Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
Historical note Lemon balm was used in ancient Greece and Rome as a
topical treatment for wounds. In the Middle Ages it was used internally as a
sedative and by the 17th century, English herbalist Culpeper claimed it could
improve mood and stimulate clear thinking. Nowadays, it is still used to induce a
sense of calm and help with anxiety, but is also added to cosmetics, insect
repellants, furniture polish and food.
COMMON NAME
Lemon balm
OTHER NAMES
Balm mint, bee balm, blue balm, common balm, cure-all, dropsy plant, garden balm,
sweet balm
BOTANICAL NAME/FAMILY
Melissa officinalis (family Labiatae)
PLANT PART USED
Aerial parts
CHEMICAL COMPONENTS
Flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, triterpenes, essential oil and sesquiterpenes. Of
note, the herb contains citronellal, caffeic acid, eugenol, rosmarinic acid and choline
(Wake et al 2000). Growing and harvesting methods have a major influence on the
amount of volatile oil present in the leaves. It has been found that the oil content in
the herb is highest in the top third and lowest in the bottom two-thirds (Mrlianova et
al 2002).
MAIN ACTIONS
ANXIOLYTIC AND SEDATIVE
Over the years, a number of studies involving rodents have suggested specific
anxiolytic or sedative effects (Kennedy et al 2002, Soulimani et al 1991). More
recently, a double-blind placebo-controlled study has confirmed anxiolytic activity is
clinically significant for lemon balm essential oil (Ballard et al 2002). In 2005 a
double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, crossover trial of a whole extract of
lemon balm (300 and 600 mg) in 18 healthy adults found a significant reduction in
stress in the volunteers taking 600 mg (Kennedy et al 2004). A number of possible
active components of the dried leaf and essential oil of the herb may be responsible
for these effects, such as eugenol and citronellol, which bind to GABA-A receptors
and increase the affinity of GABA to receptors (Aoshima & Hamamoto 1999).