Abstract
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) from the mint family (Lamiaceae) is native to the Mediterranean region and in the wild it is found in its eastern part; it also occurs as a naturalised plant that have escaped from cultivation in Europe, as well as in the temperate zones of Asia and America. The herbal material comprises leaves (Melissae folium) of lemon balm, while the essential oil, found in dried raw material at a level of 0.02-0.30%, is the main biologically active substance. The dominant components of lemon balm essential oil are as follows: citral (geranial and neral), citronellal, geraniol, β-pinene, α-pinene, and β-caryophyllene. The lemon balm leaf is also rich in other biologically active substances, such as tannins, bitters, flavonoids, phenolic acids, chlorophyll and carotenoids, triterpene compounds as well as mineral compounds. Lemon balm extracts and essential oil show antimicrobial and antioxidant activity as well as they have sedative and antidepressant effects. Essential oil synthesis in lemon balm is clearly influenced by genetic factors, but it is also affected by environmental factors, whereas the qualitative composition of the oil is relatively constant. The antioxidant activity of lemon balm essential oil is most probably associated with the presence of its dominant components; the presence of phenolics, flavonoids as well as α-tocopherol and β-carotene in lemon balm raw material enhances its antioxidant activity.
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