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Lmb5.8
Lemon Balm Research
Too few graded studies
50 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Too few graded studies
Lemon Balm doesn't have enough studies with structured effect-size data yet to pool a verdict. Browse the studies below for individual findings.
Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 2002–2026 with a typical study size of 64 participants.
Based on 50 studies · 3 meta-analyses · 32 RCTs · 1,937 total participants
Women's healthMay help manage menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes · 4-8 weeks
Too few graded studies3 studies
Cold sores & HSV
Too few graded studies1 study
Skin health
Too few graded studies1 study
By the numbers
Pulled from 13 studies with measurable effects
Likely real effects
100%
across studies
People studied
1,937
typical study: 64 people
Strongest designs
35
3 pooled, 32 randomised
How long studies ran
1–4 weeks
2
Populations Studied
General population2
Patients with herpes labialis1
Type 2 diabetes patients1
Patients with insomnia1
Active research area
24 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2024
200220142026
1Herpes labialis healing time and symptom reductionSystematic ReviewCited 2×n=1,250 · large study2025
In plain English: Future well-designed, large-scale RCTs employing standardized methodologies are necessary to confirm these findings and to establish optimal treatment protocols for diverse patient populations (Inplasy protocol number: 202350038).
Anheyer M et al. · Journal of integrative and complementary medicine (2025)
Lemon balm preparations consistently reduced pain intensity and swelling, with some studies also reporting a significant decrease in lesion size compared with placebo or acyclovir.
Olive leaf extract demonstrated a statistically significant faster improvement in symptoms and a shorter healing time compared with acyclovir.
Discussion: The findings indicate that topical herbal therapies may provide effective and well-tolerated alternatives or adjuncts to conventional antiviral treatments for herpes labialis.
In plain English: From the data extracted, it was found that quercetin, Kaempferol, Rosmarinic acid, Cyanidin, Rutin, Catechin, Luteolin and Ellagic acid were the most cited bioactive compounds which all falls within the class of polyphenolic compounds.
Egbuna C et al. · Current topics in medicinal chemistry (2021)
A review of 84 articles on plant compounds reported to act against type 2 diabetes, selected from 6,464 found in the search.
Rosmarinic acid was among the most cited compounds. Lemon balm appears only in a list of about 30 plant sources of these compounds.
6GABA receptor interaction and sleep effectsSystematic ReviewCited 72×2021
In plain English: Currently available evidence suggests that herbal extracts may exert some of their hypnotic and anxiolytic activity through interacting with GABA receptors and modulating GABAergic signaling in the brain, but their mechanism of action in the treatment of insomnia is not completely understood.
Bruni O et al. · Nutrients (2021)
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that plays a major role in controlling different vigilance states.
GABA receptors are the targets of many pharmacological treatments for insomnia, such as benzodiazepines.
Here, we perform a systematic analysis of studies assessing the mechanisms of action of various herbal medicines on different subtypes of GABA receptors in the context of sleep control.
7Anxiolytic effects through GABA modulationSystematic ReviewCited 59×2018
In plain English: Collectively, the literature reveals preclinical and clinical evidence for various phytomedicines modulating GABA-pathways, with comparative anxiolytic effect to the current array of pharmaceuticals, along with good safety and tolerability profiles.
Savage K et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR (2018)
An open-ended search to 5 July 2017 was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Cochrane library online databases and performed in a stepped format from preclinical to clinical investigations.
Eligible studies must have had (a) in vitro evidence of GABA-modulating activity, (b) animal studies using anxiety models to test an anxiolytic effect, and (c) human clinical trials.
Ten phytomedicines were identified as having preclinical investigations showing interaction with the GABA system, in addition to human clinical trials: kava, valerian, pennywort, hops, chamomile, Ginkgo biloba, passionflower, ashwagandha, skullcap, and lemon balm.
In plain English: This review presents a critical synthesis of existing knowledge and future directions for integrating M. officinalis into nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products.
Awlqadr FH, Altemimi AB, Qadir SA, Mohammed OA, Saeed MN, Hesarinejad MA, Lakhssassi N. · Food science & nutrition (2025)
Recent investigations have also shown its wide-ranging pharmacological potential, which includes antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antiviral, antidepressant, anxiolytic, anticancer, cardioprotective, and cognitive-enhancing properties.
Furthermore, the traditional medicinal use of M. officinalis in managing neurodegenerative conditions such as stroke, epilepsy, dementia, and paralysis is increasingly supported by contemporary evidence, highlighting its therapeutic relevance in brain-related disorders.
However, further studies are necessary to refine extraction methods, standardize levels of bioactive compounds, and validate clinical applications.
No plain-language summary recorded for this citation — open the paper to read its abstract.
11Review2024
In plain English: Although further robust randomised controlled trials using lemon balm are required, existing research indicates that lemon balm holds promise as a calming agent exhibiting both anxiolytic and anti-depressant properties and can elicit cognitive and sleep-quality enhancement.
Mathews IM, Eastwood J, Lamport DJ, Cozannet RL, Fanca-Berthon P, Williams CM. · Nutrients (2024)
One herb that is receiving growing attention is lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis L.) which has received considerable interest for its influence on the brain.
Lemon balm boasts an array of phytochemicals, including rosmarinic acid, citral, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid, which are believed to underpin these effects on psychological well-being.
Pharmacological evidence from animal and cellular work reveals that lemon balm and its components may modulate several brain signalling pathways, including GABAergic, cholinergic, and serotonergic systems.
12Evidence synthesis for Melissa officinalisSystematic ReviewCited 22×2005
In plain English: An evidence-based systematic review including written and statistical analysis of scientific analysis of scientific literature, expert opinion, folkloric precedent, history, pharmacology, kinetic/dynamics, interactions, adverse effect, toxicology, and dosing.
Ulbricht C et al. · Journal of herbal pharmacotherapy (2005)
A Natural Standard review of lemon balm covering scientific literature, expert opinion, traditional use, pharmacology, interactions, adverse effects, toxicology and dosing.
The abstract describes the review's scope only and reports no findings.
13RCTCited 26×n=44 · small study2023
In plain English: After 12-week the mean change of depression and anxiety scores were statistically significant between the two groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.04, respectively), but no significant differences were observed in FBS, hs-CRP, anthropometric indices, sleep quality, and blood pressure.
Safari M et al. · BMC complementary medicine and therapies (2023)
M. officinalis extract 700 mg/day significantly reduced depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p = 0.04) scores versus placebo over 12 weeks in type 2 diabetes patients with depression
No significant between-group differences were seen for fasting blood sugar, hs-CRP, anthropometric indices, sleep quality, or blood pressure