Overview on the potential role of phytochemicals from lavender as functional ingredients
Daniela Radu Lupoae, Petru Alexe, Nicoleta Stănciuc
Abstract
Lavender is a member of the Lavandula genus, the Lamiaceae family, including herbs such as rosemary, mint, basil, sage, etc. Lavenders (Lavandula species) are aromatic plants of great economic value due to their fragrance, widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The plants are well known for their essential oils content, who was found to have many functional effects, including antimicrobial, insecticidal, antioxidant activities and anticholinesterase inhibition. Detailed information about botanical aspects, chemical and phytochemical composition of the essential oil, selected therapeutic properties and potential applications are given from the perspective of knowledge progress for further applications. From the data given, it can be pointed out that lavender is an important source of biologically active compounds, with significant effects on humans, indicating the possibility of broader application in pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, agriculture and food industry. The attempt to enhance the knowledge about the characteristics, phytochemical profile, and the functional potential of lavender may help develop new ingredients with higher functionality for potential uses in the food industry.