Melissa officinalis L.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.; Lamiaceae) is a perennial, bushy plant, native to West Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean regions, usually growing in clusters along roadsides. The main active components of the plant can be listed as volatile compounds, triterpenes, and phenolic compounds. In traditional folk medicine, it is used for the treatment of many diseases such as nervous system, gastrointestinal system, immune system, and cardiovascular system diseases and also used in aromatherapy. Studies have shown that the extracts prepared from the plant and some compounds obtained from the plant have many effects such as antiviral, antidepressant, antiulcer, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, hypolipidemic, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effect. Therefore, it can be considered that the extract prepared and the active compounds obtained from Melissa officinalis L. will be beneficial in the treatment and prevention of many diseases. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.