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Review
. 2022 Mar 25;23(7):3591.
doi: 10.3390/ijms23073591.

Melissa officinalis: Composition, Pharmacological Effects and Derived Release Systems-A Review

Gabriela Petrisor  1   2   3 , Ludmila Motelica  1   2   3 , Luminita Narcisa Craciun  4 , Ovidiu Cristian Oprea  2   3   4 , Denisa Ficai  2   3   4 , Anton Ficai  1   2   3   5
Affiliations
Review

Melissa officinalis: Composition, Pharmacological Effects and Derived Release Systems-A Review

Gabriela Petrisor et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Melissa officinalis is a medicinal plant rich in biologically active compounds which is used worldwide for its therapeutic effects. Chemical studies on its composition have shown that it contains mainly flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, tannins, and essential oil. The main active constituents of Melissa officinalis are volatile compounds (geranial, neral, citronellal and geraniol), triterpenes (ursolic acid and oleanolic acid), phenolic acids (rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid), and flavonoids (quercetin, rhamnocitrin, and luteolin). According to the biological studies, the essential oil and extracts of Melissa officinalis have active compounds that determine many pharmacological effects with potential medical uses. A new field of research has led to the development of controlled release systems with active substances from plants. Therefore, the essential oil or extract of Melissa officinalis has become a major target to be incorporated into various controlled release systems which allow a sustained delivery.

Keywords: Melissa officinalis; controlled release system; essential oil; pharmacological effects; polyphenolic compounds.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The composition of Melissa officinalis and its pharmacological effects.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Drug delivery systems for Melissa officinalis components (realized with BioRender.com, accessed on 7 March 2022).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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