title: Topical lavender oil for the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulceration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the laboratory and clinical efficacy of lavender oil in the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study performed firstly to treat the induced ulcers by different methods in experimental animals (rabbits) treated with lavender oil or placebo. Clinical and histological healing was established by measuring the area of the ulcer and inflammation levels in each test group. Secondly, safety/toxicity; the median lethal dose (LD50) was studied in albino mice, and dermal irritation test was performed by primary irritation to the skin and measured by a patch-test technique on the intact skin of the albino rabbit. Thirdly, antibacterial effect; lavender oil was screened against bacteria obtained from swab specimen of human subjects' RAU using disc diffusion method. Fourthly, clinical study; 115 subjects (mean age 38 years, mean weight 75 kg) were divided into two groups of subjects topically treated with lavender oil or placebo. The clinical efficacy was assessed by inflammation level, erythema, edema, ulcer duration, ulcer size, mean area under the curve of ulcer area, healing time, and associated pain intensity and reduction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Animals treated with lavender oil showed a significant ulcer size reduction, increased rate of mucosal repair, and healing within 3 days of treatment compared to baseline and placebo groups [2-3 days (90%), 4 days (10%)] (P=0.001). The intraperitoneal LD50 value in mice was 6.5 gm/kg; clinical dermal irritation test showed no sign of irritation in the tested products. Lavender oil showed a broad antibacterial activity against all tested strains; it exhibited significant inhibition on tested bacteria where the value of zone of inhibition ranged from 14.5-24 mm vs Streptomycin (25 microg/disc) 12-22 +/- 0.5 mm; MIC was > 6.4-36 mg/ml. RAU patients treated with lavender oil showed a significant reduction in inflammation level, ulcer size, healing time, from 2-4 days [2 days (40%), 3 days (50%), 4 days (10%)], and pain relief mostly from the first dose, compared to baseline and placebo. No side effects were reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, 100 Metry - near Rizgary Hospital, Erbil City, Kurdistan, Northern Iraq, Iraq. tagreedaltaei@yahoo.com
authors.forename: D Tagreed
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Altaei
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000187:drug effects; D017453:Dermatitis, Irritant / Q000209:etiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D027523:Lavandula; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D010328:Patch Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010919:Placebos; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D011817:Rabbits; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010919:Placebos; D010938:Plant Oils; C045718:lavender oil