Lemon Balm / Melisa
Melissa officinalis
Latin Name: Melissa officinalis
Common Name: sweet balm, melissa balm, melissa, heart's delight, English balm, bush balm and honey plant
Family: Lamiaceae
Contraindications: Inhibits thyroid stimulating hormone from binding to receptors so do not take if you have hypothyroidism or if you are taking medication for hyperthyroidism as it may compound the effects. Use with caution with central nervous system depressants like barbiturates or benzodiazepines. To see how your medication may interact with this plant, check this database, consult with your local herbalist, and do your own research before working with any plants.
Native To: Native to SWANA (Southwest Asia North Africa) region; brought to southern Europe in 1500s, then Turtle Island in 1700. Naturalized in temperate regions.
Botanical Description: Perennial, 2-3.5ft tall bushy with lanky stems square stems; spreads through roots; has heart shaped and toothed opposite leaves that have lemony scent and grow 2-3 inches long. Flowers grow in whorls around stem and are composted of small yellowish-white blossoms.
Habitat: Favors human-made meadows and disturbed ground.
Parts Used: Leaves
Key Constituents: Essential oils (citral, citronellel, citronellol, and geranoil); Polyphenols (chlorogenic, rosmarinic and caffeic acids); Tannins; Bitter principle; Flavanoids (luteolin, quercitin, apigenin, kaempferol)
Herbal Actions: Nervine Sedative, Relaxing Diaphoretic, Carminative, Anti-Spasmodic, Anti-Viral, Nootropic, Aromatic
Taste: Sour
Energetics: Cooling, Drying, Relaxant
Some Ways To Work With This Plant:
Anti-Spasmodic/Nervous System Tension Relief: The volatile oils in lemon balm give it the ability to gently ease and relax nervous tension in the heart, brain, and gut. It does this by supporting the body in switching from the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). As the body switches from fight/flight to rest/digest, the smooth muscles in the heart, brain, and gut also relax, releasing any tension that we hold in these parts of our bodies. The essential oils in lemon balm are not as volatile as other essential oils. This means they do not easily escape through steam when you prepare an infusion. To work with lemon balm for its anti-spasmodic and nervous system relief, you can make tea from dried or fresh leaves (1-3 tsp for 1 cup of water) or you can make a tincture with the leaves.
Relaxing Diaphoretic: Lemon balm is a a surface relieving agent meaning it reduces tension in blood vessels, capillaries, and pores allowing them to open up bringing the blood closer to the surface of the skin which allows internal heat to be lost via sweating. Best consumed as a hot tea during the late stages of a fever when the temperature is peaking.
Digestive Support: Lemon balm is perfect for anxious tummies (gas, bloating, nausea, etc coupled with nervousness, anxiety, tension, and stress). The essential oils in lemon balm help calm the nervous system which allows muscles in the digestive system to soften, allowing digestion to be more easeful. The essential oils are also supportive in dispelling digestive gas and relieving bloating. You can make a tummy tincture or tea blend to support your anxious tummy with equal parts lemon balm, catnip, and chamomile.
Anti-Viral: The anti-viral properties of lemon balm are due to the caffeic acid and the volatile oils present in the plant. Both constituents can be extracted from plant via water and alcohol. It is often used for cold sores for this purpose, though best results are achieved when you use the pure essential oils present in lemon balm.
Mood Lifter: Lemon balm significantly reduces excitatory transmission in the brain by inhibiting an enzyme called GABA-T that breaks down GABA, thus increasing the amount of GABA available in the brain. More GABA means equals an inhibitory response calming the nervous system and resulting in a decrease in function like lower blood pressure, reducing muscle spasms, managing mood, and decreasing corticosterone levels. Combing lemon balm with skullcap and milky oats can be supportive in mood lifting for someone who has burnt out nervous system.
Hyperthyroidism: Not a curative remedy for hyperthyroidism but it certainly helps settle the symptoms of hyperthyroidism (anxiety, restlessness, palpitations, headache, and excitability). The flavonoids and polyphenols support in blocking the binding and the release of thyroid stimulating hormone. To get the benefits of the flavanoids and polyphenols, you can make a tea with lemon balm or a lemon vinegar or oxymel.
Heart Palpitations: Gentle soother of anxious hearts that calms down spasms and palpitations in the cardiac system as well as relaxes and dilates the blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow through and resulting in a decrease of blood pressure. Would work well in a blend with motherwort and honey.
Tension Based Headaches: Its ability to dilate blood vessels to allow more blood flow can help relieve tension based headaches.
Herbal Preperations
Strong infusion: 1-3tbsp dried or fresh leaves in 12 oz of water, 3x/day
Standard Infusion: 1-3tsp dried or fresh leaves in 1 cup of water 2x/day
Tincture: 1 part fresh lemon balm in 2 parts 80-120proof alcohol, 3-6 dropperfuls, 3x/day. Brandy or vodka work well
Do no consume more than 4oz of lemon balm tincture in a week
Glyceride: Chop and fill jar with lemon balm leaves; add enough vegetable glycerin to cover plant matter and fill jar within 1 inch to top of jar. .5-1 dropperful in 1 oz of water 1-3/day.
References:
Herb Society of America, 2022
Popham, S. Materia Medica Monthly: Lemon Balm Monograph
Marciano & Vizniak, Botanical Medicine. 2nd ed. Prohealthsys, 2020
Carpenter, J. The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer. 2nd ed. Chelsea Green, 2023
written by khadija khansia
This information is provided for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Use with caution and consult with a doctor or herbalist before consuming if you are pregnant or on other medications. Please do your own research before consuming to know if this medicine is right for your body.
