Therapeutic Effects of Lavender Oil on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes Mellitus and Experimental Thrombosis.

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and coagulation disturbances, which contribute to microvascular and macrovascular complications. We evaluated the therapeutic effects of lavender oil (Lavandula angustifolia) in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rat model of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) with experimentally induced thrombosis. Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into control, thrombosis, diabetes, thrombosis-diabetes, and lavender oil pretreatment groups (100 and 200 mg/kg body weight [bw]). Lavender oil exhibited dose-dependent benefits, with the 200 mg/kg bw dose leading to significant reductions in proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α); regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES); and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)) and oxidative stress, along with improved glycemic control, the partial restoration of C-peptide levels, and the attenuation of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) activity (p < 0.0001). Histopathological and coagulation analyses confirmed its organ-protective and antithrombotic effects, including reduced tissue damage, vascular inflammation, and thrombus formation, and prolonged bleeding and clotting times. Our findings suggest that lavender oil exhibits dose-dependent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and organ-protective effects, indicating its potential as a complementary therapy for managing inflammation in T1DM with or without thrombosis.