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One of the most popular herbs, Lavender is a shrubby plant indigenous to the mountainous regions of the countries bordering the western half of the Mediterranean and cultivated extensively for its aromatic flowers in France, Italy and England. The flowers are less potent than the oil and are traditionally used for nervous exhaustion, headaches or colic and indigestion. Constituents Volatile oil, tannins, coumarins, flavonoids, triterpenoids Character Chinese herbal medicine regards it as bitter, dry and mainly cooling Action Lavender is traditionally used as a relaxant, antispasmodic, circulatory stimulant, tonic for the nervous system, antibacterial analgesic, promote bile flow. Application Essential oil Lotion This is traditionally used for sunburn or scalds. Add a few drops of oil to a little water. Chest rub (1ml of lavender and 5 drops of chamomile oil to 10ml carrier oil). This is traditionally used for asthmatic and bronchitic spasm Oil This is traditionally prescribed neat to insect bites and stings or dilute 10 drops in 25ml of carrier oil for sunstroke or to help sunburn Massage oil This is traditionally massaged into painful muscles (Dilute 1ml lavender oil in 25ml carrier oil). Cautions Avoid high doses of the herb during pregnancy, as it is a uterine stimulant.
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