With the rise of synthetic medicines, the herbs disappeared from the pharmacy books, making them somewhat outlawed. Medicinal plants were still used, but were no longer bound by quality rules. Only at the end of the 20th century were official committees set up again to draw up rules for the medicinal use of plants.
Committee E
In 1978, the then German government established a committee to test the safety and efficacy of herbal preparations that were then available in Germany: Commission E. The literature and research on medicinal plants were inventoried in an official manner by that committee. . The results were published (first in German, later translated into English) as monographs of the Kommision E. Until 1993, about 300 monographs were published. Each monograph discusses the following topics in detail:
Overview
In addition to a brief description and a brief historical overview, this also includes a description of scientific research from various countries. Lemon balm has been studied in Germany, the United States and France. In England, the use of lemon balm was investigated for the (external) treatment of cold sores. For internal use, lemon balm is included in pharmacopoeias for sleep problems and stomach and intestinal problems, often in combination with other sedative and/or carminative herbs.
Description
Which parts of the plant are used: the fresh or dried leaves of lemon balm are used. It also states which active substances should be contained and in what dose. Lemon balm, for example, is a must. contain at least 0.05% essential oil in the dried leaf. The English official version states ‘Lemon balm contains the fresh or dried leaf of Melissa officinalisL. [Family Lamiaceae], as well as its preparations in effective dosage. The leaf contains at least 0.05 percent (v/w) essential oil based on the dried herb. Main components are citronellal, citral a, and citral b, as well as other mono- and sesquiterpenes. Other ingredients are tannins unique to the Lamiaceae, such as triterpenylic acid, bitter principles, and flavonoids’.
Chemical composition and pharmacology
This describes the medicinal components of the plant and their pharmacological effects: lemon balm mainly contains essential oil, flavonoids, tannins and bitter substances. According to the British Pharmacopoeia, the essential oil in lemon balm does not play an important role in its sedative, antispasmodic and antibacterial effects.
Usage
What can the herb be used for: Committee E has approved the internal use of lemon balm for sleep problems of a nervous nature and for gastrointestinal complaints. ESCOP mentions more explicitly the restlessness, irritability and stomach and intestinal cramps against which lemon balm can be used (internally) and cold sores, which can be treated externally with balm preparations. Uses: Nervous sleeping disorders. Functional gastrointestinal complaints.
Contraindications
In some cases, a certain herb should not be used. Lemon balm can always be used and has no contraindications according to the E committee.
Side effects
There are no known side effects for lemon balm.
Use during pregnancy and lactation
You can continue to use lemon balm during these periods.
Interactions with other medicines
Sometimes an herb can interact with other medicines, increasing or decreasing their effect. This is not the case with lemon balm.
Dosage
Several times a day, 1.5 to 4.5 g per cup. In the official monograph: ‘ Unless otherwise prescribed: Several times daily, 1.5 – 4.5 g of herb per cup of tea, as needed’.
Preparation method
Dried herb, powder, liquid extract or dry extract and other galenic preparation methods. Possibly in combination with sedative and/or carminative herbs.
And the final information for such a monograph is references and a general bibliography, the information that the committee used to compile such a monograph. For Melissa officinalis this is, among others
- Hänsel, R., K. Keller, H. Rimpler, G. Schneider (eds.). 1992–1994. Hagers Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5th ed. Vol. 4–6. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer Verlag. 135–156.
- Morelli, I. 1977. Costituenti e usi della ,Melissa officinalis, [Constituents and uses of Melissa officinalis]. Boll Chim Farm 116(6):334–340.
- Mulkens, A. and I. Kapetanidis. 1987. Flavonoides des feuilles de Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) [Flavonoids of the leaves of Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae)]. Pharm Acta Helv 62(1):19–22.
- Soulimani, R. et al. 1991. Neurotropic action of the hydroalcoholic extract of Melissa officinalis in the mouse. Plant Med 57(2):105–109.
- Steinegger, E. and R. Hansel. 1992. Pharmacognosy, 5th ed. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer Verlag. 314.
- Tagashira, M. and Y. Ohtake. 1998. A new antioxidant 1,3-benzodioxole from Melissa officinalis. Plant Med 64:555–558.
- Tittel, G., H. Wagner, R. Bos. 1982. On the chemical composition of lemon balm oils. Plant Med 46:91–98.
- Vogt, HJ, I. Tausch, RH Wˆbling, PM Kaiser. 1991. Lemon balm extract for herpes simplex. The General Practitioner 13:832–841.
- Weiss, RF 1991. Lehrbuch der Phytotherapie, 7th ed. Stuttgart: Hippokrates Verlag. 66–69.
- Wichtl, M. (ed.). 1989. Teedrogen, 2nd ed. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft. 339–342.
- Wöbling, RH and R. Milbradt. 1984. Klinik und Therapie des Herpes simplex. Vorstellung eines new phytotherapeutischen Wirkstoffes. Therapiewoche 34:1193–1200.
And so official documents, the so-called monographs, were once again created in various countries, describing the quality, safety and indications of our medicinal plants.