Updated 29 January 2024

Botanical characteristics

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Subkingdom: Tracheobionta 
• Division: Magnoliophyta 
• Class: Magnoliopsida 
• Subclass: Asteridae 
• Order: Lamiales
• Family: Verbanaceae 
• Genus: Loysia
• Part used: Plants and flowers
• Country of origin: Spain, Morocco

Precautions for use

Caution! Lemon verbena essential oil should be used with caution.

Pregnant women over 3 months and adults and adolescents can use it, but only through the skin or by inhalation (possible diluted diffusion and oral route reserved for the therapist).

It is the risks that we should be aware of.

The essential oil of Lemon verbena is photosensitising, dermocaustic, skin and respiratory irritant and allergenic.

It also has hormone-like properties.

People who are allergic to the compounds present need to be extremely vigilant!

Other precautions

Warning:

• People with epilepsy or asthma should seek medical advice before using this essential oil.

Cutaneous use:

• Lemon verbena essential oil is irritating to the skin and dermocaustic in its pure form, so it should be diluted in vegetable oil before application (15% essential oil to 85% vegetable oil).
• Pregnant women should avoid application to the abdominal area.

Ingestion:

• Do not take this essential oil before consulting your therapist.
• This essential oil can be used in cooking if diluted in a fat (oil, cream, yoghurt, milk) or sweetened (syrup, honey).
• It should not be used pure.

Diffusion:

• Dilute your essential oil in other essential oils for diffusion.
• Pregnant women and babies can use atmospheric diffusion by diluting the essential oil between 20 and 30% maximum in other essential oils (20 to 30% Lemon verbena essential oil in 70 to 80% other essential oils).

Allergenic components:

Lemon verbena essential oil is high in biochemical allergenic components:

• limonene (16-23%)
• linalool (≤1%)
• citral (18-32%)
• geraniol (≤1%)

Note: It is best to test the essential oil before use (two drops on the crease of the elbow for at least 24 hours to check for a reaction).

Authorised users

Risks of use