Origin and history :  

The best known and most used balm is lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis ) . Lemon balm originates from the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. It is now also cultivated in central, western and eastern Europe. Lemon balm is a perennial herbaceous plant that can grow up to 90 cm tall . Its leaves are oval, serrated and have a soft, felty texture. In summer, small, white or pale yellow flowers appear that are attractive to bees and other pollinators. Lemon balm prefers sunny to partially shaded locations and well-drained soil. The Greeks and Romans already considered lemon balm a medicinal plant. In the Middle Ages it was brought to Germany and initially grown in monastery gardens and later in farm gardens . As the name suggests, lemon balm leaves have a lemon-like smell. This makes the plant ideal not only for use in food supplements but also as a component in tea, where it is said to have a calming digestive effect. Thanks to its aroma, lemon balm is also often used in the kitchen to flavor desserts and drinks. The aroma is also used in perfumery.  

General text:  

Traditionally, lemon balm is used for gastrointestinal complaints and problems falling asleep, as the contained essential oil which is said to have calming and anxiolytic properties in herbal medicine.  Lemon balm contains various active ingredients such as rosmarinic acid, terpenes and flavonoids. Rosmarinic acid has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, while terpenes contribute to the plant's calming effect. Folk medicine also uses lemon balm for colds and poor circulation. However, the best known and most common use of lemon balm is against insomnia and sleeplessness. 

The current research basis also confirms the likely anti-anxiety, stress-relieving and antidepressant effects of the plant. A neuroprotective effect of the plant is also suspected , as it is an antioxidant and could therefore protect against oxidative damage that leads to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's . For example, a recent study found less cognitive decline in older people compared to a control group that did not receive lemon balm extract for years. 

Other biological properties attributed to lemon balm are that it is antiviral ( against herpes , HIV, SARS-CoV-2 and influenza , for example ) , is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and therefore pain-relieving. The antioxidant effect could also have benefits for irritated skin when applied externally. Studies have found that lemon balm extract caused fewer small capillaries to form, the skin remained more hydrated due to less water loss and inflammatory redness was reduced. 

Further texts :​  

Benefits for the Bees 

In ancient times it was already noticed that the scent of the nectar-rich plant attracts bees. The term lemon balm is derived from the Greek word for honey bee. Since it seems to attract bees, the nectar-rich plant was also used in bee houses in the past and is ideal as a bee pasture. It is also cultivated as such and thus helps the bees to survive. 

Which AgilNature ® products contain lemon balm ?  

* Nutrient Reference Value = percentage of the reference value according to Annex XIII of the Food Information Regulation (EC) No 1169/2011.  

** No recommendation available.  

Literature :  

1st Babar Ali, Naser Ali Al- Wabel , Saiba Shams, Aftab Ahamad , Shah Alam Khan, Firoz Anwar , Essential oils used in aromatherapy : A systemic review, Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine , Volume 5, Issue 8, 2015, Pages 601-611, ISSN 2221-1691.  

2. Max Wichtl (ed.): Tea herbs and phytopharmaceuticals. 4th edition. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft, Stuttgart, 2002, ISBN 3-8047-1854-X, pp. 382–386.  

4. Ghazizadeh J, Sadigh-Eteghad S, Marx W, Fakhari A, Hamedeyazdan S, Torbati M, Taheri -Tarighi S, Araj-Khodaei M, Mirghafourvand M. The effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials : A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytother Res. 2021 Dec;35(12):6690-6705.  

4 . Petrisor G, Motelica L, Craciun LN, Oprea OC, Ficai D, Ficai A. Melissa officinalis: Composition , Pharmacological Effects and Derived Release Systems-A Review. Int J Mol Sci . 2022 Mar 25;23(7):3591.  

5 . Noguchi- Shinohara M, Hamaguchi T, Sakai K, Komatsu J, Iwasa K, Horimoto M, Nakamura H, Yamada M, Ono K. Effects of Melissa officinalis Extract Containing Rosmarinic Acid on Cognition in Older Adults Without Dementia: A Randomized Controlled trial. J Alzheimer's Dis. 2023;91(2):805-814.  

6 . Zam W, Quispe C, Sharifi-Rad J, López MD, Schoebitz M, Martorell M, Sharopov F, Fokou PVT, Mishra AP, Chandran D, Kumar M, Chen JT, Pezzani R. An Updated Review on The Properties of Melissa officinalis L.: Not Exclusively Anti- anxiety . Front Biosci ( Schol Ed). 2022 Jun 7;14(2):16.  

7. Behzadi A, Imani S, Deravi N, Mohammad Taheri Z, Mohammadian F, Moraveji Z, Shavysi S, Mostafaloo M, Soleimani Hadidi F, Nanbakhsh S, Olangian -Tehrani S, Marabi MH, Behshood P, Poudineh M, Kheirandish A, Keylani K, Behfarnia P. Antiviral Potential of Melissa officinalis L.: A Literature Review. Nutr Metab Insights . 2023 Jan 12;16:11786388221146683 .  

8. Sipos S, Moacă EA, Pavel IZ, Avram Ş, Crețu OM, Coricovac D, Racoviceanu RM, Ghiulai R, Pană RD, Şoica CM, Borcan F, Dehelean CA, Crăiniceanu Z. Melissa officinalis L. Aqueous Extract Exerts Antioxidant and Antiangiogenic Effects and Improves Physiological Skin Parameters. Molecules . 2021 Apr 19;26(8):2369.