Melissa (Lemon Balm)

[Guest guest]

Melissa (Lemon Balm) JoAnn Guest Jul 30, 2003 12:46 PDT

Melissa

 

What Is It?

 

Folk healers in the Middle Ages considered melissa (Melissa officinalis)

something of a cure-all, relying on it for everything from indigestion

to insect bites. Today, this mint-family member--often called lemon balm

because of the citrus-y aroma of its leaves--is still used to prepare

healing oils, tinctures, compresses, ointments, teas, and other remedies

for a variety of complaints.

 

Generally, it is the leaves of this perennial plant that are used

medicinally, although the small white and yellow flowers are

occasionally incorporated as well.

 

Now found throughout North America and in other parts of the world,

melissa is actually indigenous to the Mediterranean region and northern

Africa as well as to western Asia and southwestern Siberia.

 

Health Benefits

 

In the ninth century, the first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne, thought

melissa so beautiful and so valuable to the health of his subjects that

he ordered it planted in all monastery gardens.

 

Benedictine missionaries later shipped the herb to other regions, and

eventually it appeared in gardens all over Europe. As the centuries have

passed, old uses for this herb have endured, and new ones have been

discovered.

 

Sedative, spasm-reducing (spasmolytic), and antibacterial properties

abound in this fragrant herb. Europeans have long favored a tea made

from the dried leaves for easing nervous system disorders.

 

A compress soaked in the concentrated, cooled tea makes a comforting

healing dressing for insect bites, stings, and other sites of skin

inflammation.

 

As an astringent, the tea applied topically probably promotes healing in

minor wounds by tightening the skin.

 

Today, researchers are even considering the value of melissa for

treating hyperthyroidism because the plant appears to contain

thyroid-regulating compounds.

 

Specifically, melissa may help to:

 

 

Treat cold sores and shingles: Clinical trials indicate that substances

in melissa's volatile oils make this herb a promising remedy for

treating cold sores, the painful lip lesions caused by the herpes

simplex (type 1) virus.

 

Melissa has been shown to speed healing of the lesions, especially when

taken at the first signs of an outbreak. It also appears to increase the

time between outbreaks when used regularly. Even genital lesions caused

by a different herpes simplex virus (type 2) may respond to melissa

treatment.

 

Topical formulations of melissa have also been recommended for treating

shingles, a relatively common and quite painful skin condition that is

actually a reactivation of the chickenpox virus. Shingles is caused by a

relative to the herpes simplex virus: herpes zoster.

 

 

Calm jangled nerves and ease indigestion. Melissa's antispasmodic

actions appear to relax the smooth muscles of the digestive tract,

making it potentially valuable for relieving gas, bloating, and

indigestion.

 

Forms:

 

tincture

ointment

liquid

dried herb/tea

cream

Dosage Information

 

Special tip:

 

--To be effective for fighting cold sores and other lesions caused by

the herpes simplex virus, you need to use a cream-based product

containing a concentrated extract of melissa.

 

In Germany, the melissa cold sore cream/ointment is sold under the name

Lomaherpan;

 

in the United States it can be found under various names, such as

Herpalieve and Herpilyn.

 

For cold sores: Apply the cream three to four times a day.

 

For calming jangled nerves and easing indigestion: Make a tea from dried

melissa. To prepare the tea, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of the herb for each

8-ounce cup of hot but not boiling water. Cover the tea and let it steep

for 10 to 20 minutes to get the medicinal benefits. Drink the tea

throughout the day as needed.

 

Guidelines for Use

 

 

When using melissa cream for cold sores, be sure to apply it as soon as

possible after the sore starts to appear; studies indicate that

accelerated healing was most noticeable in the first two days.

 

General Interaction

 

 

The volatile oils in melissa have sedative properties that can

dangerously increase the effects of barbiturates such as pentobarbital

and phenobarbital.

 

When used together, the sedative actions of herbs and prescription

medications can build up to unwanted levels.

 

Take care when combining melissa with other sedating substances such as

prescription tranquilizers, or even with other herbs reported to have

sedating actions, such as valerian and passionflower.

 

Note: For information on interactions with specific generic drugs, see

our WholeHealthMD Drug/Nutrient Interactions Chart.

 

 

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,10043,00.html

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

http://www.topica.com/lists/Melanoma

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Botanicals.html

 

 

 

The complete " Whole Body " Health line consists of the " AIM GARDEN TRIO "

Ask About Health Professional Support Series: AIM Barleygreen

 

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/AIM.html