ANSWER
Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) is contemporaneously used as a mild sedative and calming agent. Studies demonstrated that lemon balm products were capable of benefiting several aspects of moods and performance. It reduces induced stress and has anxiolytic effects on humans. It could be used to calm and relax the nerves.
Study Title | Method/ Findings/ Dosage Recommended | References |
Anti-Stress Effects of Lemon Balm-Containing Foods |
|
Scholey et al., 2014. |
Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances |
|
Cases et al., 2011. |
Anxiolytic effects of a combination of Melissa officinalis and Valeriana officinalis during laboratory induced stress |
|
Kennedy et al., 2006. |
Attenuation of Laboratory-Induced Stress in Humans After Acute Administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) |
|
Kennedy et al., 2004. |
References
Cases, J., Ibarra, A., Feuillere, N., Roller, M. & Sukkar, S. G. (2011). Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 4(3), 211-218. https://doi.org/10.3233/s12349-010-0045-4
Kennedy, D. O., Little, W., Haskell, C. F. & Scholey, A. B. (2006). Anxiolytic effects of a combination of Melissa Officinalis and Valeriana officinalis during laboratory induced stress. Phytotherapy Research, 20(2), 96-102. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1787
Kennedy, D., Little, W., & Scholey, A. (2004). Attenuation of Laboratory-Induced Stress in Humans After Acute Administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm). Psychosomatic Medicine, 66(4), 607-613. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.psy.0000132877.72833.71
Scholey, A., Gibbs, A., Neale, C., Perry, N., Ossoukhova, A., Bilog, V., Kras, M., Scholz, C., Sass, M. & Buchwald-Werner, S. (2014). Antistress Effects of Lemon Balm-Containing Foods. Nutrients, 6(11), 4805-4821. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6114805