledge, we did not find a study that summarizes the results. Therefore, the present study aimed to estimate the Pooled effect of lavender on the stress level of individuals using systematic review and meta-analysis.
Method
A systematic literature review based on PRISMA 2020 was performed on the SID, MagIran, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (WoS) databases, and Google Scholar motor engine using related MeSH/Emtree and Free Text words, including “Lavender*”, “Lavandula*”, “Stress*”, “Stress Disorders, Traumatic”, and “Stress, Psychological” with no time limitation until August 2021: We also searched two Iranain free local resourses including MagIran https://www.magiran.com and Scientific Information Database (SID) https://www.sid.ir. The quality assessment of studies was performed using JBI checklist. Heterogeneity among studies was quantified using I2 index and Random Effects model was used to combine the data and perform the meta-analysis.
1. Introduction
Stress is described as the body erosion rate from medical perspective. In fact, stress is an integral part of human life and is perhaps the most common problem in human life todays.1 Stress is manifested as a result of the interaction between internal tendencies and external stimuli determined by their environment, and determines the confrontational responses of individuals. Humans in stressful situations indicate a variety of symptoms, including increased physiological symptoms, such as headache and fatigue, emotional symptoms, such as anger, sadness, and helplessness, and behavioral symptoms, such as crying and criticism.2 High levels of stress can disrupt an individual’s function and have a negative effect on attitude and behavior.3 There is ample evidence for the existence of relationship between stress and chronic illness.4
The global prevalence of stress after the Covid-19 pandemic was reported to be 29.6% in the general population5 and 45% in the treatment staff.6 Stress can cause specific and non-specific reactions and lead to chronic arousal.7 The negative effects of stress on health and cognition can be improved with stress management approaches. Various methods have been studied to deal with stress and one of which is the use of traditional therapies, especially herbs.8
Lavender (Lavandula spp.) is recognized as one of the medicinal plants for stress management, belonging to the Labiatae (Lamiaceae) family.9 The genus Lavandula is native to the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and southern Europe through northern and eastern Africa and Middle Eastern countries to southwest Asia and southeast India. It includes more than 30 species, dozens of subspecies, and hundreds of hybrids.10 Lavender has four main species, including L. angustifolia, commonly known as English Lavender, is a frost hardy species that has many pretty cultivars, habit, and blossom color (formerly known as L. vera or L. officinalis), L. stoechas is a large plant with greenish-grey foliage and late blooming with a very strong odor (sometimes known as French lavender), L. latifolia, a Mediterranean grass-like lavender, and L. intermedia, which is a sterile cross between L. latifolia and L. angustifolia.11
Lavender contains a number of beneficial properties for the human body. In addition to the use of lavender in herbal medicine, it is widely used in cosmetics, perfume, food, and aromatherapy industries.12 The main components of lavender are identified as volatile oils (Linalole), Limonene, Perillyl alcohol, Linalile acetate, Cis smine, Terpene, coumarin tannin, caffeic acid, and camphor. However, the relative levels of each of these compounds vary in different species.13 Linalool acts as a sedative by influencing the aminobutyric acid receptors in the central nervous system.14
Some systematic review and meta-analysis studies on the effects of lavender indicated that lavender significantly reduces labor pain15, 16, 17 and dysmenorrhea,18 improves healing of episiotomy,19 decreases depression,20 improves the quality and treatment of sleep disorders,21, 22, 23 and lower blood sugar.24 Lavender is used in aromatherapy, aromatherapy massage, dripping oil, oral administration, and bathing.10 Aromatherapy or therapeutic use of inhaled essential oils, is a common way to reduce stress due to its low side effects.13 Lavender essential oil may reduce stress and create relaxation through the limbic system, especially the amygdala and hippocampus.25
In recent years, many preliminary studies have been conducted on the effect of lavender on the stress of people. However, these studies examined the effect of lavender on individuals’ stress in a small environment with small sample sizes. Further, there are discrepancies between the results of these studies. Therefore, it seems necessary to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis study to provide a clear and consistent result. Therefore, the present study aimed to estimate the pooled effect of lavender on stress using systematic review and meta-analysis.
Reference:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229922000346