ARTICLE

Milena Połumackanycz, Marek Wesołowski, Agnieszka Viapiana

Health benefits of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.)
2020-01-10

More than 20 000 plant species are used in various traditional medicines around the world, and are considered as potential reservoirs for discovery of new drugs. One of these plants is Melissa officinalis L., commonly known as lemon balm, belongs to the family of Lamiaceae. For more than 2000 years, fragrant leaves of this plant have been widely used in cooking to add flavor to dishes. Moreover, lemon balm has also been used for the treatment of various mental diseases [1], migraines, digestion and cardiovascular problems [2], and sleeping aid [3]. Medicinal properties of Melissa officinalis L. Were first introduced by Dioscorides, the father of pharmacology, in De Materia Medica. Since them, medicinal properties of this plant were mentioned in many other medical books including Canon of Medicine by Avicenna. Melissa officinalis L. is listed in several pharmacopeias including European Pharmacopeia, British Herbal Pharmacopeia and Iranian Herbal Pharmacopeia. Modern studies demonstrated that Melissa officinalis L. has several biological properties including hypoglycemic, antioxidant, hypolipidemic, anticancer, antidepressant, antimicrobial, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and spasmolytic properties. Melissa officinalis L. owes its biological properties to the chemical composition. The main active constituents of lemon balm are volatile compounds, terpenes, phenolic acids and flavonoids, while hydrocxycinnamic acids, commonly expressed as rosmarinic acid, are biomarkers of quality control according to World Health Organization (WHO) monographs on medicinal plants. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a summary on the botanical characterization, traditional use, chemical composition and pharmacological properties of Melissa officinalis L. Modern pharmacological studies have validated many traditional uses of lemon balm. The data showed in this study reviewed that Melissa officinalis L. is a potential source for the treatment of a wild range of civilization diseases.

Keywords: lemon balm, chemical composition, pharmacological properties.

© Farm Pol, 2019, 75(12): 659–663

Health benefits of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.)

348.65 kB | 23 stycznia 2020