Customer Reviews

Lavender: The Genus Lavandula (Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Industrial Profiles)

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SYNOPSIS
Lavender, Edited by Maria Lis Balchin

By Dr. Geetanjali Gajanan Ranade
Goldfield Fragrances, 1/17 Prabhadevi Indl Estate, Veer Savarkar Marg, Prabhadevi, Mumbai 400 024, INDIA

Email: geetanjaliranade@hotmail.com


BOOK DETAILS:
Lavender Edited by Maria Lis Balchin
Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Industrial Profile
Published by Taylor and Francis, (2002) ISBN: 0 415 28486 4

Considering increased inclination of people to develop commercial and medicinal crops worldwide, it is very important for Indians to consider working in this area, with strong technical understanding. Amongst many aromatic plants, Lavender seems to be very important, as indicated by workshops at IHBT on lavender oils. This is also true, because, India, being a geographically versatile land, it is possible to grow various species and sub species of Lavender. The book edited by Maria Lis Balcin, gives a very elaborate information about Lavender plant, which includes it's different botanical species, cultivation requirement, Lavender grown in different countries, harvesting and distillation of oil, standardization of oil, chemical analysis of oils from lavender and lavendin, therapeutic properties of lavender oil and application in aromatherapy. In this synopsis, I would like to describe in brief about the contents of the book and usage.
It is very important to identify exact botanical species, before it is considered for commercial cultivation, so that one can work towards supplying optimal growth conditions for the plant. In this respect, this book is very helpful, because, it includes many illustrations and photos for easy understanding and I am sure they will help in identifying the said species.

The book talks about modern ways of lavender plant propagation, use of modern techniques such as cell and tissue culture hybridization and development of better quality, or I would say industrially beneficial species. While discussing chemical composition of the Essential Oil (EO), the book talks about variation in various species of Lavendula. Not only this, one chapter talks about differences in Lavender oil from crops of the same species grown by ten different cultivators. This article is very important from growers' point as well as from distillers' point. When we need same odour profile of lavender oil, for perfumery application, it is important to pay attention to get same crop variant. Here, when I say same variant, I do not mean same botanical variant, but I mean 'same' with respect to `oil' quality.
Though this book talks about many aspects of Lavender oil and extraction procedures, I feel, it should have had some additional information and guideline about Lavender cultivation. This should include climatic conditions required, soil, maintenance, good harvesting practices, and storage of foliage and so on. Various country profiles should have been discussed. This information would have been of great importance to people of India, to consider Lavender cultivation as a source of income. Also, it would help them to work for obtaining oil; which is superior for therapy as well as in perfumery.

Let me now give you overview of the chapters in the book:

In the first chapter, the editor introduces the viewer about the Lavendula spp.

In the second chapter, Tim Upson discusses detail taxonomy and classification of Lavendula genus belonging to family Labiatae. He also teaches us, how to identify various Lavendula spp, based on leaf structure, inflorescence and other botanical anatomy.

In the third chapter, the editor, along with Jo Castle discusses Usage of Lavendula spp, from 40 AD till to date.

In the forth chapter, the author discusses how the Lavendula spp are classified and re-classified over a period of time. The classification started from the year 1937. She also discusses historical development for Lavendula hybrid development and cultivation.

In chapter five, the editor along with Henry Head talks about growing of Lavender for essential oil production in England. This chapter lists the species, which could be grown in England.

In chapter six, Simon Charlesworth discusses about the retail lavender nursery. This information is of very much importance for someone who is REALLY keen to have Lavender plantation developed, or help Lavender plantation.

In chapter seven, Rosemary Holmes, discusses about Lavender growing in Australia. It also gives cultivation requirement, and useful tips for business.

In chapter eight, the editor, talks about naming and misnaming of Lavender cultivars. This chapter is very important for the student of essential oil because it tells us, how the crops with different names, in reality are not different. It is just that different cultivators use different names. Reading this, one would definitely understand how the usage of Botanical Name is very important.

In chapter nine, J. Harborne and C. Williams talks about phytochemistry of the genus Lavendula. This means mono and sesquiterpenoids present in the genus Lavendula. It discusses chemical identification of Lavendula spp., based on chemical analysis of essential oil.

In chapter ten, E.F.K. Henry discusses distillation of Lavender type oils. It gives very good design of the distiller that needs to be uses while distillating Lavender oil.
In chapter eleven, the editor Maria discusses Lavender essential oil, its standardization, quality assurance and identification.

In chapter twelve, G. Buchbauer discusses therapeutic properties of Lavender oil. I feel, this chapter should be read very carefully, and understood well, before Lavender oil is used for therapy.

In chapter thirteen, the editor with S. Hart discusses pharmacology of Lavendula essential oil. I find this chapter is very important not only from application point of view, but it is an important chapter academically.

In chapter fourteen, psychological effects of Lavender are discussed by M. Kirk Smith. This oil is regarded as calming agent, based on individual study and needs to be studied well. And author says these properties can be difficult to identify or pin down.

In chapter fifteen, S. Deans discusses antimicrobial properties of Lavender. He discusses chemical components responsible for such activity and also lists various microorganisms against which the oil or its components works.

In chapter sixteen, the editor discusses use of Lavender oil in aromatherapy. She gives different modes of application of oil for therapy and physiological effects of the oil on subjects. This also includes a discussion on toxicity due to Lavender oil.

In chapter seventeen, the editor, along with R. Wells, discusses perfumery use of lavender and lavendin oils. I think it is a good introduction of Lavender oil in perfumery application along with other compatible oils.

In chapter eighteen, Maria discusses use of Lavender and Lavender oil in cosmetic products, in flavours and medicinal products.

In chapter nineteen, the editor discusses why it is important to have scientific basis for all that is said about Lavender. This includes standard authentification tests, pharmacological evaluation, and therapeutical findings about Lavender oil.
In chapter twenty, M.P. Ilieva-Stoilova, A. Ivanov Pavlov and E.G. Kovatcheva-Apostolova, discuss about biotechnical applications for Lavender cultivation with specific enrichments. Here, they talk about the spp with higher rosamarinic acid synthesis.

In chapter twenty-one, S. Andrews discusses historical review about two hybrids of the genus Lavendula.

In chapter twenty two, D.J. Charles, E.N.C Renaud and J.E. Simon give comparison of same Lavender spp, but different cultivars and organically grown. This chapter tells us, how important standard cultivation procedures are.

In chapter twenty-three, Maria, along with S. Hart discuss chemical profile of Lavender oils and pharmacology along with other essential oils.

In the last chapter, Maria Lis Balchin, the editor, tells us, chemical composition of essential oils, obtained from different spp. of the genus Lavendula. These variations are due to climatic, geographic or seasonal differences. These also could be due to the amount of watering and fertilizers used as well as variation in genotype.

In nutshell: When I read the book, I realized that there is lot we need to know about Lavender oil, give scientific inputs understanding this spp. And this book, to some extend gives us most of the technical `know how' of Lavender in commercial sense. One may think that why farmers, traders or distillers should know scientific information in such great details. But I think, technical and thorough knowledge is the key for successful commercial and industrial application of any aromatic and medicinal plant.
I hope, in near future to have one more chapter, growth of Lavendula spp. in India.