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Antioxidant, sedative, antispasmodic, analgesic, anti bacterial, natural, antimicrobial, anti- depressing, anxious.
Precautions
Do not use during pregnancy and lactation
Part used:
The leaves
Collect
We collect the plant during flowering.
Components
Eugenol, tannins, terpenes, geranial caryophyllene, citronellol, linalyl acetate, rosmarinic acid.
Family: Lamiaceae
Botanical name: Melissa Officinalis
It is also found as: Bee, bee herb, lemon balm
Description Features
Its height ranges from 70-50cm.
Its leaves, which resemble those of mint, are small white flowers filled with nectar.
The white flowers attract the ovoid and toothed, and have a mild lemon scent.
During the summer bees, hence the name of the genus "Melissa".
Properties
The medicinal properties of honeysuckle were introduced for the first time by Dioscorides, the father of pharmacology, in his treatise On Medicine.
He refers to honeysuckle as follows: "The infusion of its leaves is good for those who are touched by scorpions or bitten by spiders or dogs."
He also recommended the plant to treat amenorrhea, dysentery and suffocation caused by inedible mushrooms.
Lemon balm is a truly uplifting, aromatic herb. Improves mood and increases cognitive function.
Modern pharmacological studies confirm its ability to increase brain alertness, memory, concentration and learning ability 2.
It limits the negative effects of stress and increases the level of calmness and controlling emotions. It relieves the headache that comes mainly from emotional tension and anxiety34, acts more generally, as a very good neuroprotective agent with mild antidepressant properties56.
It seems to have a positive influence against Alzheimer's and other degenerative neurological problems. Many studies have associated honeysuckle with the treatment of the herpes virus, since its components affect the attachment of the virus.
Topical external treatment with its essential oil, diluted to high concentrations or its addition to some ointment is recommended. It has an effect on hyperthyroidism.
After its use, improvements were achieved in thyroid hormones, showing an improvement in the general histological picture of the thyroid gland".
No interaction of lemon balm with either thyroid or other medications has been reported or observed. Bibliographically only, in the reference research there is talk of a theoretical interaction with thyroxine".
The recommendation is, for those taking thyroxine, there should be an hour gap or more after taking the lemon balm. Other benefits of honeysuckle are that it can help the digestive system with indigestion, spasms, colic, stomach cramps and flatulence.
In the circulatory system, it has a favorable effect on the heart and blood vessels, reducing pressure and pulse mainly due to its calming properties. Finally, its external use can bring great benefit to the skin, both cosmetically and therapeutically.
It can be used for facial cleansing, skin care, oily hair and lip care.
In what ways can we include it in the diet?
- As an infusion
- As a decoction
- As a tincture
- As an extract
- As wine
A few historical facts
The ancient Greeks and Romans used lemon balm on wounds from snake or scorpion bites. Pliny and Dioscorides mention it as a healing agent. Arab herbalists regarded it as the remedy for depression, and the Persian physician Avicenna (980-1037) wrote of it as 'making the heart happy'.
For centuries it was considered the herb that ensures longevity. The famous elixir Eau en mélisse of Carmes ' of the monks of Carmel which dates back to the 17th century, has as its main ingredient lemon balm.
This preparation is considered a strong cardiotonic, anxiolytic, anti-fatigue, digestive and suitable for treating cold and nausea. Finally, worth mentioning is a recorded incident of longevity of the English naturalist John Hussey who lived 116 years and attributed it to drinking a decoction of lemon balm with honey every morning.
1: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/11/4805/htm (Retrieved: 08/18/20).
2: Very good synergy for this property with rosemary and ginkgo biloba.
3:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15272110/ (Retrieved: 08/18/20).
4. Very good synergy for this property with lavender, hops, passionflower.
5: Very good synergy for this property with sword grass
6:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3326910/ (Retrieved: 08/18/20).
7:https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/74/7/863.short (Retrieved: 08/18/20).
1.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ 50944711308001128.
