Witnessed by: Western · Unani
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), of the Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family. Bushy lemon-scented perennial with square stems and toothed heart-shaped leaves; native range: southern Europe, the Mediterranean and western Asia; long cultivated in gardens everywhere. Globally recognized as balm, sweet balm, bee balm, melissa in English, badharanjboya (بادرنجبویہ) in Arabic, and badranjboya, balangu in Urdu. The part used is leaf and flowering tops (fresh or dried). Soft crinkled bright-green leaves that give a fresh lemon fragrance when rubbed, the taste aromatic, sweetish and lemony with a slight astringency.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
LEMON BALM
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Lemon balm
- Scientific name
- Melissa officinalis L.
- Family
- Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Form
- Part used
- leaf and flowering tops (fresh or dried)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- Western
- aromatic, sour, bitter
- Unani
- aromatic, sour
Temperature
- Western
- warm (aromatic cordial; hot and dry, per Culpeper)
- Unani
- hot & dry (2nd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- Western
- nerves · heart · stomach
- Unani
- heart · brain · stomach · nerves
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- Western
- carminative, nervine and mild sedative, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, cordial (heart-gladdening) and antidepressant; antiviral applied to the lip
- Unani
- mufarreh (exhilarant), muqawwi-e-qalb (cardiotonic), muqawwi-e-dimagh (brain tonic), kaasir-e-riyah (carminative), muqawwi-e-meda (stomachic), mufattih-e-sudad (deobstruent)
Cautions
Contraindications: caution in hypothyroidism and with thyroid replacement
Toxicity: very low; large or prolonged doses may over-sedate
Interactions
- Western
- sedatives / CNS depressants: additive calming and sedative action · thyroid medication: may inhibit TSH and thyroid activity, opposing replacement therapy
This is the card. Sign in for the full four-tradition entry — the aligned TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani reading, actions, dosing and cautions.