Melissa officinalis is an herbaceous plant from the perennial plants native to southern Europe and Asia, which are used for their leaves and flowers for healing purposes. It has sedative, antispasmodic (on gastrointestinal and genitourinary), antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and healing (when applied locally) properties.
What is Melissa officinalis?
The Melissa officinalis organism plays several roles. In fact, it has multiple properties such as:
- Sedative: acts on anxiety and anxious-depressive syndromes and on sleeping and nervous disorders, as well as on different manifestations of nervous origin such as palpitations, extrasystoles, tachycardia, dizziness, and tinnitus from stress, nervous headaches. By acting on the central nervous system, it is also able to quell a cough;
- Antispasmodic on the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract: soothes gastrointestinal disorders such as indigestion, bloating, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastrointestinal spasms, menstrual pain;
- Antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal: it can treat infections of labial herpes simplex type 1, and it is a powerful anti-fungal;
- Healing and astringent (if applied locally).
How should Melissa officinalis be taken?
Melissa officinalis can be taken orally, in the form of tablets or herbal tea, or by topical application (creams and oils). The leaves can also be taken fresh, not dried.
Side effects associated with Melissa officinalis
Melissa officinalis can cause mild drowsiness. In very rare cases, it may cause allergic skin reactions (hives, itching).
Contraindications and warnings associated with the use of Melissa officinalis
In part because it works by inhibiting the activities of the thyroid gland, the use of this herbal medicine is not recommended in patients who suffer from hypothyroidism, including those who are receiving treatment with thyroid hormones (assumption of Melissa may in fact interfere with the latter). For the same reason, it is not recommended intake during pregnancy and lactation (the full functionality of maternal thyroid is essential for brain development and growth of the fetus and newborn).
It is not recommended to those who are affected by OEA risk of developing glaucoma, since according to recent studies, this plant would be able to increase the intraocular pressure.
