Melissa officinalis, commonly known as lemon balm, is an aromatic member of the Lamiaceae family and, therefore, is thought to have high antioxidant potential.¹ It’s a fast-growing perennial, native to southern Eurasia, and later naturalized in North and South America and beyond over the generations.² This global spread lets us know just how widely used and depended upon lemon balm really is! 

Common name: Lemon Balm

Latin name: Melissa officinalis

Part Used: leaves

Benefits: Nervine (supports and calms the nervous system), Cognitive Support, Antispasmodic (relieves muscle spasms), Antiviral, Carminative (dispels gas),  Antioxidant

Taste:  sour, sweet, bitter

Energetics: cooling and slightly drying

History:

Traditionally, its lemon-scented leaves were used for problems with indigestion specifically associated with anxiety, as well as for its carminative (meaning it helps dispel gas), sedative, and antispasmodic (relaxes muscles) properties.³ Folk medicine practitioners have also used it topically to treat genital and oral herpes.^4,5

Historically, descriptions of lemon balm can be found in ancient Turkish texts from thousands of years ago, where lemon balm was planted near bee hives to encourage the swift return of honey bees after collecting pollen. Its name is even derived from the Greek word melissa, which means a honeybee, and the Temple of Artemis beekeepers used it to keep their honeybees happy and healthy.⁶ 

Additionally, throughout the Renaissance, lemon balm was prolifically used as an aromatic tonic called Carmelite Water. The recipe for Carmelite Water was so prized that Louis XIV, XV, and XVI of France granted patents for it under the name ‘Eau de Melisse des Carmes.’  The Carmelite friars who were known to make this tonic kept the recipe and its patent untouched and secret.  All that’s known about the patent recipe now is that it was made of lemon balm, coriander seeds, angelica root, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves pounded together and steeped in wine. Historically, bathing was such a rare occurrence at the time, so lemon balm was used to mask the constant odor, which made this tonic sell like hotcakes (or whatever the Renaissance equivalent of hotcakes is). It also covered up the almost constant stench from illness and death (so many plagues, so little time!). 

Benefits:

Effects on the Nervous System:

Lemon balm is highly concentrated in compounds called volatile oils (such as citral, citronellal, and geraniol). All of these volatile oils have demonstrated a calming influence on the nervous and digestive systems while also producing anti-inflammatory effects. Lemon balm has also demonstrated through studies to be effective at producing sedative and sleep-inducing reactions, with higher doses being helpful in the treatment of headaches and dysmenorrhea (painful periods).⁷ Further, foods containing lemon balm often produce mild improvements in mood and cognitive performance.⁸ 

Anti-Inflammatory Properties:

Lemon balm contains many beneficial compounds, such as rosmarinic acid.⁹ Studies show that Rosmarinic acid specifically produces strong anti-inflammatory results, and therefore, it’s used in supplemental treatments of cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, and depression.¹⁰ Additionally, the volatile oil citral, mentioned above, is anti-inflammatory and can counterbalance the effects of free radical damage.¹¹

Digestive Tract Issues:

As mentioned above, lemon balm is a carminative, so it’s especially helpful at dispersing excess gas after a meal. It also contains specific components that aid in bile production, which helps break down fats. Basically, a cup of lemon balm tea is the perfect addition to any after-meal treat!

Emotional Aspects of Lemon Balm:

Lemon balm is calming yet uplifting, especially to the emotional heart. Therefore, it’s a perfect pairing for hyper-sensitive emotional states. It’s also said to remove blocks and provide comfort to those who have experienced shock or panic. Additionally, it symbolizes feminine energy, intuition, and emotional healing.

Recipes

Carmelite Water Recipe with Lemon Balm by Mountain Rose Herbs -Makes about 3 cups.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon balm leaves or 1/4 cup dried organic lemon balm
• 1/4 cup dried organic angelica root
• 1 Tbsp. dried organic coriander seed
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon zest (about 1 small organic lemon)
• 1 tsp. fair trade, organic (cassia) cinnamon chips
• 2 fair trade, organic whole cloves
• 1/8 tsp. freshly grated fair trade, organic nutmeg
• 1 bottle of organic dry white wine

Instructions

• Combine all the herbs and spices in a glass quart jar.
• Pour the wine into the jar.
• Stir well.
• Cover with a lid.
• Steep for 4 to 6 hours.
• Strain through several layers of cheesecloth or a coffee filter and compost the herbs.
• Place the infused wine in an airtight container and chill for several hours.
• Enjoy within 3 to 5 days.

Bees Knees Mocktail Recipe by Mountain Rose Herbs – Makes 2 drinks.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water + 1/4 cup, divided
• 10 organic juniper berries
• 1/4 cup organic lemon balm
• 1 tbsp. raw, local honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• 3 tsp. organic apple cider vinegar

Instructions

• Add 1 cup water and juniper berries to a small pot.
• Put on medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.
• Then, lower heat and infuse for 10 minutes.
• Add lemon balm and infuse for another 10 minutes.
• Strain out herbs and stir honey into infusion.
• Add to cocktail shaker.
• Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup water, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar.
• Add ice and shake until nice and chilled.
• Pour into cocktail glass.
• Garnish with lemon and enjoy!

Loving learning about herbs? Check out some of our past herbs of the month!

March, Violet: Cleansing and Cooling

February, Hawthorne: Great for Heart Health

January, Fennel: Combat Gas and Bloating

References

1. Hohmann J, Zupkó I, Ré dei D, et al. Protective Effects of the Aerial Parts of Salvia ofJicinalis, Melissa ofJicinalis and Lavandula angustifolia and their Constituents against Enzyme-Dependent and Enzyme-Independent Lipid Peroxidation. Planta Med. 1999;65(6):576-578. doi:10.1055/s-2006-960830.
2. Rosemary Gladstar. Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing; 2012.
3. Ulbricht C, Brendler T, Gruenwald J, et al. Lemon balm (Melissa Officinalis L.): an evidence-based systematic review by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration. J Herb Pharmacother. 2005;5(4):71-114.
4. Astani A, Navid MH, Schnitzler P. Attachment and penetration of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus are inhibited by Melissa Officinalis extract. Phytother Res PTR. 2014;28(10):1547-1552. doi:10.1002/ptr.5166.
5. Rudolf Fritz Weiss, MD. Herbal Medicine. 6th ed. Beaconsfield, England: Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd.; 1991.
6. LEMON BALM. https://academics.hamilton.edu/foodforthought/our_research_files/lemon_balm.pdf

7.Soulimani R, Fleurentin J, Mortier F, Misslin R, Derrieu G, Pelt JM. Neurotropic action of the hydroalcoholic extract of Melissa Officinalis in the mouse. Planta Med. 1991;57(2):105-109. doi:10.1055/s-2006-960042.

8. Scholey A, Gibbs A, Neale C, et al. Anti-Stress Effects of Lemon Balm-Containing Foods. Nutrients. 2014;6(11):4805-4821. doi:10.3390/nu6114805.
9. Carnat AP, Carnat A, Fraisse D, Lamaison JL. The aromatic and polyphenolic composition of lemon balm (Melissa Officinalis L. subsp. officinalis) tea. Pharm Acta Helv. 1998;72(5):301-305. doi:10.1016/S0031-6865(97)00026-5.
10. Bulgakov VP, Inyushkina YV, Fedoreyev SA. Rosmarinic acid and its derivatives: biotechnology and applications. Crit Rev Biotechnol. 2012;32(3):203-217. doi:10.3109/07388551.2011.596804.
11. Apoptosis-Inducing Effects of Melissa Officinalis L. Essential Oil in Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells (PDF Download Available). ResearchGate. https:// www.researchgate.net/publication/261762686_Apoptosis- Inducing_Effects_of_Melissa_ofJicinalis_L_Essential_Oil_in_Glioblastoma_Multiforme _Cells. Accessed August 17, 2017.