Abstract
The genus Lavandula occurs naturally in the Mediterranean basin and its species are a rich source of phytochemicals. Species of this genus have attracted great interest, especially those such as fine lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Miller) and its natural hybrid lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia Emeric ex Loisel), which are cultivated for their essential oils, widely used in perfumery and cosmetics. Peer-reviews regarding lavender volatile compounds are available, however other, non-volatile, secondary metabolites of the genus Lavandula are poorly studied. In this review, the reader will find a brief outline of the taxonomy and morphology of the Lavandula genus, along with a comprehensive description of the volatile compounds isolated or putatively identified in the genus Lavandula, including triterpenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids and benzofurans. Overall, the elaboration of a detailed list reveals that 548 specialized metabolites have been described in Lavandula species. This review may be used as a scientific basis for future studies on the genus Lavandula, especially in chemical ecology and metabolomics where compound identification remains a limiting step.
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the EUCLIDE project (no 154827), co-funded by the SPLP Funds (http://www.sauvegarde-lavandes-provence.org/fr/) and the SUD PACA region (France), supporting researches on Lavandula species affected by the yellow disease. This work has also been supported by the French government, through the UCAJEDI Investments in the Future project managed by the National Research Agency (ANR) with the reference number ANR-15-IDEX-01 (CCISO).
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Héral, B., Stierlin, É., Fernandez, X. et al. Phytochemicals from the genus Lavandula: a review. Phytochem Rev 20, 751–771 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-020-09719-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-020-09719-z