Melissa officinalis
Part Used: Fresh leaf & flowering tops
Lemon Bal is a perennial plant, growing wild in fields and gardens and along road sides. It has an upright stem that grows as high as 3 feet. It has the medicinal properties like antispasmodic, calmative, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, and stomachic. Historically, Lemon Balm has been used to reduce fevers, induce sweating, calm the digestive tract, treat colds, and relieve spasms related to cramps and headaches. In medieval Europe, the tea was valued for disorders of the nervous system. It has long been a popular folk remedy for insomnia. Lemon Balm was official in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia from 1840 to 1890. Lemon Balm is used in herbal teas, both for its flavor and its mild sedative properties. The tea is recommended to induce perspiration and relieve fever due to cold and flu, and to ease menstrual cramps, insomnia, headaches and nervousness. The crushed leaves help heal wounds and insect bites. It is a key ingredient in certain perfumes and cosmetics. It is antispasmodic, calmative, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, and stomachic. It is useful for all sorts of nervous problems. The balm also relieves cramps, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, chronic bronchial catarrh, and some forms of asthma. It had been tried for migraine and toothache, and, during pregnancy, for headaches and dizziness. An infusion of the leaves added to bath water is said to promote the onset of menstruation.
The leaves and young flowering shoots of Lemon Balm are antibacterial, antispasmodic, antiviral, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, febrifuge, sedative, and tonic. It also acts to inhibit thyroid activity. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of fevers and colds, indigestion associated with nervous tension, excitability and digestive upsets in children, hyperthyroidism, depression, mild insomnia, headaches etc. The essential oil of Lemon Balm contains citral and citronella, which act to calm the central nervous system and are strongly antispasmodic. The plant also contains polyphenols, in particular these combat the herpes simplex virus which produces cold sores. The essential oil is frequently used in aromatherapy. The German government allows preparations of Lemon Balm to be labeled for difficulty in falling asleep due to nervous conditions and for spasms of the digestive tract. Laboratory experiments have shown activity against viruses including mumps and herpes simplex. A Lemon Balm cream is sold in Germany for cold sores and conditions related to herpes simplex.
References:
Plants for a Future. http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Melissa+officinalis&CAN=COMIND
All Natural. http://www.allnatural.net/herbpages/lemon-balm.shtml
Holistic Online. http://www.holisticonline.com/Herbal-Med/_Herbs/h13.htm
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