Melissa essential oil (also known as Lemon Balm) has a great variety of possible effects. Melissa oil is considered one of the most powerfully medicinal essential oils in all of aromatherapy, with a wonderfully pleasant sweet, herbaceous aroma. This Carbon Dioxide distillation (performed at lower temperatures than steam distillation) is the most pleasant, powerfully aromatic Melissa oil we've ever tried. While all the current liturature regarding the effects of Melissa have used the steam distilled variety, we expect this cold-processed essential oil to have even stronger therapeutic qualities.

A great deal of oil sold as Melissa today is actually a blend of lemongrass and citronella oils - other Melissa oil's have been 'rectified', meaning they do not contain all original components of the essential oil. Melissa's high cost is a result of a very low yield of oil from the plant - somewhere around 0.01%!

Tisserand, in "The Art of Aromatherapy" has noted: "The action of this oil is tonic, rather than stimulant; it is a tonic to the heart, nervous and digestive systems, and the uterus. It is sedative, calming, antidepressant. It slows the respiration and pulse, lowers the blood pressure, and has an antispasmodic effect on smooth muscle...Perhaps Paracelsus was not so wrong when he called it the elixer of life!"

To quote Kurt Schnaubelt in Advanced Aromatherapy, "The way in which melissa oil combines an excellent antiviral component with a soothing but pervasive sedative power is difficult to imagine; it has to be experienced. In its complexity, power, and gentleness, melissa oil perfectly illustrates how nature time after time works better than one-dimensional synthetic medicines." Melissa can be used in fairly low dilutions in a carrier and show its wonderful effects; some sources consider 1-2% optimal. We've used it undiluted without irritation, but each individual may react differently so proceed with caution!

Melissa is a strong antiviral - a doctor at the Technical University of Munich reported that application caused a complete remission of Herpes Simplex lesions. A component of Melissa oil was isolated and is sold in 'Lomaherpan' cream in Germany, though the oil can effectively used alone. While it is expensive, only one drop at a time is needed on lesions to promote remission. A drop can be applied directly on the area a few times a day to speed healing, and again when an outbreak is soon to occur - following this protocol was shown to prevent further outbreaks in a significant portion of study participants.

At the same time, Melissa is very gentle on the emotions, and can bring out this quality in a individual. Melissa oil is said to be calming and uplifting, may relieve headaches, and may help balance the emotions. Results of a study published in an alternative medicine journal showed Melissa essential oil to be effective in reducing agitation, and may have significant quality-of-life effects. Further, it may help release emotional blocks and lead to an improved outlook on life. See our 'anti-viral essential oils' article for further reading.