Melissa officinalis L.
Fam. Labiatae
Fr. Mélisse
Ing. Balm, Balm-gentle, Pimentare
Ted. Balsam, Melisse, Zitronenmelisse
Sp. Cetroncella, Melacitola, Melissa
Description
Perennial herbaceous plant with lignified horizontal rhizome, up to 1 meter high, erect, quadrangular, branched, tomentose caule.
Leaves petiolate, opposite decussate, rhomboid oval, 2-6 cm long, cordate at the base with crenate margin, glossy on the upper side and equipped with covering and secretory hairs.
Small, white, bilabiate flowers arranged on inflorescences (verticillastri) briefly pedunculated at the upper leaf axils. Persistent calyx, bell-shaped tubular divided into two lips. Corolla tube with two unequal lips: the upper straight bifid, the lower one trifid, 4 stamens. Flowering from July to September.
Fruit: tetrachenium of brown color and elongated oval shape.
The whole plant gives off a pleasant lemon smell and has a slightly bitter taste
Areal
Lemon balm is native to Mediterranean Europe and Western Asia; now it is cultivated all over the world. It lives in the shade of the threshing floors, in the woods and in uncultivated places up to 1000 m.Culture
It is cultivated in many gardens, it loves a soil of medium texture, fresh and deep and sunny places. It is sensitive to the cold and to the excess of humidity. However, it needs frequent irrigation.
It multiplies by seed, by rhizome or by division of the tufts. But vegetative reproduction is not very common. It is usually sown in July in a greenhouse in well prepared soil and transplanted in October; otherwise in April if sowing is done in the open ground.
The crop is arranged in rows 50 cm apart with 8-10 plants / m2. A lower planting density favors a good development of the basal leaves, which are the richest in oil. The cultivation lasts 4-5 up to 7 years.
The first year is harvested in August, the following years at the end of June-July; sometimes two collections are also made. Harvest is carried out a little before flowering by mowing to the ground: the leaves are collected on special benches and left to dry in a dry and airy place. The leaves collected in July contain, compared to those collected at the end of summer, a quantity of 20-25% higher aromatic substances The apical leaves contain about half the essence of the basal ones.
It is better to carry out distillation immediately after harvesting because drying tends to lower the content of active ingredients. The species is abundantly foraged by bees.
Adversity: Mushrooms ( Septoria, Erisyphe, Puccinia), leaf-eating insects, viruses and weeds
DRUG: these are the leaves that contain tannins, bitter principles, flavonoids, polyphenols (triterpenes), essential oil in small quantities (therefore very expensive), but with a very pleasant smell containing citral and citronellal.
Uses
In phytopharmacy, lemon balm is antispasmodic and used both in the form of herbal teas and alcoholates (relaxing, nervine, anxiolytic, moderate antidepressant, diaphoretic, digestive, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory tonic). It is part of sedative and intestinal regulatory specialties. The antispasmodic action in gastric spasms of nervous origin and the mild sedative action are attributable to two aldehydes, citral and citronellal.
In dietetics, lemon balm is used in the preparation of certain liqueurs.
Select plant Fir Acacia Acerola Sorrel Yarrow Yarrow Yarrow Aconito Adatoda Garlic Agnocasto Agrimonia Alchemilla Alkekengi Aloe Altea Witch Hazel Ammi or Visnaga Pineapple Andrographis Anemone Pulsatilla Angelica Anise Star Anise Japanese Star Anise Bitter Orange Bitter Areca Arnica Harpagophytum Arpagophyte Artemisia Asteragus Basil Asparagus Asparagus Peruvian Asparagus Asparagus Asparagus Hawthorn Boldo Borage Shepherd's Purse Boswellia Bucco Butea superba Cocoa Coffee Cajeput Calamus Calamus Marigold Camedrio Chamomile Roman Chamomile Camphor Cinnamon Ceylon Maidenhair Capuchin Artichoke Cardamom Cardiac Thistle Asian Thistle Carvi Cascara Cassia Catecu Catha Cabbage Celandine Chicory Centaurea Cinnamon Cypress Celandine Chives Cypress Coca Cola Colchico Combreto Condurango Comfrey Coriander Cranberry Barberry American Chrysanthemum Cumin Turmeric Damiana Digital Dioscorea Drosera Dulcamara Dunalilella Echinacea Eder a Ephedra Elenio Eleutherococcus Helichrysum Evening primrose Horsetail Alfalfa Erica Euphrasia Erisimo Escolzia Eucalyptus Farfara Farfaraccio Calabar bean Fenugreek Fennel Phytolacca Frangola Ash Fumaria Japanese Mushrooms Galega Ganoderma lucidum Garcinia Cambogia Mulberry Gentian Broom Ginkgo Ginkgo Guipana Guipana Gynestra Ginkgo Hibelia Gymnasium Hibiscus Guarulp St. John's Wort Horse Chestnut Ispaghul Hyssop Jaborandi Kava kava Konjac Laminaria Cherry Laurel Lavender Lemongrass Lespedeza Lovage Icelandic Lichen Lemon Flax Lippia Licorice Lobelia Hops Maca Marjoram Maize Mallow Manna Marrubio Marrubio d "water Matè Melaleuca Meliloto American Lemon balm Myrtle Myrama Walnut Nutmeg Walnut vomica Olive tree Meadowsweet Ononide Opuntia Oregano Orthosiphon Nettle Poppy Papaya Parietaria Feverfew Passiflora Chilli Perilla Periwinkle Phyllanthus Plantain Picrorhiza Pilosella Pino Pisci dia Podofillo Polygala Grapefruit Parsley Psyllium Pueraria mirifica Butcher's broom Pygeum Quassia Oak Rhubarb Ratania Rauwolfia currant Castor bean Rhodiola Rosehip Rosemary Rue Willow Sarsaparilla Sage Elderberry Sassafras Sedum Ergot Senna Serenoa Repens Soybean Solidago Tansy Taraxus Tamarind Tamarind Tamarind Tamarind Tamarindo Ursina Valerian Vanilla Mullein Verbena Veronica Viburnum Vinca Pansy Mistletoe Vine Withania Yohimbe Saffron Ginger Pumpkin Select disease Juvenile Acne Rosacea Tinnitus Tinnitus Aerophagia Tendon Affections Afonia Aphthae Algias Functional Halitosis Breastfeeding Allergy Anemia Anguish Anxiety Arteriosclerosis Asthrosis Asthrosis Arthritis Arthritis Men Sex Woman Blepharitis and Conjunctivitis Eye bags Bronchitis Gallstones Kidney stones Salivary stones Baldness Androgenetic Candida Fragile hair Caries Headache Cellulitis Motion sickness Cystitis C limaterio Cholecystopathy High cholesterol Ulcerative colitis Colonoscopy Contusions Hematoma Convalescence Couperose Depression Dermatitis Diaper dermatitis Diabetes Diarrhea Erectile dysfunction Dyslipidemia Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Disturbances of vision Hemorrhoids Epistaxis Herethism Heart disease Fever Fibromyalgia Gastro-intestinal disease Flatulence Hypertension Fibromyalgia Gastrointomnia Jaundice Laryngitis Renal lithiasis Toothache Sore throat Thinness Menopause Meteorism Mononucleosis Alzheimer's disease Crohn's disease Nausea Vomiting Obesity Dark circles Onychomycosis Osteoporosis Dry skin Periarthritis Piorea Low pressure Prostatitis Psoriasis Colds Breast fissures Anal fissures Gastro-nasal rhinitis Senescence Premenstrual Syndrome Sinusitis Quit smoking Overweight Fatty liver Constipation Stomatitis Stress Cough Triglycerides high Ulcer Burns Nails Brittle flashes Heat Warts Dizziness Properties herbal Tanning Abortive adaptogenic Aphrodisiac bittering analgesic anesthetic anorectics analgesic antacid anti-allergic anti-asthmatic Antibiotic catarrh Anticellulitiche anticonvulsant Antidiaforetiche antidiarrheal edematous anthelmintic antiemetic Antiemorroidarie antiphlogistic Antiidrotiche Antinevrotiche Antioxidants antipyretic antirheumatic antiscorbutic Antiseptic antispasmodic anti-uric Aperitive Flavoring Astringent Balsamic Bechiche Capillarotrope Cardiotonic Carminative Cathartic Caustics Healing Cholagogues Choleretic Dyes Decongestants Deodorants Purifying Diaphoretic Cleansers Disinfectants Detoxifiers Thirst quenching Diuretics Exciting Emetics Emmenagogues Emollients Hemostatic Energies Hepatoprotectors Expectorants Eupepticus Moisturisers Galactosensitizers lanti Hypertensive Hypnotic Hypoglycemic Hypotensive Irritants Laxatives Soothing Narcotic Nerves Nutrients Odontalgic Pectoral Purgative Revulsive Remineralizing Refreshing Rubefacient Scialagoghe Sedative Soporifugas Sneezing Stomachic Stomatics Narcotic Vascular Tightenitis
