OMÜ Zir. Fak. Dergisi, 2006,21(1):116-121 J. of Fac. of Agric., OMU, 2006,21(1):116-121 THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF LEMON BALM (Melissa officinalis L.), ITS COMPONENTS AND USING FIELDS Reyhan BAHTİYARCA BAĞDAT Tarla Bitkileri Merkez Araştırma Enstitüsü 06042, Ankara Belgin COŞGE 25 Mart Mah. SSK Blk. 4/12 06200 Lalegül, Ankara Geliş Tarihi: 02.01.2005 ABSTRACT: Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), member of Lamiaceae (formerly Labiatae) family, is one of the important medicinal plant species. Today, it is used in different branches of industry (such as medicine, perfume, cosmetic, and food etc.) in many countries of the world. The main components of lemon balm essential oil, ranged from 0.01 to 0.25%, are 39% citronellal, 33% citral (citronellol, linalool) and geraniol. It is traditionally used as a mild sedative, spasmolytic and antibacterial agent. In addition, results of a lot of clinical researches have showed that essential oil of lemon balm can be used in treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, as antioxidant against negative effects of free radicals and an antitumoral agent and it has positive effect on immune system and stress. By means of its antimicrobial activity it was found to be effective in inhibiting the spoilage yeast growth in food industry. As to, another popular usage field of this plant is in perfume and cosmetic industry, due to hydrosol in its essential oil. Key Words: Lemon balm, essential oil rate, essential oil components, antioxidant, medicinal usage. OĞULOTU (Melissa officinalis L.)’ NUN UÇUCU YAĞI, BİLEŞENLERİ VE KULLANIM ALANLARI ÖZET: Lamiacea failyasından olan oğulotu (Melissa officinalis L.) önemli tıbbi bitki türlerinden birisidir. Günümüzde dünyanın birçok ülkesinde çeşitli sanayi dallarında (tıp, parfümeri, kozmetik ve gıda vb) kullanılmaktadır. Oğulotunda % 0.01 ile 0.25 arasında uçucu yağ bulunur. Bu uçucu yağın ana bileşenleri %39 citronellal, 33% citral (citronellol, linalool) ve geraniol’dür. Geleneksel olarak yaygın bir şekilde sakinleştirici, spazm giderici ve antibakteriyel olarak kullanılmaktadır. Bir çok klinik araştırma sonuçları, oğulotu uçucu yağının Alzheimer hastalığının tedavisinde, serbest radikallerinin olumsuz etkilerine karşı antioksidan ve tümör oluşumunu engelleyen ajan olarak kullanılabileceğini, ayrıca bağışıklık sistemi ve stres üzerine de olumlu etkilerinin olduğunu göstermiştir. Antimikrobiyel etkisi sayesinde, gıda sanayinde gıdaların bozulmasına neden olan mayaların gelişimini önleyici etkisi bulunmuştur. Diğer güncel kullanım alanı ise uçucu yağındaki hidrosol nedeniyle parfümeri ve kozmetik sanayidir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Oğulotu, uçucu yağ oranı, uçucu yağ bileşenleri, antioksidan, tıpta kullanımı. 1. INTRODUCTION Herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years. Early in human history, people practiced herbal medicine as a magical or religious healing art (Baker, 1965). Today, a lot of people use herbal medicine or rely on them. There are many various drug plants. One of them is lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), in other words bee herb or sweet balm. Lemon balm, member of the family Lamiaceae (formerly Labiatae) in scientific classification is a perennial herb that is, one that lives at least three years. It is bushy and upright, reaching a height of about 1 m. The soft, hairy leaves are 2 to 8 cm long and either heart-shaped. The leaf surface is coarse and deeply veined, and the leaf edge is scalloped or toothed. White or pale pink flowers which consist of small clusters of 4 to 12 blossom in the summer. It is commonly referred to as Lemon Balm because of its lemon-like flavor and fragrance (İlisulu, 1992; Anonymous, 2003). Lemon balm, one of the important medicinal plant species mainly grown in natural flora -especially in Mediterranian region- of Turkey, is native to southern Europe and northern Africa, and east as far as the Caucasus and northern Iran. Its wild types are in all Mediterranean countries and South part of the Alps. There are exist on other three subspecies which are naturally expended in our wild flora; subsp. officinalis, subsp. altissima and subsp. inodora (Davis, 1982; İlisulu, 1992; Anonymous, 2003). It is recorded that the plant is mainly grown in Germany, France, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, and North America (Ceylan, 1987, Tansı ve Özgüven 1995). Özhatay et al. (1997) reported that the subspecies of M. officinalis’ are evaluated in domestic markets and they are also on the list of the exported medicinal and aromatic plants. It is used in traditional medicine from ancient times. French monks and nuns, and Paracelsus (1493- 1541), Swiss physician and chemist, prepared tonics, called as “life elixir”, contain lemon balm, and used. English writer John Evelyn (1620-1706), described this plant as “ruler of brain, strengthening to mental, and removing from melancholia”. Its essential oil was named “bal-smin” or “leader of the oils” in Hebrew. Avicenna recommends that lemon balm strengthened heart (Asımgil, 2001; Anonymous, 2003). Today, lemon balm is used in various branches of industry (such as medicine, perfume and cosmetic, and food etc.) in a lot of countries of the world. 2. THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF LEMON BALM AND ITS COMPONENTS Lemon balm essential oil, obtained from fresh or dried flower, leaf, and branches of this plant by water