Lemon Balm the Honey Bee Herb
Lemon balm or Bee Balm’s scientific name is Melissa officinalis. Fun fact is your name is Melissa it is greek for honey bee or bee. M officinalis has several chemical components including flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, cholines, caffeic acid, caftaric acid, ferulic acid, and rosmarinic acid.
One of Lemon Balms main actions is a cholinergic. A cholinergic is as a pharmaceutical agent or compound that acts or mimics acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter. The cholinergic properties in M officinalis is due to the rosmarinic acid. M officinalis was found to have an affinity as a cholinergic in a study done in 2005.
Cholinergic Nerve Cell PathwayThe importance of this discover lies in the research done on alzheimer’s. M officinalis was seen to have an affinity for the GABA-A benzodiazepine receptors. It was seen to reverse the effect of the GABA induced currents in cortical neurons of rats. The isolated compounds from lemon balm that make up rosmarinic acid were shown to have high inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase. Rosmarinic acid has also been found to be a sturdy antiviral.
Rosmarinic AcidAnother one of M. officinalis’s secrets is its antiviral properties. It was shown to have a significant effect on herpes simplex virus-1. It was effective within 3 to 6 hours upon administering in a 1993 experiment. Rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid in an isolated test showed strong antiviral effects against HSV-1 and HSV-2. It was seen that they aided T-cells and macrophages in the destruction of the viruses.
Caffeic AcidThank you for reading this weeks snippet of science behind the compounds of Lemon Balm. Come back Friday for a new recipe. Monday will go further into the other actions and uses of M. officinalis.
Sources:4th Edition Herbs and Natural Supplements: an evidence-based guide by Leslie Braun and Marc CohenAll preliminary research was conducted on nonhuman specimens. This is for educational purposes only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This statement isn't evaluated by the FDA.