Melissa Constituents:Volatile oils (citral, citronellal, eugenol acetate, geraniol and other components), polyphenols, tannin, flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, triterpenoids

Melissa Oil Description

Melissa is a pale yellow oil with a light, fresh lemony aroma, powerful and soothing. It is distilled from the Flowering tops, leaves and stems of lemon balm,up to 7 tons of the plant are needed extract 1 pound of essential oil. This is why real melissa oil is so pricey, beware of adulterated oils that sell for less.

Melissa is an aromatic mint with a long reputation for having calming properties. The ancients called Melissa Balm I, which means honey leaf. Avicenna described it's properties as cheering and other Arab physicians believed it important for easing melancholy and heart problems.¹ Melissa essential oil is also used for nervous heart, depression, restlessness, excitement, headache and insomnia. The volatile oils in the plant (particularly citronellal) have a sedative effect even in minute concentrations. ²

calming *Headache *Nervous tension *sleep *

Herbalists refer to the plant as lemon balm, aromatherapists refer to the essential oil as melissa, both refer to the same plant. Melissa officinalis. Melissa prefers the warmer climates and is widely grown in the Mediterranean and France and also grows well over much of the eastern and central US.