Melissa

The use of lemon balm herb medicinal

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Botanical characteristics of lemon balm

Melissa officinalis is a perennial plant of the family yasnotkovyh. It was mentioned in the ancient writings of scientists. This plant is widespread in Europe and America, in total there are about five types of Melissa, but in our country grows, as a rule, only Melissa officinalis.

The use of lemon balm

With allergic diathesis need to take an infusion of lemon balm leaves 3 times a day before meals for 1/2 Cup. Also Melissa infusion well helps in the form of compresses for the treatment of myositis, arthritis and bruises. It is prepared in the following manner: 4 tablespoons of dry chopped herbs, infused in two cups of boiling water for half an hour, then infusion to drain. The same infusion well helps in the treatment of compresses skin rashes, boils and ulcers. When allergic dermatitis is used externally the juice of the lemon balm.

Melissa can be used as diuretic, laxative, diaphoretic and stimulant, drug. A decoction of herbs lemon balm is used in diseases of the stomach, respiratory tract, in some forms of asthma, neuroses and diseases of the heart. The decoction is prepared as follows:10 g of the chopped greenery of lemon balm to boil in 1 Cup water for 10 minutes After the broth must strain and take 3 times a day 1 teaspoon.

In order to awaken the appetite and calm the nervous system, it is necessary to prepare tea from lemon balm, this is done as follows: the leaves of lemon balm brewed with boiling water, after which they must boil for 10 minutes.

Compresses of the herb lemon balm are good for bruises, rheumatism and ulcers. If there is irritability, nervousness, hysteria and depression, helps Melissa infusion: 20 g of dry, finely ground plants should be dissolved in 1 Cup boiling water and infuse for 1 hour, after which the infusion should strain and drink 3 times a day for 1/ 2 Cup.

For the treatment of migraine headaches helps the infusion of lemon balm: 4 teaspoons chopped herbs plants need to insist in 1 Cup of boiling water for about 1 hour, after which the infusion should strain and drink 3 times a day before meals for 1/2 Cup. In the treatment of arrhythmia, hypertension, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease is used exactly the same dosage.

Tincture of lemon balm leaves take 3 times a day before meals for 1/2 Cup to increase appetite, colic in the intestines, bad digestion, flatulenceand neurosis of the stomach. Similarly, infusion of lemon balm is taken for treating inflammation of the upper respiratory tract and bronchial asthma. The same infusion well helps in the treatment of angina, if they gargle and also for inflammation of the gums and pain in teeth, helps get rid of bad breath.

In order to treat hepatic colic, infusion of lemon balm is prepared a little differently: 2 tablespoons dried chopped lemon balm to insist 1 hour in two cups of boiling water, after which the infusion should strain and drink 3 times a day before meals for 1/2 Cup.

For the treatment of tinnitus is well suited alcohol infusion Melissa: take 1 part finely chopped plants and 3 parts vodka, insist in it for 1 week, after which the infusion should drain and drip into the ears 3-4 drops in one ear.

Infusion of lemon balm indications: for increased sexual excitability. The infusion is prepared as follows: 10 g of dry powdered herb Melissa is necessary to insist in 1 Cup of boiling water for 1 hour, then thoroughly strain and drink 3 times a day for 1/2 Cup. This infusion is well suited for the treatment of inflammation of the appendages, yet it is useful in morning sickness in pregnant women, painful menstruation and menopausal neurosis.

Useful properties of lemon balm

Melissa is quite successfully used for medicinal purposes. In many ways, the effect obtained from its use, provide the essential oils contained in it. They are in the leaves of plants, and their percentage is up to thirty-three hundredths. The healing properties of plants are due to its oil, it also has a relaxing and calming effect. The smell of oil is quite harsh and reminds of lemon. The composition of the oil, in turn, include citronellal, citral, geraniol, vitamin C (up to one hundred fifty milligrams), tannins (approximately five percent), oleic, coffee and ursolic acid, resin, etc.

Medicines, consisting of Melissa, as a rule, relieve spasms, soothe and are carminative. In addition, the plant has a mild sedative effect, which also is invoked due to the content of essential oil. Spasms and sedative effects occurs in cases of ingestion of lemon balm in small amounts, continued use in larger quantities will not improve this result.

A well-known result from taking tinctures of lemon balm in the form of bile, protective in cases of experimental ulcers of the stomach, increase the function of the stomach in General, and hemostatic effects.

welcome herb stimulates menstruation, lowers blood pressure, relieves night jitters, is a diuretic, makes breathing more slowly is astringenthypoglycemic means, a normalizes irregular heart rhythm and reduces heart rate.

In addition, the known effect of lemon balm as a bacteriostatic, anti-inflammatory and used for anti-virus tools. Contained in the plant oil helps with flu, forest diseases Semliki, herpes, Newcastle disease, measles and many others. Moreover, Melissa enhances cardiac function and liver and brain, helps to restore the digestion and controls metabolism, reduces spasms, eliminates heat, promotes the excretion of bile from the body, reduces inflammation, is an expectorant and a carminative remedy.

Avicenna in the "Canon of medicine" wrote about Melissa as a plant that has healing properties. Also it said that Melissa is able to strengthen and invigorate the body, helps in the blockage of the brain and is able to eliminate bad breath. Modern, traditional medicine says that the herb lemon balm is useful in the treatment of cardiovascular, hypertension, neurological diseases, and asthma, insomnia, anemia and gout.

Chemical composition of lemon balm

The herb lemon balm contains about 0.1–0.3 % essential oil and the main component of this plant is, of course, tannins, rosmarinic acid, bitter, different coffee acid as well as flavonoids, mucus and resin. There are farms for breeding, which could increase the number of plant essential oils to 0.8 %. Lemon balm leaves also contain carotene and vitamin C.

Since the plant contains large amounts of essential oils, this herb has a pleasant, peculiar aroma and taste. At room temperature the essential oils contained in the balm, have a liquid consistency. Thus, if these oils are a little warm, they can easily evaporate. For this reason, the leaves of lemon balm in any case cannot be dried at high temperatures. Melissa, thanks to the rapid evaporation of essential oils, ideal for inhalation in various diseases. Penetrating into the lungs by inhalation, the essential oil of lemon balm have anti-inflammatory and disinfectant action. In Melissa also contain essential oils that can relieve pain, spasms and cramps. For this reason Melissa in medicine is often used as a painkiller and an antispasmodic in colic strong.

Essential oil of lemon balm are readily soluble in alcohol, in connection with this Melissa quite often prepared alcoholic solutions for the treatment of various diseases. Although essential oil of lemon balm dissolve in water with difficulty, but it's enough to prepare the "scented water".

The composition of lemon balm, also bitter, also includes nitrogen and oxygen compounds that are known to cause excessive salivation, secretion of gastric juice, to awaken the appetite and can help with flatulence. Quite often, Melissa is used as a good anti-emetic.

Made with Melissa infusion well calms the nervous system, and successfully helps to cope with colds and flu. Successfully used Melissa with General weakness of the body, gastrointestinal diseases, chronic cataract, neurosis, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, and Melissa infusions are used externally for rheumatic pains. In folk medicine, Melissa is used for the treatment of gynecological diseases, and if you mix lemon balm infusion with the infusion of marjoram, this composition can be used to improve and enhance memory.

Contraindications to the use of lemon balm

Despite the small levels of toxins, intake of lemon balm is not advisable in case of hypotension. Also using for the treatment of Melissa, should abandon the serious activities that require good mental reaction, maximum attention and concentration, and motor activity, such as getting behind the wheel of any transport, etc. Among the side effects of the use of plants – vomiting and nausea, muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, drowsiness, diarrhea, cramps, heartburn, sluggish and a loss of concentration, itching, constipation, etc.