Benefits of Lemon Balm

Because Lemon Balm is an antioxidant and a mild sedative, it has the properties to help 
the body fight free radicals that cause aging and disease. The antioxidant in Lemon Balm 
makes it ideal for skin care. Medical studies have determined that Lemon Balm, a
traditional herbal medicine used widely as a mild sedative, spasmolytic and antibacterial 
agent, has antioxidant, anti-aging, and disease fighting properties.  

In one such study, an in-vitro cytotoxicity assay using MTT (Lemon Balm) oil indicated that 
this was very effective against a series of human cancer cell lines (A549, MCF-7, Caco-2, 
HL-60, K562) and a mouse cell line (B16F10). This (Lemon Balm) oil possessed 
antioxidant activity, as evidenced by reduction of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH). 
These results pointed to the potential use of lemon balm essential oil as an antitumoral 
agent. (Melissa officinalis L. essential oil - lemon balm oil : antitumoral and antioxidant 
activities. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2004 May; 56(5):677-81).
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Lemon Balm relaxes the blood vessels and is also credited with an antiviral effect. 
​Mentioned often in Greek and Latin classics, the ancients used lemon balm to treat fevers 
and to calm nerves. During the Middle Ages, it was used for sleeplessness, lack of appetite, 
stress and digestive disorders. In America, the Cherokee Indians used the herb as a remedy
for fevers, colds, chills and typhus. It was also grown in Thomas Jefferson's garden at 
Monticello, where his cooks used it for jams and jellies when lemons became scarce. Today,
lemon balm holds therapeutic value as a soothing treatment for anxiety, wounds, chicken 
pox, cold sores and acne.

The leaves of lemon balm contain potent astringent and antibacterial properties useful for 
many things including cleansing pores to reduce blackheads. Due to rosmarinic acid, one of 
lemon balm's key antioxidant ingredients, herbal face toners, like our Earth Tone, containing 
the herb may also benefit the complexion. The acid has a slightly drying effect that helps 
​reduce oily, acne-prone skin. In addition, Dr. Heather Boon, a licensed pharmacist and 
author of "55 Most Common Medicinal Herbs," says studies indicate that rosmarinic acid 
exerts an anti-inflammatory action that may prove useful for alleviating redness and swelling associated with acne outbreaks.

The essential oil, which is its most prized asset, plays a huge role in soothing the body as well as skin and nerves around the area on which it is applied. Being a member of the Mint family, Lemon Balm decrease stress and anxiety. It is a mild sedative that promotes sleep, antiviral activity, particularly against the herpes virus (HSV) that causes cold sores, it has the ability to absorb UV light and so can play a role in protecting the skin against UV damage, mood lifting and can be used for mild depression.
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