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Rooted
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)

Lamiaceae · leaf

Lemon balm

Melissa officinalis

Human clinical trialsUse with caution

Lemon-scented leaf mapped to modest human trials for restlessness and cognitive/mood endpoints, frequently in combination products.

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Safety first

Leaf tea is generally gentle. Concentrated extracts appear in small human mood and sleep trials, often combined with valerian. Theoretical thyroid caution exists; do not use concentrated products as thyroid self-care.

Tradition vs trials

Traditional record. European monastic and Commission E records use the leaf for nervous digestive complaints and mild tension.

Trial literature. Human trials include combination sleep products and small standalone mood/cognition studies. Attribution is often shared with valerian.

Practical ranges

Educational ranges — not a prescription. Culinary use is not an extract.

  • dried leaf

    European monographs commonly list about 1.5–4.5 g leaf as tea, several times daily, or equivalent extract

    ESCOP / German Commission E — Educational range only — not a prescription. A licensed clinician individualizes product, dose, and duration.

Pregnancy, nursing, children

  • Pregnancy. Culinary-strength tea is traditionally used; concentrated extracts lack adequate pregnancy data.
  • Nursing. Culinary-strength tea is traditionally used; concentrated extracts lack adequate lactation data.
  • Children. Weak tea is a traditional European children's nervine; extracts are not automatically pediatric.

Contraindications

  • known mint-family allergy
  • unsupervised concentrated use in thyroid disease

Key interactions

  • CNS depressants · caution

    Additive sedation possible with extracts.

  • thyroid hormone · note

    Theoretical TSH/thyroid interference from concentrated extracts; tea is less of a concern.

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Used in these diagnoses