Home | Alphabetical Index | Conditions & Cures | Anti-Aging | Articles | Forums | Where to Buy

Alzheimer's Supplements
Acetyl-L-carnitine
Ginkgo
Huperzine A
Phosphatidylserine
Vinpocetine
Carnosine
Citrulline
Choline or Phosphatidylcholine
DHEA
Lemon Balm
N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
Sage

Lemon Balm; Melissa officinalis; Melissa

Proposed Uses
  • TOPICAL LEMON BALM:  Oral and Genital Herpes
  • ORAL LEMON BALM:  Sedative (Insomnia, Anxiety)
  • AROMATHERAPY:  Reducing Agitation

Commonly called Melissa, lemon balm is a native of southern Europe. Its leaves give off a delicate lemon odor when bruised. Medical authorities of ancient Greece and Rome mentioned topical lemon balm as a treatment for wounds. The herb was later used orally as a treatment for influenza, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and nervous stomach.

Today, topical lemon balm is most popular today as a treatment for genital or oral herpes. It appears to make flare-ups less intense and last for a shorter period of time, but it doesn't completely eliminate them. Regular use of lemon balm might help prevent flare-ups, but this potential use hasn’t been properly studied.

While conventional treatments can reduce infectivity and thereby help prevent the spread of herpes, there is no evidence as yet that lemon balm offers this benefit.

There is some evidence that oral use of lemon balm has sedative effects, and it is currently used for insomnia, anxiety, and nervous stomach. Inhaled essential oil of lemon balm may also have calming effects.

What Is the Scientific Evidence for Lemon Balm?

Herpes Infection
One study followed individuals who were just starting to develop a cold sore. Treatment with melissa cream produced significant benefits reducing intensity of discomfort, number of blisters, and the size of the lesion.

Another study followed individuals with oral or genital herpes. Participants used either melissa cream or placebo cream for up to 10 days. The results showed that use of the herb resulted in a significantly better rate of recovery than those given placebo.

Sedative Effect
In a 4-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 42 people with Alzheimer’s disease, 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 71 people with Alzheimer's disease.

Lemon balm has also shown sedative and anti-anxiety effects in two 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.

Dosage
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. The dosage may be reduced to twice daily for preventive purposes.

The best lemon balm extracts are standardized by their capacity to inhibit the growth of herpes virus in a petri dish. To make sure the extract has been properly prepared, manufacturers place cells in such a growing medium, and then add herpes virus. Normally, the virus will gradually destroy all the cells. But when little disks containing lemon balm are added, cells in the immediate vicinity are protected. Although manufacturers use this method as a form of quality control, it also provides evidence that lemon balm really works.

When taken orally for its calming effect, the standard dosage of lemon balm is 1.5 to 4.5 g of dried herb daily; extracts and tinctures should be taken according to label instructions.

Safety Issues
Topical lemon balm is not associated with any significant side effects, although allergic reactions are always possible. Oral lemon balm is on the FDA's GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list. However, according to one study cited above, lemon balm reduces alertness and impairs mental function; for this reason, individuals 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.

Feature Article

The Fountain of Youth?

What if I told you that it may be possible for you to live to age 100 or even longer, in better health than you are in right now? And, if you are already experiencing the ill effects of aging, what if I told you that it may be possible for you to look and feel 20 years younger and stay that way beyond the age of 100.

Aside from the fact that you'd probably call me crazy, I have to tell you that we have never been as close as we are today to actually being able to extend human life!

Read More