Melissa officinalis L. Balm, Lemon Balm, Cure-all
Family: Labiatae
Description: “Lemon-scented perennial with a 4-angled stem and ovate, toothed leaves, 3-7cm long. Insignificant, pale yellow flowers are produced in axillary clusters in summer. H 30-80cm, S 30-45cm. Fully hardy.” (Bown, 1995: 157)
Habitat: Common throughout Europe to Central Asia; native to S Europe, W Asia and N Africa; widely cultivated.
Harvest: “…cut as flowering begins.” (Bown, 1995: 311)
Part used: Herb.
Dosage: 1:5 Tincture: 2-5ml tds, Fluid Extract: 1-3ml tds, Dried: 2-4g tds. (AD)
Character: Cold, dry, sour, slightly bitter (Ody, 1993).
Actions:
-RELAXANT,
-ANTISPASMODIC,
-CARMINATIVE,
-DIAPHORETIC,
-peripheral vasodilator (Mills, 1993),
-sedative,
-anti-depressant,
-antiviral,
-antibacterial (Ody, 1993)
Organ systems: Nervous system (esp. Central); Digestive.
Indications: Excellent and very safe children’s remedy. Similar properties to C. recutita.
-Management of fevers with a tension component (Mills, 1991); early stages of colds and ‘flu.
-Depression, nervous exhaustion*
-Indigestion, nausea (Ody, 1993)
External usage:
-Coldsores from Herpes simplex virus* (Wren, 1988)
-Sores, painful swellings (such as gout), insect bites (Ody, 1993).
Safety: Very safe.
Contra-indications: None yet recorded.
Key Constituents:
-Volatile oil (0.1-0.2%), inc. monoterpenes: citral, citronellal, geraniol, etc.
-Bitters (Mills,1993)
-Polyphenols, inc. tannins, rosmarinic acid
-Flavonoids in low concentrations
-Triterpenic acids (Wren, 1988)
Clinical trials: Antiviral activity confirmed in both in vitro and clinical trial (Wren, 1988). Monoterpenes shown to have central nervous calming, antiseptic and antispasmodic activities. Clear clinical improvement also seen in treatment of ‘psychological-autonomic’ problems, such as those accompanied with symptoms of excitability, restlessness, headaches and palpitations (Mills,1993)
History: Melissa derives from the Greek for “honey-bee” and lemon balm shares similar healing and tonic properties to honey and royal jelly. It was a valued ingredient in medieval “elixirs of youth”. Also a preparation by Paracelsus, “primum ens melissae” and thought to “renew youth” even in 18th century (Ody, 1993).
Traditional and Practitioner sources:
“Balm is sovereign for the brain, strengthening the memory and powerfully chasing away melancholy.” John Evelyn, 1679 (Ody, 1993: 78)
“Seraphio says, it causes the mind and heart to become merry, and revives the heart, faintings and swoonings, especially of such who are overtaken in sleep, and drives away all troublesome cares out of the mind, which Avicen also confirms.” Culpeper, 1653 (Culpeper, 1995: 22)
