Recent estimates suggest that insomnia, or difficulty sleeping, can affect between 10 and 50% of the population.
The usual way to manage insomnia include non-pharmacologic intervention, benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine-receptor agonists, sedating antihistamines, melatonin-receptor agonists, and antidepressants.
A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine evaluated a combination of herbs including Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and Nepeta menthoides.
The results of this study suggest a that this combination ledto a significant improvement in sleep quality.
Patient outcomes were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), sleep diary, and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).
Here are the details of the study
– Study design: Randomized, triple-blind, block design study with a placebo control. It was conducted over a 4-week intervention period
– The subjects received either 1000 mg of Melissa officinalis plus 400 mg Nepeta menthoides or a placebo nightly for four weeks.
Here are the main results
– The Lemon balm and Nepeta group had an ISI score of 4.97 while the placebo group had an ISI score of 1.60
– The Lemon balm and Nepeta group had an PQSI score of 4.14 while the placebo group had a PSQI score of 1.42
– The lemon balm and Nepeta group increased sleep time from 5.23 hours to 6.06 hours after 4 weeks.
Here is what the authors had to say
The results suggest that the combination is a potential effective treatment for insomnia having few side effects that is recommended for further studies.
Take away message
Lemon balm and Nepeta have been used in traditional Persian medicine. In recent years, clinical trials have reported that lemon balm may benefit sleep quality and sleep time. The results of this study provide further evidence that lemon balm may be a natural option for improving sleep.
Here are more clinical trials testing plant medicine for improving sleep.
The daily dose of lemon balm was 1000 mg and Nepeta was 400 mg. The aerial part (i.e. above ground) of the lemon balm was made by drying down the plant and grinding it to a fine powder. The aerial part of the Nepeta was made by washing and grinding to a find powder and eluting in water (ratio of 1:10) and then freeze drying it.
Reference
Ranjbar M et al. Efficacy of a Combination of Melissa officinalis L. and Nepeta Menthoides Boiss. & Buhse on Insomnia: A Triple-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. May 2018
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Clinical Trials, Dietary Supplements, Plant Medicine, Sleep