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Background: This study was conducted to investigate both the genotoxicity effects of M. officinalis aqueous extract on blood cells and the pathologic changes in the renal, cardiac and splenic tissues of Oncorhynchus mykiss. Methods: 300 fish (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were divided randomly into three groups (N=100 each), consisting of group, 1 (control), and groups 2 and 3 (experimental), which received 450 mg/kg and 1350 mg/kg of body weight the aqueous extract of M. officinalis, respectively. The fish were fed for 30 days, with the experimental groups given three treatments. Micronuclei test and comet assay were used to identify the histopathological damages, simultaneously. Results: We found significantly more micronuclei (33%) in erythrocytes of group 3 than those in group 2 (5%; p<0.05). Similarly, the results of comet assay were consistent with those obtained for the micronuclei test. The recorded DNA damages to erythrocytes was significantly higher in group 3 (35.75%) compared to that for group 2 (7.15%; p<0.05). The pathologic findings in the spleen, kidneys and heart tissues together with those obtained from the micronuclei test and comet assay confirmed the tissue and DNA damages after exposure to the extract. Abundant and severe cystic and atrophic glomeruli, renal tubular degeneration, hemorrhage and focal lymphocytic inflammation in heart, and increased melanomacrophage centers in the kidneys and spleen were observed at significantly higher frequency in group 3 than those in group 2 (p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrated that the extract of M. officinalis at doses higher than 450 mg/kg per body weight caused toxic effects with severe tissue and DNA damages in O. mykiss fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Excessive production of reactive oxygen species is a central mechanism in the pathology of varicocele; Melissa officinalis (MO) is a medicinal plant from the Lamiaceae family that has antioxidant activity. In this study, we have investigated the potential therapeutic effect of MO on sperm parameters and chromatin structure in varicocelised rat. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control, sham, varicocele, MO treatment and placebo groups. Rats in varicocele, MO treatment and placebo groups underwent left varicocele induction. Following the operation, rats in placebo and MO treatment groups received normal saline or MO extract, daily for 10 weeks respectively. At 10 weeks after varicocele induction, sperm chromatin and parameters were evaluated in all groups. Chromatin structure was evaluated by aniline blue, acridine orange and toluidine blue staining. All three staining outcomes were increased in varicocele and placebo compared control (and sham) groups (p < 0.05). Sperm count, motility, morphology and vitality were decreased between varicocele and control (and sham) group (p < 0.05). Sperm parameters and chromatin staining (else AB staining) outcomes improve in MO treatment compared to varicocele and placebo groups (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that MO ameliorate the harmful effect of varicocele on sperm parameters and chromatin structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UV irradiation is a major stress and leads to the accumulation of secondary metabolites in plants as a protective mechanism. The altered metabolism caused by the stress will eventually return to basal conditions, however, the recovery mechanism after UV irradiation stress remains unknown. To understand how plant metabolism recovers following UV irradiation stress, global metabolite profiling of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) was performed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Principal component and hierarchical clustering analyses showed the significant discrimination of metabolite profiles between the control (non-irradiated), UV-irradiated M. officinalis , and M. officinalis allowed to recover from the UV stress. The glycolysis and phenylpropanoid pathway rapidly reverted to their original states. In contrast, the TCA cycle and amino acid biosynthesis returned slowly to their original states. This study determined that the metabolism and metabolite levels recover their original conditions after the removal of UV irradiation, and that the recovery time of each metabolic pathway differs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and effects of Melissa officinalis, a good source of bioactive components, on apolipoprotein (Apo)B, Apo A-I, and their ratio, lipids ratios and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) in patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods: For the present randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 70 type 2 diabetic patients aged 20-65 years old were randomly assigned to receive hydroalcoholic extract of M. officinalis (HEMO) (700 mg/d) or placebo twice-daily for 12 weeks.Results: There were significant differences in serum Apo A-I, TC/ HDL-c and LDL-c/ HDL-c between the two groups at the end of the study (p < 0.05), but we did not show significant differences in the values for Apo B, Apo B/Apo A-I, TG/HDL-c, ICAM-1 and liver enzymes include AST, ALT, and ALP between the study groups. Although both groups showed a significant reduction in ICAM-1, AST and, ALP (p < 0.05), no significant differences in ICAM-1, AST and, ALP were observed. At end, in M. officinalis group, there was a significant increase in Apo A-I (p = 0.003) and significant reduction in TG/HDL-c (p = 0.05) compared with initial values, as well as in placebo group, there was a significant rising in Apo B/Apo A-I (p = 0.02) and significant reduction in Apo A-I (p = 0.001) compared with baseline values.Conclusions: M. officinalis is safe and effective in improvement of Apo A-I, Apo B/Apo A-I, and lipids ratios as key factors promoting cardiovascular disease (CVD) in type II diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menopause is a critical and sensitive period and has a common symptom of vasomotor signs, psychologic changes and sleep disorders. With regarding the citalopram complications and effects of Iranian herbs, the aim of this study was to compared the therapeutic effect of the combination of area part of Melissa officinalis and fennel fruits extract with Nigella sativa powder with citalopram on menopausal symptoms of post-menopausal women. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in Islamic Azad University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, from April 2015 to October 2017. 56 postmenopausal women referred to the clinics of Gorgan health centers with the age between 45 and 65 years, natural menopause confirmed by amenorrhea for at least 12 months, discomfort a hot flash were randomized to two treatment groups. Group 1 (28 patients) received 1000 mg (Melissa officinalis extract, Nigella saliva powder, and fennel fruits) and Group 2 (19 subjects) received 20 mg citalopram in an eight-week course of treatment (1 per day for each group). The frequency of the variables in the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) was compared in the two groups before and post intervention. The questionnaire included of twenty-nine questions in four domains of vasomotor, psycho-social, physical and sexual symptoms. Results: The mean age in the herbal treatment group was 47.78±5.5 years and in the citalopram group was 46.4±4.9 years, and t-test did not show this difference in two groups (P=0.362). There was no significant difference in the improvement of menopausal symptoms compared to the citalopram group in the combined product group, but the feeling of anger and fatigue in the citalopram group was greater after treatment (P=0.03). Conclusion: The present study showed that the combination of Nigella Sativa, Melissa officinalis extract, and fennel fruits generally do not reduce menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women, and it's just the feeling of anger and fatigue has been better than the citalopram group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was the comparison of essential oil of two herbs from lamiaceae family namely Thyme and Melissa via solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) and hydrodistillation (HD). The process of SFME was optimized by central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM). The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The compounds identified in higher relative abundance, for Thyme were, Thymol (HD: 28.92%, SFME: 32.17%), Carvacrol (HD: 26.18%, SFME: 29.25%), p -Cymene (HD: 13.25%, SFME: 9.51%) and γ-Terpinene (HD: 5.09%, SFME: 3.62%). In regard to Melissa oils, Caryophyllene oxide (HD: 23.71%, SFME: 24.95%), E-Citral (HD: 19.53%, SFME: 24.19%), Z-Citral (HD: 16.39%, SFME: 18.45%) and α-Muurolene (HD: 12.17%, SFME: 12.50%) were the most abundant compounds. The results showed that SFME was excellent in terms of saving energy and extraction time (42 min, compared to 4 h in HD). The research suggests that SFME is an outstanding alternative for extraction essential oils in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background and Objectives: Streptococcus sanguinis and mutans are dental infections agents. Due to the adverse effects of chemical mouthwashes, the aim of the present study was to determine the antibacterial effects of cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash and alcoholic extracts of Melissa officinalis plant on the growth of these bacteria. Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study, M. officinalis leaves were collected and extracted using percolation method. Well diffusion method and determination of minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were used for the antibacterial effects determination of alcoholic extracts of the plant and mouthwash in the concentrations of 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.62, 7.81, 3.9, 1.95, 0.97 and 0.48 mg/ml. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The most antibacterial effect of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of M. officinalis and mouthwash on S. mutans and sanguinis was in the concentration of 250 mg/ml and the least inhibitory concentrations against S. mutans were 3.9, 31.25 and 15.26 and against S. sanguinis were 31.25, 15.62and 31.25 mg/ml, respectively. The minimum bactericidal concentrations of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of M. officinalis and mouthwash against S. mutans were 125, 62.5 and 31.25 and against S. sanguinis were 62.5, 31.5 and 62.5 mg/ml, respectively. There was a positive significant correlation between increasing concentration of extracts and inhibition of bacterial growth (p <0.001). Conclusion: It seems that M. officinalis extract like mouthwash can be used as an oral and teeth antiseptic. However, in-vivo tests and proves that there is no harmful effects on the human body are essential for the production of this type of herbal mouthwash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of death worldwide. Chronic stable angina (CSA) is the primary sign of CAD. Oxidative stress and inflammation play a substantial role in pathogenesis and progression of CAD. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of oral administration of powdered Melissa officinalis (MO) on biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid profile in patients with CSA.Methods and Study Design: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed in 80 patients with CSA. The subjects were randomly assigned to obtaineither oral MO 3 g/d (n=40) or placebo (n=40) for eight weeks. Anthropometric indices, biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid profile were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention.Results: The mean serum concentrations of triglycerides, total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and malondialdehyde (MDA), and high sensitive C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) were lower in the intervention group compared with placebo (p<0.01) post intervention. Moreover, the mean serum concentration of paraxonase 1 (PNO1) and HDL-c were higher (p<0.001) in the intervention group compared with the control group.Conclusion: Oral MO supplementation improves the lipid profile, MDA, hs-CRP, and PNO1 in patients with CSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims The aim of present study is to estimate the effects of Melissa officinalis L. (MO) on visceral hypersensitivity (VH), defecation pattern and biochemical factors in 2 experimental models of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the possible role of nitric oxide. Methods Two individual models of IBS were induced in male Wistar-albino rats. In the acetic acid model, the animals were exposed to rectal distension and abdominal withdrawal reflex, and the defecation patterns were determined. In the restraint stress model, the levels of TNF-α, myeloperoxidase, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant powers were determined in the (removed) colon. Rats had been treated with MO, L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME), aminoguanidine (AG), MO + AG, or MO + L-NAME in the mentioned experimental models. Results Hypersensitive response to rectal distension and more stool defecation in control rats have been observed in comparison to shams. MO-300 significantly reduced VH and defecation frequency in comparison to controls. VH and defecation pattern did not show significant change in AG + MO and L-NAME + MO groups compared to controls. Also, significant reduction in TNF-α, myeloperoxidase, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and an increase in antioxidant power in MO-300 group was recorded compared to controls. AG + MO and L-NAME + MO groups showed a reverse pattern compared to MO-300 group. Conclusions MO can ameliorate IBS by modulating VH and defecation patterns. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties along with its effect on the nitrergic pathway seem to play important roles in its pharmacological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyurethane-ureas are a versatile family of polymers which can be employed in a wide range of applications. Among them, waterborne polyurethane-urea (WBPUU) dispersions are gaining relevance in the field of environmentally-friendly products since their productive process adopts green synthesis routes, avoiding the use of organic solvents. Furthermore, their waterborne character can be exploited to incorporate several water compatible ingredients able to confer functional properties to the final materials. Among them, plant extracts, which are known to have relevant bioactivities, can be viewed as interesting candidates. Therefore, in this work, two extracts known to present antimicrobial activity ( Melissa officinalis L. and Salvia officinalis L.) were obtained by the infusion method and incorporated into the WBPUU (1, 3 and 5 wt%) following different incorporation routes comprising its adding during different phases of the productive process (post-, in-situ and pre- methods). Thereafter films were prepared by solvent-casting and characterized from the viewpoint of physicochemical, thermal, mechanical, thermomechanical and antibacterial properties and morphologically. The studied incorporation routes resulted in different intercalation mechanisms that varied from extract positioned among the polyurethane-urea nanoparticles (post-method) to extract partially embedded inside them ( in-situ and pre-methods), which produced stiffening or flexibilizing effects in the produced films, enhancing in general the antimicrobial characteristics of films after 4 days of incubation comparing with base WBPUU, especially when the extract is embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the fewest drugs discovered are those belonging to the class of anxiolytics. Although some drug targets for anxiety disorders are established, it is hard to modify and selectively choose the active principle for those targets. Thus, the ethnomedical approach to treating anxiety disorders remains one of the most prevalent ways for (self)managing the symptoms. Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) has been extensively used as an ethnomedicinal remedy for the treatment of different psyche-related symptoms, especially dose related to restlessness. This work aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic activity, in several in vivo models, of the essential oil extracted from Melissa officinalis (MO) and its main constituent citronellal, a widespread plant utilized for managing anxiety. In the present study several animal models were used to assess MO anxiolytic potential in mice. The effect of the MO essential oil applied in doses ranging from 12.5 to 100 mg/kg was estimated in light/dark, hole board, and marble burying tests. In parallel doses of citronellal corresponding to the ones in the MO essential oil were applied to animals to determine if this is the activity carrier. The results indicate that the MO essential oil exerts anxiolytic potential in all three experimental settings by significantly altering the traced parameters. The effects of citronellal are somewhat inconclusive and should not be interpreted only as anxiolytic but rather as a combination of anti-anxiety and motor-inhibiting effects. In conclusion, we could say that the results of the present study provide a base for future mechanistic studies that would evaluate the activity of M. officinalis essential oil on various neurotransmitter systems involved in the generation, propagation, and maintenance of anxiety. [Display omitted] • Melissa officinalis essential oil might possess promising anxiolytic effects. • Citronellal and M. officinalis exert in vivo anxiolytic-like activity. • In a dose of 12.5 mg/kg M. officinalis essential oil acts as anxiolytic. • The anxiolytic activity of citronellal might be due to motor inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allelopathy refers to the chemical inhibition or stimulation of one species by another which could influence on the growth or germination of other plant and used in control of weed in agricultural practices. In this sense in order to study the possibly allelopathic effects of lemon balm, bitter apple and lemon verbena medicinal plants on control of wild mustard weed, a laboratory experiment was arranged based on Completely Randomized Design (CRD) in three replications at laboratory of Mehrgan institute during 2014. In this study, effects of different aqueous extracts and essential oils of mentioned medicinal plants compared with control treatments. Evaluated values were germination rate, germination percentage, radicle length, shoot length, fresh and dry weight of radicle and shoot. Results showed that essential oil of Lemon verbena at 600 mg/L concentration had more meaningful effect on germination percentage and germination rate of wild mustard. Our results also indicated that aqueous extract of these plants had stimulating effect on weed seed development, while some essential oils treatments had an inhibitory effect on this weed seeds development.

The reactions of lemon balm, marjoram, peppermint, thyme were investigated and compared in a pot experiment, adjusting 70% and 40% of soil water capacity (SWC). Biomass, total phenolic content (TPC), rosmarinic acid content (RA) and antioxidant capacity (FRAP, DPPH) of both the shoots and roots were measured. As an universal phenomenon the water stress (40% SWC) decreased the total biomass production of all species drastically. The highest increase was observed in the shoot mass of peppermint and lemon balm (decreased from 52.6 g·plant–1 to 11.3 g·plant–1 and from 236.8 g·plant–1 to 58 g·plant–1, respectively). The reaction of marjoram was much more moderate. The accumulation level of TPC was accelerated in the aboveground parts of the studied species, universally. The reactions in the roots were less characteristic. The largest increase of TPC was measured in the shoots of lemon balm (from 359.015 mg GAE· g–1 d.w. up to 412.44 GAE·g–1 d.w.). The reaction of marjoram was the less characteristic in this respect, as well. The parallel changes of biomass and TPC level might allow the total phenolic content to function as an adequate marker in predicting the lack of appropriate water supply. RA content showed species characteristics. Thyme, marjoram and peppermint reacted by a significant elevation (by 23–127%) of the RA content to the lack of water. The highest proportions were accumulated in shoots of the stressed thyme plants (3.45% d.w.).

Headspace solid-phase micro extraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) has been used for the chemical analysis of Melissa officinalis (leaves) cultivated in Institute Germplasm. The HS-SPME analysis led to the identification of 22 components constituting 99.1% of the total volatile constituents present in the leaves whereas its hydrodistillate led to the identification of 24 volatile constituents constituting 98.1% of the volatile material. The chemical composition of the SPME and hydrodistilled extract of M. officinalis leaves comprised mainly of oxygenated monoterpenes (78.5% and 57.8% respectively) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (14.9% and 29.7% respectively). The major components identified in the HS-SPME extract were citronellal (31.1%), citronellol (18.3%), β-caryophyllene (12.0%), (E)-citral (11.9%), (Z)-citral (9.6%), geraniol (3.6%), (Z)-β-ocimene (3.1%) and 1-octen-3-ol (2.0%) whereas hydrodistilled essential oil was rich in (Z)-citral (19.6%), β-caryophyllene (13.2%), (E)-citral (11.2%), citronellal (10.2%), germacrene-d (8.3%), δ-3-carene (5.0%), 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (3.7%) and citronellyl acetate (3.7%). The comparative analysis of volatile constituents of M. officinalis leaf extract using HS-SPME and hydrodistillation techniques shows both qualitative as well as quantitative differences. The current study is the first report involving rapid analysis of volatile components of M. officinalis by HS-SPME.

Introduction & Objective: Primary dysmenorrhea is one of the common problems in women, especially in young women. Although dysmenorrhea is not life threatening , it can have ad-verse effect on quality of life and cause disability or ineffectiveness. With regard to the young society suffering from it, various treatments are offered for dysmenorrhea one of which is medicinal plants. This study investigated the effect of Melissa officinalis and Salvia officinalis on primary dysmenorrhea. Materials & Methods: This study was a clinical trial study performed on 50 girls with dys-menorrheal taking Salvia officinalis as infusion for five days before menstruation and five days during the menstruation. The consumption of the plants was repeated in the next two periods in the same way. Severity of pain, blooding duration and dysmenorrhea duration were evaluated with VAS (Visual Analog Scale) Questionnaire in their next two cycles. Data were analyzed by chi-square, t-test and WILCOXON statistical test. Results: The results of this study showed that after using the plants, pain severity and pain duration significantly reduced (P

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a popular herb widely used in medicine. It is often cultivated in soils with substantial heavy metal content. Here we investigate the associated effects of cadmium and copper on the plant growth parameters augmented by the manganese, zinc, and lead uptake indicators. The concentration of all elements in soil and plants was determined by the HR-CS FAAS with the ContrAA 300 Analytik Jena spectrometer. Bioavailable and total forms calculated for all examined metals were augmented by the soil analyses. The index of chlorophyll content in leaves, the activity of net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and intercellular concentration of CO2 were also investigated. Either Cd or Cu acting alone at high concentrations in soil are toxic to plants as indicated by chlorophyll indices and gas exchange parameters. Surprisingly, this effect was not observed when both metals were administered together. The sole cadmium or copper supplementations hampered the plant’s growth, lowered the leaf area, and altered the plant’s stem elongation. Analysis of variance showed that cadmium and copper treatments of lemon balm significantly influenced manganese, lead, and zinc concentration in roots and above ground parts.

Current methods for the authentication of essential oils focus on analyzing their chemical composition. This study describes the use of nanofluidic protein post-translational modification (PTM) profiling to differentiate essential oils by analyzing their biochemical effects. Protein PTM profiling was used to measure the effects of four essential oils, copaiba, mandarin, Melissa, and turmeric, on the phosphorylation of MEK1, MEK2, and ERK1/2 in the MAPK signaling pathway; Akt and 4EBP1 in the pI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway; and STAT3 in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in cultured HepG2 cells. The gain or loss of the phosphorylation of these proteins served as direct read-outs for the positive or negative regulatory effects of essential oils on their respective signaling pathways. Furthermore, protein PTM profiling and GC-MS were employed side-by-side to assess the quality of the essential oils. In general, protein PTM profiling data concurred with GC-MS data on the identification of adulterated mandarin, Melissa, and turmeric essential oils. Most interestingly, protein PTM profiling data identified the differences in biochemical effects between copaiba essential oils, which were indistinguishable with GC-MS data on their chemical composition. Taken together, nanofluidic protein PTM profiling represents a robust method for the assessment of the quality and therapeutic potential of essential oils.

The article describes an implementation of plant drugs for oncological diseases treatment. It focuses on multicomponent combination herbal medicinal preparation, its therapeutic action, and supposed efficiency during its implementation with basic therapy for oncological disease.

Phytochemical characters were evaluated in a five-year-old lemon balm collection consisting of 15 and 13 subspecies officinalis and altissima accessions, respectively. Stems were lower in essential oil than leaves. First cut leaves (June) gave more oil than those of the second cut (August). Subspecies officinalis plants had leaf oils rich in geranial, neral and citronellal in various proportions in the first cut. However, in the second cut the oils from all accessions appeared very similar with 80–90% geranial plus neral. Leaf oils of subsp. altissima contained sesquiterpenes (β-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, germacrene D) and also further monoterpenes in the second cut. Leaves had higher rosmarinic acid (RA) contents than stems. More RA was in subsp. officinalis than subsp. altissima leaves. First cut leaves were richer in RA than those from second cut. Total phenolics and antioxidant parameters showed that lemon balm is a valuable source of plant antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although agronomic factors affecting essential oil composition within lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis L.) are well documented, much less is known about conditions that influence foliar phenolic levels. Therefore in this study, the effect of cultivar and seed company on the phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of five commercially available lemon balm varieties was determined. Cultivar ( p  = 0.009) and seed company ( p  = 0.020) had a significant effect on total phenolic concentrations. Analysis of individual phenolic acid levels by high-performance liquid chromatography showed substantial variations in the phenolic acid composition among cultivars. Rosmarinic ( p  = 0.001), gentisic ( p  = 0.014), chicoric ( p <  0.001), protocatechuic ( p  = 0.018), and p -coumaric ( p <  0.001) acid concentrations were affected by cultivar, although caftaric, caffeic and gallic acids were not. Seed company was a significant factor influencing rosmarinic ( p  = 0.007), gentisic ( p  = 0.002), chicoric ( p  = 0.034) and p -coumaric ( p  = 0.024) acid content. Cultivar also had a significant influence on FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power, p  = 0.028) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, p  = 0.002) antioxidant capacities. These results suggest that both the selection of cultivar and seed origin are important factors influencing the concentration of phenolic compounds and the resulting antioxidant properties within lemon balm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Considering the negative effects of stress on health, there is a growing interest in stress-reducing interventions. The present study examines the effects of a fixed combination of valerian, passion flower, lemon balm, and butterbur extracts (Ze 185) on biological and affective responses to a standardized psychosocial stress paradigm.Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of Ze 185 on cortisol and anxiety stress responses to acute psychosocial stress in healthy subjects.Study Design: This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind study with 3 parallel groups.Methods: 72 healthy male participants were randomized to 3 groups (Ze 185, placebo or no treatment) during 4 days prior to a standardized psychosocial stress paradigm. Principle outcomes were salivary cortisol and self-reported anxiety responses to stress assessed at the fourth day.Results: The stress paradigm induced significant and large cortisol and self-reported anxiety responses. Groups did not differ significantly in their salivary cortisol response to stress, but participants in the Ze 185 condition showed significantly attenuated responses in self-reported anxiety in comparison to placebo (F(3, 41) = 3.33, p = 0.03) and no treatment (F(3, 43) = 2.77, p = 0.05).Conclusion: The results show that Ze 185 significantly attenuated the subjective emotional stress response during an acute stress situation, without affecting biological stress responses. Given that a circumscribed biological stress response is to be considered as an adaptive mechanism, Ze 185 reduces self-reported anxiety response to stress without affecting assumingly adaptive biological stress responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate for the first time the effects of a combination of sage, rosemary and melissa (Salvia officinalis L., Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Melissa officinalis L.; SRM), traditional European medicines, on verbal recall in normal healthy subjects. To devise a suitable study design for assessing the clinical efficacy of traditional herbal medicines for memory and brain function.Methods: Forty-four normal healthy subjects (mean age 61 ± 9.26y SD; m/f 6/38) participated in this study. A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study was performed with subjects randomised into an active and placebo group. The study consisted of a single 2-week term ethanol extract of SRM that was chemically-characterised using high resolution LC-UV-MS/MS analysis. Immediate and delayed word recall were used to assess memory after taking SRM or placebo (ethanol extract of Myrrhis odorata (L.) Scop.). In addition analysis was performed with subjects divided into younger and older subgroups (≤ 62 years mean age n = 26: SRM n = 10, Placebo n = 16; ≥ 63 years n = 19: SRM n = 13, Placebo n = 6).Results: Overall there were no significant differences between treatment and placebo change from baseline for immediate or delayed word recall. However subgroup analysis showed significant improvements to delayed word recall in the under 63 year age group (p < 0.0123) with Cohen's effect size d = 0.92. No adverse effects were observed.Conclusion: This pilot study indicates that an oral preparation of SRM at the selected dose and for the period of administration is more effective than a placebo in supported verbal episodic memory in healthy subjects under 63 years of age. Short- and long- term supplementation with SRM extract merits more robust investigation as an adjunctive treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease and in the general ageing population. The study design proved a simple cost effective trial protocol to test the efficacy of herbal medicines on verbal episodic memory, with future studies including broader cognitive assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alzheimer disease is a progressive and irreversible neuropsychiatric disorder. Melissa Officinalis improves anxiety and clinical dementia symptoms caused by AD therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Mellisa extract on spatial memory deficit induced by STZ in MWM examination of male wistar rats. Methods: In the present study, 112 male wistar rats (220-270g) were used. Spatial learning deficit was induced by bilateral ICV injection of STZ (3mg/kg) via cannula then, the Melissa extract in different doses administrated by gavage and Morris Water Maze for measurement of spatial learning parameters was performed. Results: The results of this study demonstrated that gavage of the 200mg/kg of Melissa officinalis in combination with STZ, followed by significant reduction in two parameters: Time and Distance. Conclusion: Totally, the data indicate possible therapeutic value of M. officinalis extract on spatial learning improvement.