For nervousness and difficulty falling asleep!
Obtained from the leaves of the lemon balm plant, which smells intensely of lemon. That’s why it’s often referred to as lemon herb or lemon balm. The plant is native to the countries around the Mediterranean.
INGREDIENTS
Essential oils with 0.05–0.3 %, especially citral and citronellal. The content depends heavily on the growing area, harvest period and storage conditions of the leaf drug. Because the concentration in the leaves is very low, lemon balm essential oil is one of the most expensive oils. An affordable alternative and supplement is CITRONELLOL (Aetheroleum Citronellae), obtained from winter grass or citronella grass.
EFFECT
INTERNALLY:
- These essential oils have a calming and antispasmodic effect on the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and can therefore be found in various preparations for nervous stomach problems and against flatulence.
- Aqueous extracts from lemon balm leaves have antiviral properties that are effective against cold sores.
EXTERNAL:
- When absorbed through the skin or inhaled, they have a calming effect on nerves via the limbic system in cases of difficulty falling asleep and nervous stress.
APPLICATION
- as a single tea or in tea blends with peppermint, chamomile in gastrointestinal teas
- together with valerian, hops and passionflower in nerve and sleep teas
- in various herbal medicinal preparations with the same mode of action
- in lip ointments for herpes treatment
- in full baths for general calming, to improve sleep quality, as an accompanying measure to reduce nervous stress and let the day end relaxed
RISKS & SIDE EFFECTS
Not known when dosed and used as intended. Like all essential oils, it should not be used undiluted on the facial area of babies and toddlers. In the case of feverish infectious diseases, major skin injuries, high blood pressure and heart failure, full baths should only be carried out after consulting a doctor.
SOURCES
- Ammon HPT: Hunnius Pharmaceutical Dictionary. 9. Edition, Berlin 2004
- Excerpt from the monograph of Commission E
- Wichtl M.: Tea drugs and phytopharmaceuticals. 5. Edition, Stuttgart 2009