Lemon Balm

    Written by:
    Natalka Roshak

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Katie Jantz, Conni Covington
    Last Updated: November 11, 2024

    Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a bushy perennial herb in the mint family that has been used in food for over two thousand years. Oral ingestion of lemon balm may help reduce anxiety and depression and improve sleep. Supplementation with lemon balm can also improve blood lipids and blood pressure. When applied to the skin, lemon balm may help with cold sores.

    69 references on this page
    1,983 participants in 15 trials and 3 meta-analyses

    Overview

    Dosage information

    Formulations:

    Oral: Lemon balm can be taken as an herbal tea (dried, broken-up herb infused in boiling water), as powdered dried herb, as a tincture, as a liquid extract of the dry herb, or as a dried liquid extract.

    Topical: A cream or ointment formulated with liquid or dried extract can be applied directly to the skin. Alternatively, a cotton ball soaked in lemon balm tea can be applied to the skin.

    Aromatherapy: Lemon balm essential oil’s odor can be inhaled, or the oil can be diluted in a carrier oil and used for aromatherapeutic massage.

    Note that while lemon balm extracts are taken orally, lemon balm oil is not taken orally; animal studies suggest that it is moderately toxic.[1]

    Range of dosages studied:

    Oral:

    • As dried leaf, herb for tea, or extract: 700 mg to 4 grams/day.[2]
    • Standardized extracts: 400 to 600 mg daily in divided doses;[3][4] dried extract providing 500 mg/day of rosmarinic acid;[5][6] as a single, one-time dose, 300–1600 mg of dried ethanolic extract.[7][8]
    • Liquid extract: 60 drops/day of hydroalcoholic extract.[9]

    Topical: 1% cream or gel, applied two to five times daily.[10][11]

    Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy with lemon balm essential oil (also known as balm oil) has been used in clinical trials as follows: (a) 2–3 drops on cotton, held near the face and inhaled for 30 minutes to 2 hours;[12][13][14] (b) diluted in a carrier oil (2–10%) and applied or massaged onto the skin twice a day.[14]

    Effective Dosages:

    General:

    Adults: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published the following dosage guidance for lemon balm in adults, based on traditional and community use:[15]

    FormulationDoseFrequency
    Herbal tea1.5–4.5 g of herb in 150 mL of boiling water as an infusion1–3 times daily
    Powdered herbal substance0.19–0.55 g2–3 times daily
    Liquid extract (using 45–53% ethanol, in a 1:1 solvent:herb ratio)2–4 mL1–3 times daily
    Tincture (using 45–53% ethanol, in a 5:1 solvent:herb ratio)2–6 mL1–3 times daily
    Dried water or ethanol extractsTake in dosages corresponding to those given above for tea, liquid extract and tincture

    Adapted from: Community herbal monograph on Melissa officinalis L., folium. European Medicines Agency, 2013.

    Lemon balm extracts may be standardized on the content of one of lemon balm’s constituents, often rosmarinic acid (RA).[12] For comparison, lemon balm herbal tea prepared with hot water contains about 11 mg of rosmarinic acid per 100 mL (about half a cup) of tea,[16] and lemon balm leaf contains 4–86 mg of rosmarinic acid per gram of dried leaf.[17][18]

    Pregnant and lactating adults: The EMA does not recommend using lemon balm in pregnant and lactating adults due to a lack of data.[15] However, with respect to lactation, the American National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has noted that, while there’s no data on whether or how much any components of lemon balm are expressed in breastmilk, the herb itself has been safely used in infants, and thus any (probably lesser) amounts in breastmilk are probably not harmful.[19]

    Children: The EMA does not recommend using lemon balm medicinally in children younger than 12 due to a lack of data.[15]

    Oral herpes: (Adults) Apply 1% cream five times daily to the affected areas at the first sign of a possible outbreak (tingling).[10]

    Other Considerations: Please see the cautions under What are lemon balm’s drawbacks? below.

    Frequently asked questions

    Update History

    Research Breakdown

    Examine Database References

    1. Memory - Kennedy DO, Wake G, Savelev S, Tildesley NT, Perry EK, Wesnes KA, Scholey ABModulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of single doses of Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) with human CNS nicotinic and muscarinic receptor-binding propertiesNeuropsychopharmacology.(2003 Oct)
    2. Memory - Kennedy DO, Scholey AB, Tildesley NT, Perry EK, Wesnes KAModulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm)Pharmacol Biochem Behav.(2002 Jul)
    3. Anxiety Symptoms - Dimpfel W, Pischel I, Lehnfeld REffects of lozenge containing lavender oil, extracts from hops, lemon balm and oat on electrical brain activity of volunteersEur J Med Res.(2004 Sep 29)
    4. DNA Damage - Zeraatpishe A, Oryan S, Bagheri MH, Pilevarian AA, Malekirad AA, Baeeri M, Abdollahi MEffects of Melissa officinalis L. on oxidative status and DNA damage in subjects exposed to long-term low-dose ionizing radiationToxicol Ind Health.(2011 Apr)
    5. Cramps - Mirabi P, Namdari M, Alamolhoda S, Mojab FThe Effect of Melissa Officinalis Extract on the Severity of Primary DysmenorrhaIran J Pharm Res.(2017 Winter)
    6. Fatigue Symptoms - Cases J, Ibarra A, Feuillère N, Roller M, Sukkar SGPilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbancesMed J Nutrition Metab.(2011 Dec)
    7. PMS Symptoms - Heydari N, Dehghani M, Emamghoreishi M, Akbarzadeh MEffect of Melissa officinalis capsule on the mental health of female adolescents with premenstrual syndrome: a clinical trial studyInt J Adolesc Med Health.(2018 Jan 25)
    8. PMS Symptoms - Akbarzadeh, M, et alComparison of the Effect of Melissa officinalis Capsule and Care Educational Programs on the Intensity of Physical, Mental and Social Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome in High School Female StudentsInt J Women's Health Repro. Sci.()
    9. PMS Symptoms - Akbarzadeh M, Dehghani M, Moshfeghy Z, Emamghoreishi M, Tavakoli P, Zare NEffect of Melissa officinalis Capsule on the Intensity of Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms in High School Girl Students.Nurs Midwifery Stud.(2015-Jun)
    10. PMS Symptoms - Mirghafourvand, M, et alThe efficacy of Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) only and combined Lemon balm– Nepeta menthoides on premenstrual syndrome and quality of life among students: a randomized controlled trialJ Herb Med.()
    11. Stress Signs and Symptoms - Kennedy DO, Little W, Scholey ABAttenuation of laboratory-induced stress in humans after acute administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm)Psychosom Med.(2004 Jul-Aug)
    12. Anxiety Symptoms - Javid Ghazizadeh, Saeed Sadigh-Eteghad, Wolfgang Marx, Ali Fakhari, Sanaz Hamedeyazdan, Mohammadali Torbati, Somaiyeh Taheri-Tarighi, Mostafa Araj-Khodaei, Mojgan MirghafourvandThe effects of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) on depression and anxiety in clinical trials: A systematic review and meta-analysisPhytother Res.(2021 Aug 27)
    13. Total cholesterol - Shahsavari K, Shams Ardekani MR, Khanavi M, Jamialahmadi T, Iranshahi M, Hasanpour MEffects of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) consumption on serum lipid profile: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC Complement Med Ther.(2024 Apr 4)
    14. Total cholesterol - Heshmati J, Morvaridzadeh M, Sepidarkish M, Fazelian S, Rahimlou M, Omidi A, Palmowski A, Asadi A, Shidfar FEffects of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) on cardio-metabolic outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Phytother Res.(2020 Dec)
    15. Pain - Ehsani Z, Salehifar E, Habibi E, Alizadeh-Navaei R, Moosazadeh M, Tabrizi N, Zaboli E, Omrani-Nava V, Shekarriz REffect of Melissa officinalis on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Trial.Int J Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Res.(2024 Apr 1)
    16. Depression Symptoms - Habib Haybar, Ahmad Zare Javid, Mohammad Hosein Haghighizadeh, Einollah Valizadeh, Seyede Marjan Mohaghegh, Assieh MohammadzadehThe effects of Melissa officinalis supplementation on depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disorder in patients with chronic stable anginaClin Nutr ESPEN.(2018 Aug)
    17. Cold Sore Symptom Severity - Koytchev R, Alken RG, Dundarov SBalm mint extract (Lo-701) for topical treatment of recurring herpes labialis.Phytomedicine.(1999 Oct)
    18. Insomnia Signs and Symptoms - Di Pierro F, Sisti D, Rocchi M, Belli A, Bertuccioli A, Cazzaniga M, Palazzi CM, Tanda ML, Zerbinati NEffects of Melissa officinalis Phytosome on Sleep Quality: Results of a Prospective, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, and Cross-Over Study.Nutrients.(2024 Dec 4)