Lemon balm, the plant with beneficial properties

An antioxidant and antispasmodic plant, useful against stress and insomnia. What are the properties and benefits?

Lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis ) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Labiatae family. Thanks to its antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties, and the essential oils it contains, it is used in the treatment of many ailments. Lemon balm is a very precious medicinal plant, as it represents a natural remedy against a whole series of common problems that can negatively affect the good quality of life.

Properties and benefits

Lemon balm leaves, rich in essential oil, which gives the plant a pleasant aroma and the flavor of lemon, are used in the treatment of anxiety states with somatization of the gastrointestinal system. Due to its antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and carminative action it is indicated in case of menstrual pain, neuralgia, digestive disorders, nausea, flatulence, abdominal cramps and colitis.

This plant is also used in the treatment of headaches, when it is caused by nervous tension, thanks to the presence of the essential oil (0.5%) which acts as a calming on the nervous system, and relaxing on the muscle. Its use is therefore particularly indicated in the presence of a picture of general irritability, insomnia caused by excessive fatigue, nervousness, premenstrual syndrome, and tachycardia on a functional basis. The extract of fresh lemon balm leaves has antiviral activity, due to the presence of polyphenolic acids and polysaccharides, against Herpes simplex .

Against anxiety and sadness

The active ingredients of this medicinal plant seem to act mainly on the autonomic nervous system, that is, on that part of the brain that regulates numerous organic functions including heart rate, hormone production and gastric secretions. It would therefore help to combat the negative action of stress factors, often of psychological origin, and to restore the balance of the autonomic nervous system, thus removing anxiety and sadness.

Other benefits and ways of use

Lemon balm would help to reconcile sleep, acting against the difficulty in falling asleep; it is used to treat muscle-tension headache, thanks to the action of the essential oil that relaxes the muscles. It helps to counteract cognitive deficits deriving from various factors such as, for example, drug abuse, trauma or neurodegenerative diseases and is considered a natural remedy useful for fighting halitosis and tachycardia.

It can be taken in the form of infusion, mother tincture or capsules, but it can also be purchased in capsules in pharmacies and in all herbalists. As the experts of the Viata Online Pharmacy advise , however, “ the recommended daily dose shown on the package or on the package leaflet must not be exceeded. A food supplement must not replace a varied and balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle “.