Lemon balm – therapeutic properties and skincare benefits
Plant characterization
Lemon balm or Melissa officinalis L. belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is widely spread in south-eastern Europe as well as in Asia or Brazil. Lemon balm grows naturally on Romanian lands, in some areas of the south-west, near forests and clearings. Once in place, the plant is there to stay. The lemon balm name recalls its pleasant fragrance highly appreciated by perfume makers or traditional chefs. Yet, its therapeutic effects are not neglectable either. Lemon balm has a very complex chemical composition with several pharmacological properties.
Lemon balm grows in thick shrubs that are 90 to 100 cm tall. This perennial plant makes its’ appearance from the end of April and is sometimes easily confused with nettle(Urtica dioica) although belonging to different families. Nevertheless, lemon balm leaves have a much more intense and dark shade of green. When pressed between one’s fingers, their wonderful fragrance is similar to the scent of lemons. Lemon balm attracts bees and other insects thanks to its strong fragrance and visible flowers. These are small and white, sometimes with a pink shade. The flowers form between June and August.
Harvesting
As we are using lemon balm in our cosmetic products, at Careless Beauty Romania, we harvested it from our own crops, just before flowering, early June, in order not to miss any part of its’ essential oils. Usually, when it starts to flower, the amount of volatile compounds decreases. Its’s fragrance was quite strong and, when squeezing it between our fingers, we could feel a lemongrass-like scent with a green fresh aroma. No wonder the perfume industry also loves this plant.
Chemical composition
According to my studies, lemon balm presents phenolic acids and flavonoids: gallic, chlorogenic, rosmarinic, caffeic, elagic acids, catechin, epicatechin, rutin and quercetin. The essential oil is rich in geraniol, neral,citronellol, b-caryophyllene, linalool, limonene, ocimene and citronellal.
Pharmacological effects
Lemon balm extracts have been analyzed for their role in fighting against oxidative stress in the human body and namely in inhibiting acetyl cholinesterase (AchEis involved in transmitting nervous impulses by decomposing acetylcholine, a chemical that helps to propagate signals through nervous terminations)in cases of Alzheimer. Some types of lemon balm extracts are also used in healing wounds thanks to their healing properties, and in treating biliary dyskinesia as well. [R. P. Pereira et. al., Industrial Crops and Products, 2014, 53, pp. 34 – 45]. Lemon balm essential oil is known for its spasmolytic, antimicrobial, anti-tumor and antioxidant action.
Lemon balm in the beauty industry
In cosmetics, lemon balm extracts are recommended to sensitive skin that is prone to irritation and/or allergies, in case of atopic dermatitis, as well as to skin presenting spots (new mothers, sun, ulcerations or eczema). According to our clinical, physical-chemical and microbiological tests, lemon balm hydroalcoholic extract and essential oil had a regenerative effect on the epidermal tissue (thanks to their bioactive composition having a strong antioxidant role), as well as calming and revitalizing effects. They improve the quality of skin with pigmentation disorders and refine and illuminate it. You can read about Careless beauty dermato-cosmetic products based on lemon balm extract here.
Other studies
According to literature, plant material from M. officinalis L. species is also used by traditional medicine in treating headaches, given its’ relaxing and lightly sedative effect.Lemon balm is also an anti-flatulent agent and calms colic. It helps with nausea, indigestion, anemia, nerves, asthma, bronchitis, insomnia, epilepsy and depression. [K. Dastmalchi et. al., Chemical composition and in vitro antioxidative activity of a lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) extract, LWT – Food Sci. Technol. 41 (2008), pp. 391–400; WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants, Geneva, 2004.http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js4927e/18.html#Js4927e.18 (accessed October 2012); G. Karasová, J. Lehotay, Chromatographic determination of derivatives of p-hydroxybenzoic acid in Melissa officinalis by HPLC, J. Liq. Chromatogr. Rel.Technol. 28 (2005), pp. 2421–2431].
