Lemon Balm and Depression: Randomised Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

In a May 2023 clinical trial, daily use of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) extract for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with type 2 diabetes. Depression is higher among diabetic patients than in the general population. The incidence of depression in diabetic patients significantly impacts glycaemic control, adverse events and quality of life in these patients. The combination of diabetes and depression also increases the risk of death in these patients. Lemon balm has anti-diabetic, anti-depressant, anxiolytic, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant actions so this study aimed to determine its efficacy of on depression, anxiety and sleep quality in patients with type 2 diabetes with depressive symptoms.

In the Iranian randomised, double-blinded trial 60 volunteer patients (age range 20 to 65 years) with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who had symptoms of depression, were randomised into the intervention or control group. Patients in the intervention group (30 people) took two capsules containing 350mg of lemon balm extract daily, and patients in the control group (30 people) took two capsules containing 350mg of toasted wheat flour. They were instructed to take one capsule after lunch and one after dinner for 12 weeks. To avoid ethical problems, all participants were invited to an educational session to receive general points about anxiety and depression by the psychologist before intervention.

Dietary intake, physical activity, body composition measurements, fasting blood sugar, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, depression, anxiety and sleep quality were determined at the beginning and end of the study using the most widely used measures in both research and clinical practice for assessing depression, anxiety and sleep quality. In the intervention group there was a significant decrease in depression and anxiety severity at the end of the study compared to the baseline.

References

Safari M, Asadi A, Aryaeian N, Huseini HF, Shidfar F, Jazayeri S, Malek M, Hosseini AF, Hamidi Z. The effects of melissa officinalis on depression and anxiety in type 2 diabetes patients with depression: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical trial. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2023 May 2;23(1):140. doi: 10.1186/s12906-023-03978-x. PMID: 37131158; PMCID: PMC10152712.