Emotional distress conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, and poor sleep are widespread health problems that have a significant impact on people’s lives. Conventional drugs are commonly used to treat mental distress and insomnia, but they have a long list of negative side effects and several disadvantages.
Over recent years, herbal medications have gained increasing research and clinical interest in the management of emotional distress and sleep disorders. Notably, research has indicated that Melissa officinalis leaf sometimes referred to as lemon balm mint and Jogbo in Yoruba, is a promising natural “calming agent” for treating anxiety and sleep disturbances.
People use lemon balm for cold sores, anxiety, stress, insomnia, indigestion, dementia, and many other conditions, but there is no scientific evidence to support many of these uses.
Even a more recent clinical study that involved 100 healthy adults complaining of a moderate degree of depression, anxiety, or stress concluded that Melissa officinalis leaf extract significantly improved emotional distress and poor sleep conditions in healthy adults.
The participants received 200 mg of phospholipid-based Melissa officinalis aqueous extract (Relissa™) tablets twice a day, totalling 400 mg per day for the duration of the clinical trial documented in the 2023 edition of Frontiers in Pharmacology.
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The results indicated that the Melissa officinalis extract positively affected participants’ overall mental well-being. After taking the extract for three weeks, they experienced notable reductions in depressive mood, anxiety, and stress levels. Emotional feelings also improved significantly, indicating a better emotional state overall.
The study reported that the participants handled the supplements well, and no significant side effects or treatment-emergent side effects were seen. This indicated that the Melissa officinalis extract could be a safe alternative for managing emotional distress and sleep issues.
The researchers declared, “It is noteworthy that these improvements were observed only after 3 weeks of supplementation, suggesting a relatively rapid onset of therapeutic effects of the extract.”
Given the significant improvements in sleep quality observed in participants, the Melissa officinalis extract may be beneficial for individuals struggling with sleep disorders. This could provide a non-pharmaceutical option for enhancing sleep, which is crucial for overall health and well-being.
This is particularly relevant for those who prefer botanical remedies over conventional pharmacological treatments, which often are associated with multiple side effects, such as cognitive dysfunction, excessive sedation, sexual dysfunction, respiratory depression, withdrawal syndrome, and seizures.
The positive outcomes of the study could encourage healthcare providers to integrate Melissa officinalis extract into wellness programmes aimed at improving mental health. In environments that encourage holistic approaches, such as community health centres, mental health clinics, and wellness retreats, this could be very helpful.
However, the researchers said further research is needed to establish the efficacy of Melissa officinalis extract in the management of emotional and sleep disorders in a broader population, including those with more severe emotional distress or specific conditions like generalised anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder.
Additionally, research studies should explore the underlying mechanisms, optimal dosage regimens, and potential interactions with other interventions or medications.
Actually, the European Medicines Agency approved Melissa officinalis leaf extract, whether it be in the form of a herbal infusion, dry extract, or fluid extract, as a non-prescription drug in 2013 to treat mild digestive disorders like bloating and flatulence, as well as to relieve mild symptoms of mental stress and encourage sleep.
The European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP) also recommends the use of the Melissa officinalis extract for tenseness, restlessness, and irritability (Escop European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy, 2003).
The FDA has classified the Melissa officinalis extract as generally recognised as safe (GRAS) for use as a food ingredient in the United States (US Food and Drug Administration, 2016).
One of the most widely used over-the-counter supplements for the treatment of low mood disorders, especially in people who are resistant to traditional antidepressant medications, is oral Melissa officinalis extract because of its proven therapeutic effects, as shown in the current study.
Among the reported clinical trials, the Melissa officinalis extract supplement dosage of 300 to 1,600 mg has shown benefits in the management of depression, anxiety, stress, and poor sleep. In terms of duration, studies have shown that a period between 10 days and 8 weeks is required to improve depressive symptoms.
Some clinical trials have shown that the shortest duration of Melissa officinalis oral supplementation that led to improvement in anxiety disorders was five to seven days.
Another study found that Melissa officinalis improved the quality of life for menopausal women with sleep difficulties more effectively than the depression medication citalopram.
