The importance of Lavandula stoechas L. in pharmacognosy and phytotherapy

Lavandula stoechas is distributed in Africa, Europe, and Asia continents, especially in the countries of Southern Europe and North Africa neighboring the Mediterranean. The use of L. stoechas, which has a cosmopolitan distribution, mainly in the Mediterranean region, in the treatment of rheumatic diseases and reduction of inflammatory problems in folk medicine dates back to ancient times. It has been determined that L. stoechas contains various bioactive phytochemicals such as flavonoids, catechic tannins, sterols, coumarins, leucoanthocyanins, and mucilages. The essential oil obtained from the leaves and flowers is widely used in pharmacy. There are ethnobotanical and phytopharmacological studies on the antimicrobial, insecticidal, antileishmanial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of the essential oil and extracts of the plant. There are intensive studies and clinical data on its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticonvulsant effects. It has been determined that L. stoechas has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, insecticide, larvicide, anticonvulsant, antispasmodic, sedative, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects with scientific studies based on the traditional use of L. stoechas. This review supports that the aforementioned plant can be used as a medicine in the light of its traditional use and the data obtained as a result of scientific studies. In this review, it was emphasized that some regulations should be made on the cultivation, formulation, and marketing of L. stoechas.