Lemon balm's therapeutic uses
Lemon balm, scientifically known as Melissa officinalis, is a herb with a long history of therapeutic uses, particularly in the treatment of various health conditions. Traditionally recognized for its calming effects, lemon balm is commonly used to alleviate anxiety, insomnia, and digestive issues. It has also been noted for its potential benefits in managing symptoms associated with oral and genital herpes, where topical applications may reduce the intensity and duration of flare-ups.
Recent studies suggest that lemon balm may enhance cognitive performance and mood, showing promise for individuals with stress and agitation, particularly in those with Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, it may aid in addressing gastrointestinal discomfort, such as gas and bloating, as well as menstrual cramps. Lemon balm can be consumed in various forms, including teas, capsules, and essential oils, with typical dosages ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 grams of dried herb daily.
While generally considered safe, individuals should be aware of potential interactions with sedative medications and the possibility of impaired alertness when using oral lemon balm. As research continues, lemon balm's multifaceted benefits may offer a natural approach to improving overall well-being.
Lemon balm's therapeutic uses
- DEFINITION: Natural plant product used to treat specific health conditions.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USES: Anxiety, cognitive performance, digestive issues, insomnia, nervous stomach, oral and genital herpes, reducing agitation in dementia, mood and cognition, pain, stress
Overview
Commonly called by its Latin first name, Melissa, lemon balm is a native of Southern Europe, often planted in gardens to attract bees. Its leaves give off a delicate lemon odor when bruised.
Medical authorities in Ancient Greece and Rome mentioned topical lemon balm as a wound treatment. The herb was later used orally as a treatment for influenza, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and nervous stomach.
Therapeutic Dosages
For treatment of an active flare-up of herpes, the proper dosage is four thick applications daily of a standardized lemon balm (70:1) cream. For preventive purposes, the dosage may be reduced to twice daily.
The best lemon balm extracts are standardized by their capacity to inhibit the growth of herpes virus in a petri dish. To ensure the extract has been properly prepared, manufacturers place cells in a growing medium and add the herpes virus. Normally, the virus will gradually destroy all the cells. However, when little disks containing lemon balm are added, cells in the immediate vicinity are protected. Although manufacturers use this method for quality control, it also proves that lemon balm works.
When taken orally for its calming effect, the standard dosage of lemon balm is 1.5 to 4.5 grams of dried herb daily; extracts and tinctures should be taken according to label instructions. Lemon balm can be taken as a tea made from the leaves, in capsules or tablets, and in tinctures. It may also be enjoyed as an essential oil and applied topically in creams.
Therapeutic Uses
Topical lemon balm is most popular as a treatment for genital or oral herpes. It appears to make flare-ups less intense and last for a shorter time, but it does not eliminate them. Regular use of lemon balm might help prevent flare-ups, but this potential use has yet to be properly studied.
Whereas conventional treatments can reduce infectivity and thereby help prevent the spread of herpes, there is no evidence that lemon balm also offers this benefit. Common-sense methods of avoiding passing on herpes are not entirely effective: many people are infectious even when they do not have apparent symptoms, and the use of a condom does not entirely prevent the spread of the virus. Therefore, people who are sexually active with a noninfected partner should use suppressive drug therapy.
There is some evidence that lemon balm has sedative effects when used orally. It is also used for insomnia, anxiety, and nervous stomachs. The essential oil of lemon balm may also have calming effects. Further study looked into the mood-enhancing and cognitive benefits of lemon balm, and, in the twenty-first century, emerging double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of lemon balm began to confirm its efficacy in reducing stress and anxiety and improving cognitive function. These promising studies suggest lemon balm might benefit diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, although more study is needed. Studies also emerged looking into lemon balm’s potential to treat gastrointestinal upset, such as gas, bloating, and indigestion.
Scientific Evidence
Herpes virus infection. Numerous laboratory studies have found that lemon balm extracts possess antiviral properties. Experts do not know how it works, but the predominant theory is that compounds in the herb block viruses from attaching to cells.
One double-blind, placebo-controlled study followed sixty-six persons just starting to develop a cold sore (oral herpes). Treatment with Melissa cream produced significant benefits on day two, reducing the intensity of discomfort, number of blisters, and lesion size. (The researchers specifically looked at day two because, according to them, that is when symptoms are most pronounced.)
Another double-blind study followed 116 persons with oral or genital herpes. Participants used either Melissa cream or placebo cream for up to ten days. The results showed that the herb resulted in a significantly better rate of recovery than those persons given a placebo. Relatively informal observations suggest that the regular use of lemon balm cream may help reduce the frequency of herpes flare-ups.
Sedative effect. Lemon balm extracts have been found to produce a sedative effect in mice. Based on this, human trials have been performed. In a four-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of forty-two people with Alzheimer’s disease, the use of an oral lemon balm extract significantly decreased their tendency to become agitated.
In another study, lemon balm essential oil applied to the skin in the form of a cream also reduced agitation in seventy-one people with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers considered this a form of aromatherapy, a treatment in which the odor of a substance is said to produce the benefit. However, one of the first things to disappear in patients with Alzheimer’s disease is the sense of smell; it is more likely that the lemon balm worked by being absorbed through the skin.
Lemon balm also has shown sedative and antianxiety effects in small studies of healthy people. In other studies, combination therapies containing lemon balm plus valerian have shown modest promise as sedatives for the treatment of insomnia. Further study in the 2010s of lemon balm's mood and cognitive effects showed promising results, and a study published in 2023 found supplementation with lemon balm improved cognitive performance, reduced stress, and increased sleep. As studies continued into the health benefits of lemon balm, more became apparent. Lemon balm showed promise in treating indigestion, nausea, headaches, and toothaches. A study published in 2015 showed it was also effective in treating menstrual cramps.
Safety Issues
Topical lemon balm is not associated with significant side effects, although allergic reactions are always possible. Oral lemon balm is on the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) list of the US Food and Drug Administration. However, according to one of the preceding studies, lemon balm reduces alertness and impairs mental function; for this reason, persons engaging in activities that require alertness, such as operating a motor vehicle, should avoid using lemon balm beforehand.
In addition, one animal study suggests that if lemon balm is taken at the same time as standard sedative drugs, excessive sedation might occur. Persons taking sedative medications should note that the use of oral lemon balm might amplify the effect of the medications, potentially leading to excessive sedation.
Bibliography
Akhondzadeh, S., et al. "Melissa officinalis Extract in the Treatment of Patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease." Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, vol. 74, 2003, pp. 863-866.
Balingit, Angelica, and Heather Hobbs. "Health Benefits of Lemon Balm." Healthline, 3 Oct. 2024, www.healthline.com/health/lemon-balm-uses. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Ballard, C. G., et al. "Aromatherapy as a Safe and Effective Treatment for the Management of Agitation in Severe Dementia: The Results of a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial with Melissa." Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, vol. 63, 2002, pp. 553-558.
Bano, Aasiya, et al. "The Possible 'Calming Effect' of Subchronic Supplementation of a Standardised Phospholipid Carrier-based Melissa Officinalis L. Extract in Healthy Adults with Emotional Distress and Poor Sleep Conditions: Results from a Prospective, Randomised, Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial." Frontiers in Pharmacology, vol. 14, 2023, p. 1250560, doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2023.1250560. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
"Lemon Balm." Mount Sinai, www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/lemon-balm. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Kennedy, D. O., et al. "Attenuation of Laboratory-Induced Stress in Humans After Acute Administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm)." Psychosomatic Medicine, vol. 66, 2004, pp. 607-613.
Snow, L. A., et al. "A Controlled Trial of Aromatherapy for Agitation in Nursing Home Patients with Dementia." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 10, 2004, pp. 431-437.