Melissa officinalis L.

Patora, J. and Klimek, B., Flavonoids from lemon balm Melissa officinalis L., Lamiaceae), Acta Pol. Pharm., 59, 139, 2002. 

Melissa (Melissa officinalis L.) honey has an excellent flavor. It is produced from the nectar of the fragrant lilac or pink flowers of melissa, which is widespread in the Caucasus and Crimea and is cultivated in the Ukraine as a medicinal and essential-oil plant. 

Boyadzhiev, L. and Dimitrova, V. (2006) Extraction and liquid membrane preconcentration of rosmarinic acid from lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.). Separation Science and Technology, 41,877. 

Melissa officinalis L. -erva-cidreira Irritability Tea Terena Indians [13] Flavonoids [129,130] essential oils [131,132,133,134] phenolic acids [135,136,137] ... 

According to this line of reasoning, Ballard et al [381] verified that aromatherapy with essential oils from Melissa officinalis L. was very effective in reducing the agitation normally observed in patients with several dementia, with consequent improved quality of life for these people. 

Balm leaves, honeyplant or Lemon balm Melissa officinalis L. 

Oil of Balm. Oil of melissa balm oil of lemon balm Volatile oil from leaves and tops of Melissa officinalis L Labiatae. Chiefly citral. Composition studies Hefen-dehl. Arch. Pharm. 303, 345 (1970). 

EOs have been used for therapeutic purposes and as cosmetics through human history. Their antimicrobial effects and their use in skin formulations have been known for centuries [82], which probably led to investigatiOTis of their antiviral activities on viral skin diseases. Indeed, human herpes viruses, for example, HSV-1 and HSV-2, are the most investigated viruses with EOs [83-94]. Topical treatments containing extracts from lemon balm and sage extracts are available for herpes labialis [80]. EOs obtained from Santolina insularis [85], Melissa officinalis L. [82], Melaleuca species [87], Houttuynia cordata [88], Australian tea tree and eucalyptus [90], Mentha piperita [91], and Salvia fruticosa [93] exhibited direct inactivation of HSV. 

Melissa officinalis L. Citral, citronellal, carvacrol, Inhibitory effect on Teuscher et al. (2004),... 

The antiviral activity of the EO of the Lamiaceae Melissa officinalis L. against HSV-2 was examined by Allahverdiyev et al. (2004). The effect of the essential oil on HSV-2 replication in Hep-2 cells was tested in five different concentrations (25, 50,100,150, and 200 pg/mL). Up to a concentration of 100 pg/mL Melissa officinalis oil did not cause any toxic effect to Hep-2 cells, but it was slightly toxic at concentrations over 100 pg/mL. At nontoxic concentrations the replication of HSV-2 was reduced. Recently, Schnitzler et al. (2008) confirmed these findings The lipophilic nature of the EO of lemon balm helps to affect the virus before adsorption thus exerting a direct antiviral effect. After the penetration of the herpes virus into the host ceU there was no affection recorded anymore. 

Allahverdiyev, A., N. Duran, M. Ozguven, and S. Koltas, 2004. Antiviral activity of the volatile oils of Melissa officinalis L. AgainstTfe/pes simplexyiras type-2. Phytomedicine, 11(7-8) 657—661. 

Mimica-Dukic, N., B. Bozin, S. Marina, and N. Simin, 2004. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) essential oU. J. Agric. Food Chem., 52 2485-2489. 

Linalool (3) is a monoterpene commonly found as a major volatile component of EOs in several aromatic plant species, such as Lavandula angustifolia Mill (Lamiaceae), Rosa damascena Mill. (Rosaceae), Citrus bergamia Risso (Rutaceae), Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Lamiaceae), Cymbopogon citratus DC ex Nees (Poaceae), and Mentha piperita L. (Lamiaceae). Interestingly, many linalool-producing species are traditionally used as sedative, analgesic, hypnotic, or anxiolytic remedies in traditional medicine and some as well in aromatherapy (Elisabetsky et al., 1995a). 

Rosmarinic acid (1) was first isolated from Rosmarinus officinalis L. (or Melissa officinalis L.) (Labiatae) [9]. It was found to act as a complement inhibitor, and several investigations were carried out to reveal its mode of action. Rosmarinic acid had effects on both the classical pathway C3-convertase and on the cobra venom factor-induced, alternative pathway convertase. It also exhibited inhibitory activity in a number of in vivo models in which complement activation plays a role Rosmarinic acid (0.316-3.16 mg/kg i.m.) reduced paw oedema induced by cobra venom... 

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