Melissa officinalis, also known as lemon balm, is a species of the genus Lepidium, a perennial herb with a height of about 40-45cm, native to the temperate regions of the Middle East, and subsequently spread throughout Asia and the Mediterranean countries. It is now widely planted in Europe, Central Asia and North America. Melissa in the scientific name means "bee" in Greek. Ancient Greeks and Romans recognized the Melissa as the embodiment of Artemis (Diana), the goddess of the moon and the hunt, and regarded it as an important plant, cultivating it around temples to attract swarms of bees to produce honey as a source of sugar.

Melissa officinalis is a traditional folk medicine widely used as a mild sedative, antispasmodic and antiseptic. In folklore, it is used to treat nervousness, headaches, bloating, appetite, digestion and simple lesions caused by the herpes virus. It has been cultivated as a medicinal plant for 2000 years.

1.Sedation

Melissa officinalis extract has a good effect on the treatment of hyperexcitability, can significantly reduce the inhibition or excitation of neurotransmitter transmission, and dose-dependent, while the neurotransmitter has a calming effect.

2.Resistance to Anxiety

GABA is an important target in the study of the pathogenesis of anxiety and the development of new anti-anxiety drugs, and rosemarinic acid (RA) in the Melissa officinalis extract shows a unique biological activity in the organism, which can inhibit the activity of GABA aminotransferase and inhibit the degradation of GABA, so as to increase the concentration of GABA in the brain, and to play a calming and soothing and resisting the effects of anxiety.

3. Antibacterial

Melissa officinalis extract has efficient anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic functions, rich in aldehydes, phenols or alcohols can lead to the lysis of microbial cell membranes and the destruction of related functions, especially on the growth of Enterobacteriaceae bacteria and mycobacteria inhibitory effect. Other components of the extract such as rosemarinic acid also have antimicrobial activity.

4. Lowering blood sugar

Melissa officinalis extract can significantly reduce blood glucose levels. Its hypoglycemic effect may be achieved by enhancing the uptake of glucose by the liver and adipose tissue and inhibiting the process of gluconeogenesis in the liver.

5. Antioxidant

Melissa officinalis extract is rich in oxygenated terpenes, which have free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity.