Efficacy of Lavender Oil as an Adjunctive Treatment for Patients with Osteoarthritis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) experience decline in social and physical abilities. Lavender is a promising option. To determine the clinical efficacy of lavender oil in comparison with Piroxicam gel (PG) for the treatment of knee OA. A double-blind trial with 90 patients utilized random blocks to divide them into three groups including the lavender oil group, the PG group, and the control group for treatment comparison. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were used to measure aspects of osteoarthritis, particularly physical function, pain, and stiffness. Control group had no change in VAS pain scores. Lavender oil and PG reduced scores after one month, but remained unchanged after two months. The VAS scores of the lavender oil group exhibited a significant reduction from 5.37 ± 0.68 to 3.00 ± 0.64, while PG decreased VAS score from 5.45 ± 0.98 to 3.62 ± 1.26 (<i>p</i> < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups. Altogether, Lavender oil has a similar effect as PG on pain severity and physical function in patients with knee OA. Lavender oil is recommended as an effective natural therapeutic agent and safe complementary treatment for knee OA.