03 Jun 2025

Lavender and lemongrass oils effective against thrush infections, new research reveals

They may be more familiar as a room scent but a new study presented at the Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum reveals that lavender and lemongrass essential oils are effective against thrush, even at low levels.

Aston University undergraduate Olamiju Cooper, who is presenting the research, recently won a poster prize at the Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum at the ICC in Birmingham for her presentation entitled ‘Investigating the Potential of Essential Oils to Treat Candida albicans Infections: Applications in Women’s Health’.

Olamiju carried out her investigation at the start of this year in an 8-week microbiology project at Aston University, as part of her undergraduate degree research project.

This research looked at the potential alternatives for vulvitis candida, also known as thrush. Motivated by the increasing rise in antibiotics and antifungals, along with a passion for women’s health, she aimed to find alternatives for the antifungals currently used to treat thrush.

Women’s health

“Thrush affects over 75% of women at least once in their life. My work adds to the body of research that is starting to look for more sustainable treatment options than what’s currently on the market,” Olamiju explained.

“After preliminary research on what essential oils would be best to treat Candida albicans (the most prevalent organism found in thrush), I performed experiments to determine the minimum inhibitory and fungicidal concentrations of lavender and lemongrass essential oils. These experiments showed that both oils have therapeutic effects at very low concentrations.”

Throughout the 8-week project, supplementary experiments were carried out to explore the potential synergistic activity between the two essential oils when used in combination against Candida albicans. These investigations aimed to determine whether the oils, when paired, exhibited enhanced antifungal effects compared to when applied individually.

Mechanisms of action

In addition to assessing synergism, the study also sought to investigate possible mechanisms of action. A key component of this was the measurement of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production within C. albicans cells. Elevated ROS levels can indicate oxidative stress, which may disrupt fungal cell function and contribute to antifungal activity.

The pH of each essential oil was tested to evaluate its compatibility with human skin. This was particularly important for considering the safety and feasibility of the oils for topical use.

“Collectively, these experiments added depth to the understanding of the oils’ therapeutic potential. Attempts were also made to find the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of Canesten, which is the current leading treatment for thrush to compare it t the effectiveness of the essential oil alternative,” Olamiju said.

“The most surprising thing about this is just how low the MIC for lavender was - less than 1% has fungicidal effects - while also researching and addressing how much of an issue antifungal resistance is.”

Antifungal alternatives

Olamiju said her findings highlight the importance of continued research into alternatives for managing fungal infections such as thrush. As antibiotic and antifungal resistance continues to rise globally, largely due to overuse and misuse of conventional medications, the need for effective, sustainable alternatives becomes increasingly urgent.

“Essential oils may offer a promising solution that aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by supporting the development of accessible, safe, and non-toxic treatments tailored to women’s health,” she said.

“Exploring such alternatives not only addresses the immediate issue of resistant infections but also promotes long-term strategies for reducing reliance on synthetic drugs.”

To build on these findings, several important steps should be taken, she said, including chemical profiling of the essential oils to identify and quantify their active components, which could help pinpoint which compounds are responsible for antifungal activity.

Essential oils

“More detailed mechanistic studies are needed to better understand how these compounds interact with Candida albicans at a molecular level. Research should also be extended to explore the impact of essential oils on the vaginal microbiome, ensuring that potential treatments do not disrupt beneficial flora.

“Only after these foundational studies are completed can in vivo research be considered to evaluate safety, efficacy, and real-world application in treating infections like thrush.”

Olamiju Cooper also paid tribute to her supervisor, Olusoji Olusegun Adebisi, for support and encouragement throughout the project. She will be also presenting her research at the Letters in Applied Microbiology ECS Research Symposium 2025 in Liverpool on June 12 - find out more HERE.