Ez zoubi et al. Clinical Phytoscience (2020) 6:9 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40816-019-0142-y REVIEW Open Access A Phytopharmacological review of a Mediterranean plant: Lavandula stoechas L Yassine Ez zoubi1,2* , Dalila Bousta3 and Abdellah Farah2 Abstract The Mediterranean region is characterized by a diverse vegetation cover, and the Lavandula genusisoneofthemost important medicinal and aromatic plants in this region. It has been used in traditional medicine as a treatment for anxiety and insomnia and to improve sleep quality for a long history. Lavender is commonly used in perfumes, soaps, bath powders, and scented sachets. It can flavor teas or food even at low concentrations. Several ethnopharmacological studies have demonstrated its use in treating several diseases; it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antispasmodic, sedative, insecticidal, antimicrobial and antifungal activities. This paper reviews the geographical distribution, traditional uses, chemical composition, and pharmacological activities of the Lavandula stoechas. Introduction in this region [53]. Some of thes, including sage, rosemary Six thousand years ago, several ancient civilizations in [20, 38], thyme [36], oregano [44], lavender [45, 54]and present-day Egypt, China and India began to use aromatic other Lamiaceae species [50, 54, 58], have already been and medicinal plants to treat diseases and for spiritual studied for their pharmacological activities. purposes [21, 43]. Although the use of medicinal herbs for The synonyms of Lavandula L., according to Upson therapeutic purposes is a practice as old as the history of (2002), are Stoechas Mill., Fabricia Adans., Chaetostachys mankind, aromatherapy has undergone an important evo- Benth., Sabaudia Buscal. and Muschl. and Isinia Rech. f. lution during the twenty-first century, enabling the devel- The genus Lavandula is composed of approximately 39 opment of a science of aromatherapy [26]. This herbal species, many hybrids, and nearly 400 registered cultivars remedy has shown considerable value in treating diseases (Upson & Andrews 2004). The best-known and econom- using extracts from aromatic and medicinal plants, includ- ically valued species are L. angustifolia, L. stoechas, L. lati- ing essential oils, alcoholic and hydrolic extracts, fruit folia and the L. x intermedia hybrid. juices, and extracts distilled from resins [22, 81]. Plants in the Lavandula genus are sub-shrubs or The flora of the Mediterranean area includes many sometimes perennial shrubs up to one meter in height. aromatic and medicinal species that have long been an They are in full bloom between mid-June and mid-July integral part of the local culture, covering an extensive area and prefer acidic soils. Inflorescence is common to the with different environmental conditions [4, 21, 24, 64]. The Lavandula genus. The flowers, with pedicel, are Mediterranean population has been a depository for arranged in whorls and held in clusters of cylindrical or endogenous knowledge that it has been acquired empirically quadrangular cymes. They often are purple, blue, violet through the generations. (Fig. 1), pink or lilac. The L. stoechas was likely the first Among the medicinal plants used in the Mediterra- to be used for their essential oils. The Romans, Greeks, nean basin, the species belonging to the Lamiaceae, and Arabs all recognized their medicinal properties Asteraceae, and Apiaceae families are the most common [58]. L. stoechas is a well-known plant species and is used * Correspondence: [email protected]; [email protected] throughout the Mediterranean region for its medicinal 1 Biotechnology, Environmental Technology and Valorization of Bio-resources virtues, mainly attributed to its essential oil content. It team, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology Al-Hoceima, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Ajdir 32003 Tetouan, Morocco is also used for the preparation of traditional meals and 2Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and herbal teas, and for cosmetic purposes [60, 91]. – Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Po.Box 2202, Route According to ethnobotanical and phytopharmacolo- d’Imouzzer, Fez, Morocco Full list of author information is available at the end of the article gical studies, L. stoechas is used in Morocco to treat © The Author(s). 2020 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. Ez zoubi et al. Clinical Phytoscience (2020) 6:9 Page 2 of 9 Fig. 1 L. stoechas plants from Taounate city /Morocco rheumatic diseases and nephrotic syndromes, as an its cephalic (tonic), and carminative properties. It is pre- antispasmodic agent, and to reduce pain and inflam- scribe to treat pulmonary infections and inflammatory matory problems [25, 27]. diseases (Table 1). The plant is also used in folk medi- Several researchers are interested in the pharmacological cine as an antispasmodic in colic pain and for various effects of L. stoechas essential oils and extracts, and have diseases of the central nervous system, such as epilepsy evaluated their antibacterial [29], antifungal, insecticidal, and migraine. anti-leishmanial [14], antioxidant [28, 57], and anti- L. stoechas also has positive effects on wounds, urinary inflammatory properties [12, 28]. However, other potentials tract infections, against eczema, and has analgesic, seda- pharmacological effects of this oil have not yet been tive and antiseptic properties. It is also, used as a culin- evaluated. ary herb to prepare a particular type of couscous, to The present review provides a comprehensive summary flavor certain traditional meals, and to prepare tea and of the ethnobotanical and ethnophamacological uses, chem- soup [12, 60, 91]. In the Maghreb countries, such as ical composition and biological activities of L. stoechas. Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, this plant is used in the traditional pharmacopeia to treat headaches, depression, Geographical distribution diabetes, and inflammatory and rheumatic diseases [12, L. stoechas is spread over three continents (Africa, Europe 25, 75]. and Asia). It is growing around the Mediterranean basin, In the Palestinian tradition, the decoction of the areal including in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Spain, Greece, part of lavender is used to treat migraine and epilepsy France, Italy, and Turkey. It is also found in Saudi Arabia [32]. The flower infusion is used in Turkish phytother- and Iran (Fig. 2)[85]. In Morocco, this plant typically apy as an expectorant, antispasmodic, carminative, men- grows at high altitudes on calcareous soils, especially in strual regulari, stimulant, deobstruent, resoluent and the north of Morocco, in the middle and high Atlas and wound healing agent [82]. Rif mountains. In Tunisia, it is distributed in the north, north-east and Cap Bon regions at altitudes from 400 to 1000 m [39]. According to Mohd et al. [58], L. stoechas is Phytochemical screening also found in Bihar and Bengal in India. It has been intro- Many phenolics have been identified in the Lavandula duced throughout Europe and to temperate/subtemperate genus, including protocatechuic, caffeic, ferulic, chloro- areas in the Americas, Asia, and Australia [47]. genic and rosmarinic acids, pinobanksin, pinocembrin, quercetin and luteolin [46]. Traditional uses Among the numerous chemical compounds known in L. stoechas is a well-known species used throughout the L. stoechas, Ez Zoubi et al. [27] revealed the presence of Mediterranean region for its medicinal virtues such as several chemical families in the hydroethanolic extract, Ez zoubi et al. Clinical Phytoscience (2020) 6:9 Page 3 of 9 Fig. 2 Geographic Distribution from L. stoechas such as flavonoids, catechic tannins, sterols, coumarins, 9α-diol-1-one and longipin-2-ene-7β,9α-diol-1-one-9- leucoanthocyans and mucilages. Lavandula antineae monoacetate); 7-methoxy coumarin; and lavanol ([87]; Maire was found to produce flavonoids and tannins [80] Manzoor et al. 1969). and Lavandula officinalis L. was found to contain couma- rins [5]. Xavier et al. [88] revealed the presence of apigenin Chemical constituents of L. stoechas essential oils 7-glucoside, luteolin, luteolin 7-glucoside, and luteolin 7- The terpenic compound of the species L. stoechas have glucuronide. The main constituents of flavonoids in the been determined in different Mediterranean countries leaves of the species L. stoechas are simple flavone glyco- (Algeria, Greece, Spain, Corsica, Turkey, Morocco, sides (flavone di-O-glycosides and flavone 7-O- Tunisia, etc), with variable results (Table 2). Fenchone, monoglycosides). The following compounds have been camphor, and 1,8-cineole compounds are the most com- detected in the areal parts of L. stoechas extracts: oleano- monly identified major compounds. Several studies have lic, ursolic and vergatic acids; β-sitosterol; α-amyrin; α- shown that the fenchone/camphor chemotype are the amyrin acetate; lupeol; erythrodiol; luteolin; acacetin; major compounds in L. stoechas essential oils ([12]; vitexin; two longipinane derivatives (longipin-2-ene-7β, Angioni et al. 2006). Carrasco et al. (2015) distinguished Table 1 Ethnomedicinal uses of L. stoechas in some Mediterranean countries Countries