Where Does Calendula Have the Strongest Evidence?

Calendula is particularly interesting because its strongest human evidence concerns something it has traditionally been associated with for generations: the skin and wound healing. Clinical studies have investigated calendula creams and ointments for several types of...

Why Is Real Lemon Balm Essential Oil So Valuable?

Lemon balm may grow happily in gardens, but obtaining its essential oil is another matter. Melissa officinalis produces only a small amount of essential oil, making genuine lemon balm oil relatively valuable. The oil is characterized by its high content of citral –...

Lemon Balm: What Do We Really Know?

Lemon balm has a long reputation as a calming herb, and modern research provides some support for this traditional image – but with important qualifications. Among the more promising areas are sleep and insomnia, where a standardized extract has produced positive...

Where Does Lemon Balm Have the Strongest Evidence?

Lemon balm has attracted particular clinical interest for sleep, anxiety and stress, although the strength of the evidence varies according to the preparation used. In a small placebo-controlled study, a standardized lemon balm extract taken at night improved measures...

What Gives Lemon Balm Its Power?

Lemon balm contains two quite different groups of natural compounds, depending on whether we look at an extract or at its essential oil. Alcoholic and hydroalcoholic extracts of Melissa officinalis are particularly rich in polyphenols. The most important is rosmarinic...