Clinical efficacy and tolerability of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) in psychological well-being: a review

Mathews, I. M., Eastwood, J., Lamport, D. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4592-0439, Cozannet, R. L., Fanca-Berthon, P. and Williams, C. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4452-671X (2024) Clinical efficacy and tolerability of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) in psychological well-being: a review. Nutrients, 16 (20). 3545. ISSN 2072-6643 doi: 10.3390/nu16203545

Abstract/Summary

Background: There is renewed interest in the use of ancient herbal remedies for their potential health benefits, particularly in the psychological domain. One herb that is receiving growing attention is lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) which has received considerable interest for its influence on the brain. Lemon balm boasts an array of phytochemicals, including rosmarinic acid, citral, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid, which are believed to underpin these effects on psychological well-being. Pharmacological evidence from animal and cellular work reveals that lemon balm and its components may modulate several brain signalling pathways, including GABAergic, cholinergic, and serotonergic systems. Results/Conclusions: Although further robust randomised controlled trials using lemon balm are required, existing research indicates that lemon balm holds promise as a calming agent exhibiting both anxiolytic and anti-depressant properties and can elicit cognitive and sleep-quality enhancement.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/119219
Identification Number/DOI	10.3390/nu16203545
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology
Publisher	MDPI AG
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