Lemon Balm
Species Name: Melissa officinalis.
Also known as: Melissa, balm, sweet balm, heart’s delight.
What is Lemon Balm: Lemon balm is a perennial in the mint family. It is said to be native to the Near East and the Mediterranean, but it is commonly cultivated far more widely.
Home remedies using lemon balm:
Benefits of Lemon Balm:
It appears to make flare-ups of oral and genital herpes 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.
Lemon balm is also effective in treatment of anxiety and anxiety related disorders.
Numerous test tube studies have found that extracts of lemon balm possess antiviral properties. It is unknown how Lemon Balm works, but the predominant theory is that the herb blocks viruses from attaching to cells.
One double blind, placebo controlled study with sixty-six participants who were just starting to develop a cold sore (oral herpes) were treated with melissa cream produced significant benefits on day two, reducing intensity of discomfort, number of blisters, and the size of the lesion.
Lemon balm extracts have also been found to produce a sedative effect in mice. Based on this, human trials have been performed. In those trials, over a four month period, a double blind, placebo controlled study with forty-two participants suffering from Alzheimer's disease were tested with oral lemon balm extract, and it significantly decreased their tendency to become agitated.
In another study, lemon balm cream applied topically, also reduced agitation in seventy-one 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.
National Institutes of Health reports that lemon balm may be helpful to people with diabetes.
lemon Balm has been shown to be helpful in stopping the herpes virus.
Uses of Lemon Balm:
Oral and genital herpes, insomnia, anxiety, and nervous stomach.
For treatment of an active flare-up of herpes, the proper dosage is four thick applications daily of a standardized lemon balm 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.
Side Effects of Lemon Balm:
Topical lemon balm is not associated with any significant side effects, but allergic reactions are always possible. According to one study, 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.
Oral lemon balm is on the Federal Drug Administration's generally recognized as safe list. Care must be taken if you are using any type of medication with sedative effects as lemon balm may increase those effects.
