Lavender

Research corpus coverage

Chemistry notes

• CHEMISTRY: Relevant reported constituents include linalool; linalyl acetate; constituent presence alone does not establish clinical efficacy.

Traditional / historical use

Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.

• TRADITIONAL: Lavender has been used for anxiety; sleep; minor skin complaints; this records historical/traditional use and does not establish efficacy.

  MODERATE · evidence synthesis/fact sheet · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

Modern evidence

• EVIDENCE: For the major use set (anxiety; sleep; minor skin complaints), the evidence assessment is limited/mixed: Limited evidence; some standardized oral oil trials support anxiety, while aromatherapy results are mixed.

  MODERATE · randomized controlled trial · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

  Mixed findings, product heterogeneity, or indirect evidence are preserved in the detailed profile.

Forms used traditionally

A listed form does not imply it suits every plant part, or that one preparation is interchangeable with another — see the plant’s own notes below.

Cats

• Caution

  Lavender essential oil from fresh flowering tops of Lavandula angustifolia, steam-distilled and incorporated into complete feed, was considered safe for cats at 7 mg/kg complete feed.

  Intrinsic toxicity · ORAL · steam-distilled essential oil in complete feed · MODERATE · regulatory_guidance · Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil ...

• Caution

  The proposed 30 mg/kg complete-feed level for the assessed lavender essential oil was not considered safe for cats.

  Intrinsic toxicity · ORAL · steam-distilled essential oil in complete feed · MODERATE · regulatory_guidance · Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil ...

• Caution

  ASPCA identifies lavender (Lavandula angustifolia; page displays “Lavendula angustifolia,” family Lamiaceae) as toxic to cats. Named constituents are linalool and linalyl acetate; listed signs are nausea, vomiting, and inappetence.

  Intrinsic toxicity · UNKNOWN · Not stated; no preparation or concentration distinction provided · HIGH · poison_control_database · Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Lavender

Dogs

• Caution

  Lavender essential oil from fresh flowering tops of Lavandula angustifolia, steam-distilled and incorporated into complete feed, was considered safe for dogs at the assessed use level of 30 mg/kg complete feed.

  Intrinsic toxicity · ORAL · steam-distilled essential oil in complete feed · MODERATE · regulatory_guidance · Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil ...

• Caution

  Lavender, listed as Lavendula angustifolia, is included under “Plants Toxic to Dogs.” No cat-specific evidence or plant-specific toxicology details are provided.

  Intrinsic toxicity · UNKNOWN · Not stated; whole plant or plant group listing only · HIGH · poison_control_database · Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List — Dogs - ASPCA

• Caution

  ASPCA identifies lavender (Lavandula angustifolia; page displays “Lavendula angustifolia,” family Lamiaceae) as toxic to dogs. Named constituents are linalool and linalyl acetate; listed signs are nausea, vomiting, and inappetence.

  Intrinsic toxicity · UNKNOWN · Not stated; no preparation or concentration distinction provided · HIGH · poison_control_database · Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Lavender

• Caution

  Ingestion of lavender massage oil in a Great Dane caused gastrointestinal irritation and posed an aspiration risk; the described amount did not cause systemic toxicity, but flavored massage oils may contain additional hazards.

  Intrinsic toxicity · OTHER · massage oil · HIGH · poison_control_database · Valentine’s Day Pet Dangers

Cats & dogs

• Caution

  The same lavender essential-oil preparation was considered safe in drinking water only when total daily intake did not exceed the amount considered safe through feed; no separate dog- or cat-specific water concentration was provided.

  Intrinsic toxicity · ORAL · steam-distilled essential oil in drinking water · HIGH · regulatory_guidance · Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil ...

• Caution

  Oral lavender may cause nausea, confusion, or eructation; topical use may cause dermatitis or photosensitivity, and additive sedation is possible with sedating medications.

  Intrinsic toxicity · OTHER · lavender product · MODERATE · veterinary_manual · Herbal Medicine in Veterinary Patients - Therapeutics

Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)

Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.

• SAFETY: Major issues include Skin allergy; oral products may cause GI effects and sedation. Contraindications/cautions include Known lavender allergy.

  MODERATE · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements

• SAFETY: Clinically relevant interaction concerns include Potential additive sedation.

  MODERATE · observational/case series and expert review · LiverTox: Herbal and Dietary Supplements

  Some interactions are theoretical or based on case reports/pharmacokinetics rather than outcome trials.

• SAFETY: Pregnancy/lactation reference: Insufficient pregnancy/lactation evidence.

  MODERATE · regulatory monograph or evidence synthesis · NCCIH Herbs at a Glance

  Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety.

• The same lavender essential-oil preparation was considered safe in drinking water only when total daily intake did not exceed the amount considered safe through feed; no separate dog- or cat-specific water concentration was provided.

  HIGH · regulatory_guidance · Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil ...

  Safety was conditional on total daily intake, and the page did not specify a direct water-use concentration.

• Oral lavender may cause nausea, confusion, or eructation; topical use may cause dermatitis or photosensitivity, and additive sedation is possible with sedating medications.

  MODERATE · veterinary_manual · Herbal Medicine in Veterinary Patients - Therapeutics

  The named compounds were not identified as toxic constituents.

• Lavender essential oil from fresh flowering tops of Lavandula angustifolia, steam-distilled and incorporated into complete feed, was considered safe for cats at 7 mg/kg complete feed.

  MODERATE · regulatory_guidance · Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil ...

  No direct cat tolerance studies with the assessed lavender oil were submitted. The lower safe level incorporated an additional margin because cats were described as having reduced glucuronidation capacity, particularly for aromatic compounds.

• The proposed 30 mg/kg complete-feed level for the assessed lavender essential oil was not considered safe for cats.

  MODERATE · regulatory_guidance · Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil ...

  The page reports a safety-assessment conclusion rather than clinical toxicosis or cat-specific adverse signs.

• ASPCA identifies lavender (Lavandula angustifolia; page displays “Lavendula angustifolia,” family Lamiaceae) as toxic to cats. Named constituents are linalool and linalyl acetate; listed signs are nausea, vomiting, and inappetence.

  HIGH · poison_control_database · Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Lavender

  The page provides no route, formulation, concentration, dose, or quantity information.

• Lavender essential oil from fresh flowering tops of Lavandula angustifolia, steam-distilled and incorporated into complete feed, was considered safe for dogs at the assessed use level of 30 mg/kg complete feed.

  MODERATE · regulatory_guidance · Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil ...

  No direct dog tolerance studies with the assessed lavender oil were submitted; the conclusion was based on component assessment, read-across, and margins of exposure.

• Lavender, listed as Lavendula angustifolia, is included under “Plants Toxic to Dogs.” No cat-specific evidence or plant-specific toxicology details are provided.

  HIGH · poison_control_database · Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List — Dogs - ASPCA

  The page spells the scientific name “Lavendula angustifolia”; the canonical species is Lavandula angustifolia. The page does not provide essential-oil evidence.

• ASPCA identifies lavender (Lavandula angustifolia; page displays “Lavendula angustifolia,” family Lamiaceae) as toxic to dogs. Named constituents are linalool and linalyl acetate; listed signs are nausea, vomiting, and inappetence.

  HIGH · poison_control_database · Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Lavender

  The page provides no route, formulation, concentration, dose, or quantity information.

• Ingestion of lavender massage oil in a Great Dane caused gastrointestinal irritation and posed an aspiration risk; the described amount did not cause systemic toxicity, but flavored massage oils may contain additional hazards.

  HIGH · poison_control_database · Valentine’s Day Pet Dangers

  The page does not identify the lavender oil’s specific constituents or establish safety of lavender plant material or other lavender preparations; the case involved an unspecified amount and product formulation.

Taxonomic identity note

• Lavender is treated here as Lavandula angustifolia Mill. in the family Lamiaceae; recorded older names include Lavandula officinalis Chaix.