Essential Oil Spotlight: Lavender Essential Oil

“Owing to the possession of antibacterial and anti-cancer activities, plant essential oil has become the focus of phytomedicine research, and drug delivery system formulation development.”

Introduction

Lavender essential oil, known for its antibacterial and anticancer properties, has gained attention in phytomedicine research and drug delivery system development. Lavender, especially the Lavandula angustifolia species, is grown worldwide. Its essential oil, obtained through steam distillation, has a long history of use in aromatherapy, cosmetics, massage oils, and perfumes. The composition of L. angustifolia essential oil can vary, but its main components, linalool and linalyl acetate, are consistent with past studies. One study explored the effects of L. angustifolia essential oil and its main components on human prostate cancer cells. What they found was astounding. 

Lavender in Prostate Cancer

Advanced metastatic prostate cancer is defined by its ability to invade and spread

to other parts of the body. Different factors influence these processes. The DU145 and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines, derived from brain and bone metastases, respectively, exhibit varying metastatic potential. For instance, DU145 cancer cells rely on cathepsin activity for invasion. The presence of TMPRSS2/ERG gene fusions, along with PTEN deficiency, promotes prostate cancer progression. These differences in cell lines may explain why PC-3 is more sensitive to certain phytochemicals than DU145 cancer cells.

Cancer treatment often involves targeting signal transduction pathways that regulate gene expression, halt cell cycles, and trigger apoptosis (programmed cell death). Apoptosis is a key mechanism in cancer prevention and treatment. Flow cytometry analysis shows that lavender essential oil, linalool, and linalyl acetate can induce apoptosis in prostate cancer cells, suggesting their potential as chemopreventive agents. They also affect cell cycle phases, leading to cell cycle arrest at different stages in PC-3 and DU145 cells. Apoptosis can occur through two main pathways: mitochondria-dependent (intrinsic) and death receptor-dependent (extrinsic). Increasing the levels of DR4 and DR5 receptors is linked to enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Zhao et al, found that essential oil and linalool raised DR4 and DR5 levels only in DU145 cells, not in PC-3 cells, pointing to different mechanisms at play in these cell lines. Essential oil and linalool may enhance TRAIL-induced apoptosis in DU145 cells, however, further research is needed to understand TRAIL-mediated signaling in TMPRSS/ERG fusion-positive prostate cancer.

Lavender's Effect on Metastatic Prostate Cells

The authors found that lavender essential oil, "significantly induced apoptosis compared to the control group. This study provides novel insight and evidence on the antiproliferative effect of L angustifolia essential oil and its major constituents on human prostate cancer. The antitumor effect was associated with cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction in xenograft tumors." (Zhao, et al).  

Another 2024 study published in the journal, Pharmaneutics, found that all strains of lavender were effective at inhibiting tumor cell growth, but only Lavendula angustifolia was effective at inhibiting cell growth and migration, and also inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (Pimentel, et al, 2024).

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