Two thousand years ago, the ancient Romans grew melissa on their plantations. The medicinal properties and contraindications to it are described in ancient manuscripts. The Romans used it as an aphrodisiac to increase appetite. The Greeks affectionately called melissa a bee, because its soothing effect applies not only to people, but also to bees.
In our region, it is also called differently: "lemon mint", or "heart grass", because of the lemon smell and soothing properties. In addition, it is a favorite spice of culinary thanks to its aromas.
The homeland of lemon balm is considered to be the Mediterranean. At present, it can be found not only in Asia and North Africa, but also in many European countries, including Russia.
It has become so popular that in every garden or summer cottage, a medicinal melissa plant is being grown, the beneficial properties of which people use to treat and prevent many diseases.
Melissa prefers to grow in not very shady places, although the area of its growth is very extensive, but if she is kept in the shade all the time, it will become less fragrant, and productivity will be reduced. The plant begins to bloom in the summer, and the boxes ripen by the beginning of autumn.
In order for the beneficial properties to be preserved after collection, you need to know how to dry lemon balm correctly. Seeds and leaves are harvested in the fall. Collect them when the lower leaves and boxes become brown. You need to dry them in the shade and make sure that there is no direct sunlight. In order to avoid diaper rash, the collection should be periodically turned over or gently shaken. It is better to store raw materials in paper bags or cardboard boxes.
Chemical composition
The melissa plant itself, its medicinal properties and its contraindications have long been studied in laboratory conditions. The main biologically active components of lemon balm are essential oils, flavonoids, tannins, phenylpropanoids, monoterpenes, phenolcarboxylic acids. In essential oils, there are about 200 compounds, among them there are neutral and geranial, which resemble a lemon smell, also rosmarinic acid, groups of vitamins B, C, P, micro and macrocells. To prepare the essential oil, the plant is processed raw, then used in traditional and traditional medicine.
In addition to the above, you need to learn more about what Melissa has healing properties and contraindications in order to use it correctly.
Therapeutic and beneficial properties
Melissa is brewed as tea, based on its beneficial properties, medicinal infusions are made, used in culinary delights.
The healing plant is able to stimulate appetite, normalize the digestive tract, relieve inflammatory processes, cramps, it is a natural antidepressant and has a calming effect on the body.
Herbalists have long recognized the plant's leading right to treat many diseases. For example, an infusion of lemon balm reduces heart pain, relieves shortness of breath and helps normalize blood pressure. They also use this infusion for asthma, migraine, and anemia attacks .
As an external remedy, infusions and decoctions for rinsing the oral cavity are used if there are inflammatory processes in the gums or toothache.
Compresses help with skin diseases, and also effectively relieve joint, rheumatic pain.
It treats lemon balm and bouts of tantrums, accompanied by fainting conditions.
On the shelves of pharmacies you can see a significant number of medicines, which include therapeutic lemon balm: Persen, Nervoflux, aromatic water, various fees, etc.
Contraindications to the treatment of melissa
In order for the melissa plant to be most effective, the medicinal properties and contraindications should be known to everyone and not neglected.
- Melissa lowers blood pressure, so hypotonics should not be used.
- You can not use baths and compresses for infectious skin diseases.
- Negatively affects male potency.
- It can not be used during pregnancy.
- Individual intolerance.
She can not do much harm, except if it is used improperly. Melissa is a unique herb. The benefits of it are simply colossal.