Lemon Balm/Melissa

Latin Name: Melissa officinalis

Pharmacopeial Name: Melissae folium

Other Names: balm, common balm, melissa, sweet balm

Overview

Lemon balm is an aromatic perennial subshrub native to the eastern Mediterranean region and western Asia, widely cultivated throughout much of Europe. The material of commerce comes from Bulgaria, Romania, and Spain (BHP, 1996; Bruneton, 1995; Leung and Foster, 1996; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). Lemon balm is one of Germany's more important medicinal crops (Lange and Schippmann, 1997). Its genus name Melissa is from the Greek word for "bee," referring to the bee's attraction to its flower and the quality of the honey produced from it (Grieve, 1979).

Lemon balm steeped in wine was used orally and topically in ancient Greek and Roman medicines, as surgical dressing for wounds, and to treat venomous bites and stings, as mentioned in the writings of Dioscorides and Pliny the Elder. These same uses and medicinal wine dosage form, [that’s internal use, folks!] stemming from traditional Greek medicine, are also used in the Indian Materia Medica (Nadkarni, 1976). Old European medical herbals also report its memory-improving properties, recently corroborated as cholinergic activities identified in extracts of lemon balm (Perry et al., 1998). The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia (AP) lists Melissa officinalis, along with the related Indian species M. parviflora, for dyspepsia associated with anxiety or depressive states, in a dried herb or alcoholic fluidextract dosage form. The AP reports its actions as carminative, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, and sedative (Karnick, 1994).

In Germany, lemon balm is licensed as a standard medicinal tea for sleep disorders and gastrointestinal tract disorders (Braun et al., 1997; Meyer-Buchtela, 1999; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). Aqueous and alcoholic extract of balm are also used as components of various sedative and hypnotic drug preparations (Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). It is often combined with other sedative and/or carminative herbs (BAnz, 1998; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). In the United States, lemon balm is often used as a component of mild sleep aid and/or stomachic dietary supplement products, mainly in aqueous infusion and hydroalcoholic fluidextract and tincture dosage forms (Leung and Foster, 1996). Lemon balm was formerly official in the United States Pharmacopoeia (Leung and Foster, 1996).

No significant human studies in English relate to its Commission E-approved internal uses. Some modern studies have investigated its external use to treat cutaneous herpes simplex lesions (ESCOP, 1997). In one study on 115 patients, a proprietary preparation of lemon balm extract in a lip balm showed efficacy in treating lip sores associated with the herpes simplex virus (Wˆbling and Leonhardt, 1994). The approved modern therapeutic applications for lemon balm are supportable based on its long history of use in well established systems of traditional medicine, on phytochemical investigations, and on its documented pharmacological actions reported in in vitro studies and in vivo experiments in animals.

Pharmacopeial grade lemon balm must contain not less than 0.05% volatile oil with citral, and pass a botanical identity test determined by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) (Bruneton, 1995; DAB, 1997; AB, 1981; Ph.Fr.X, 1990; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994). Its water-soluble extractive content must be not less than 15% (BHP, 1996; Karnick, 1994). A technical note to the French Pharmacopoeia 10th edition recommends that pharmacopeial grade lemon balm be defined by at least of 6% total hydroxycinnamic derivatives, calculated as rosmarinic acid, as opposed to the current minimum volatile oil content requirement (Bruneton, 1995). Manufacturers of lemon balm extracts are already guaranteeing minimum content levels for both rosmarinic acid and total volatile oils.

Description

Lemon balm contains the fresh or dried leaf of M. officinalis L. [Lamiaceae], and its preparations in effective dosage. The leaf contains at least 0.05% (v/w) essential oil based on the dried herb. Main components are citronellal, citral a, and citral b, as well as other monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Other ingredients are tannins unique to the Lamiaceae, such as triterpenylic acid, bitter principles, and flavonoids.

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Lemon balm contains the flavonoids quercitrin, rhamnocitrin, and the 7-glucosides of apigenin, kaempferol, quercetin, and luteolin; phenolic acids and tannins, chiefly rosmarinic acid (up to 4%), and glycosidically bound caffeic and chlorogenic acids; triterpenes (ursolic, oleanolic acids); volatile oil (0.05–0.375%), of which the monoterpenoid citronellal is 30–40%, geranial (citral a) and neral (citral b) are 10–30%; and sesquiterpenes (b-caryophyllene, germacrene D). (Bruneton, 1995; ESCOP, 1997; Leung and Foster, 1996; Wichtl and Bisset, 1994).

The Commission E reported sedative and carminative activity.

The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia reported it is internally a sedative and externally a topical antiviral (BHP, 1996). The hydroalcoholic lemon balm extract is a central nervous system sedative in animal studies; its essential oil content does not appear to play a role in this activity (Bruneton, 1995). Preparations of lemon balm have sedative, spasmolytic, and antibacterial actions (Wichtl and Bisset, 1994).

Uses

The Commission E approved the internal use of lemon balm for nervous sleeping disorders and functional gastrointestinal complaints.

ESCOP lists its internal use for tenseness, restlessness, irritability, and symptomatic treatment of digestive disorders, such as minor spasms; externally, for herpes labialis (cold sores) (ESCOP, 1997). The German Standard License for lemon balm tea approves it for nervous disorders of sleep and of the gastrointestinal tract, and to stimulate the appetite (Wichtl and Bisset, 1994).

Contraindications

None known.

Side Effects

None known.

Use During Pregnancy and Lactation

No restrictions known.

Interactions with Other Drugs

None known.