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ABSTRACT Nanoparticles (NPs) are well‐known biostimulants in plant biotechnology, utilised to enhance the physical properties of plants and exhibit positive effects on them. The important key role is the most suitable type, effective dose and size of NP to be used in plant tissue culture systems. In this study, various concentrations of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs; 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 μg L−1) were tested as elicitors in callus culture with the aim of enhancing secondary metabolite production in lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.). According to the results obtained, callus formation rates have shown an increase in all applications compared to the control group. The highest callus formation, weight and diameter were observed in 50 μg L−1 application. In this application, the callus structure was compact and its colour was green. However, the aromatic compounds, neral and geranial increased significantly in 25 μg L−1 application. The maximum increase in phenolic compounds such as caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, proto‐catechic acid, hesperidin and p‐coumaric acid was observed in the 75 μg L−1 AgNP and the highest increase in rosmarinic acid compound was determined in the 50 μg L−1 application. The study found that AgNP applications are an effective method for increasing the production of secondary metabolites in medicinal and aromatic plants, such as lemon balm, in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Citral, a naturally occurring acyclic monoterpene aldehyde, is present in the essential oils of various plants, but only a few produce it in abundance. Despite its importance as a key aroma molecule, knowledge regarding the in‐planta biosynthesis of citral and its metabolic origin remains limited. Here, we have elucidated the functions of an alcohol dehydrogenase (CfADH1) and an aldoketo‐reductase (CfAKR2b) in citral biosynthesis in lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), one of the most cultivated aromatic crops for its citral‐rich essential oil. Expression of both CfADH1 and CfAKR2b showed correlation with citral accumulation in different developmental stages. Recombinant CfADH1 and CfAKR2b, despite their sequence unrelatedness, catalyzed citral formation from geraniol with NADP cofactor. Virus‐induced gene silencing in lemongrass and transient expression in lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) demonstrated the in‐planta involvement of CfADH1 and CfAKR2b in citral biosynthesis. While CfADH1 exhibited a dual cytosolic/plastidial localization, CfAKR2b was localized to the cytosol. This was supported by higher citral‐forming activity in the cytosolic fraction than in the chloroplast fraction of lemongrass leaf extract. Moreover, feeding lemongrass seedlings with inhibitors specific to the cytosolic mevalonate pathway and the plastidial methylerythritol phosphate pathway, combined with volatile profiling, supported the involvement of both pathways in citral formation. Taken together, our results indicate that high citral production has evolved in lemongrass through the recruitment of phylogenetically distant enzymes localized in both the cytosol and plastids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the rheological properties of Melissa officinalis seed gum (MOSG) as a function of temperature (25, 35, 45, 55, and 65°C) and salt concentrations (10, 50, 100, and 200 ppm NaCl and CaCl2) were investigated. The power law and Herschel‐Bulkley models could describe the rheological behavior of gum dispersions. The results showed that the intrinsic viscosity of the samples significantly decreased with increasing temperature and salt concentration. Steady‐state analysis of the samples revealed a non‐Newtonian, shear‐thinning behavior at tested temperatures and concentrations. The apparent viscosity increased with increasing salt concentrations and decreasing temperature. The results obtained from the frequency sweep test showed that the loss modulus (G″) values were higher than storage modulus (G′) in the concentrations of 0.25% to 0.5%, but beyond these concentrations, G′ values were greater than G″. The elasticity and viscosity of the gum samples increased with increasing concentration. The results of this study confirmed that MOSG has good rheological properties and can be used in food and pharmaceutical systems. Practical Applications: The rheological behavior is the most important functional property of natural colloids. This property is related to the capacity of hydrocolloids in improving viscosity and the formation of gel structure at low concentrations. The thickening property of hydrocolloids has a determinant role in consumer acceptance. Furthermore, the consumer acceptance of different food products such as fruit juices, sauces, ready jells, and desserts is mainly dependent on rheological behavior. Therefore, investigation of rheological properties of the new source of food hydrocolloids is interested in food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weed management in organic farming needs to integrate a wide range of preventive tools. Here we tested the stale seed bed technique in field experiments with organic lemon balm. In a two‐factorial trial, four intensities of stale seedbed after either autumn or spring ploughing were tested in 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 on alluvial loams of the research farm Wiesengut in the Rhineland, Germany. Increasing the number of stale seedbed passes did not promote weed emergence before sowing in 2020 due to serious spring drought; in 2021 only the two last stale seedbed passes in later spring caused extra weed flushes, while cold weather conditions in early spring prevented weed response to the earlier passes. Despite the differences in the number of germinating weeds in 2021 before sowing, intensification of the stale seedbed had no decreasing effect on weed density in lemon balm after sowing. However, weed species‐specific periods were identified in which the stale seedbed selectively promoted emergence. Autumn ploughing followed by a superficial incorporation of the catch crop in spring resulted in a lower weed emergence than complete residue incorporation by spring ploughing. Seedbank size differed greatly between fields, probably due to crop rotation. The overall weed reducing effect of the tested tillage treatments was low, probably due to high weed pressure on the organic farm. To increase the efficacy of the stale seed bed technique, sufficient soil moisture as well as temperature requirements of the dominating weed flora need to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was to study the effect of Melissa officinalis L. essential oil (MOEO) against Shewanella putrefaciens. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the growth curve indicated that MOEO could inhibit the growth of S. putrefaciens at a relatively low concentration (1 μl·ml−1). The increased values of glucose content, nucleic acid and protein showed that MOEO destroyed the S. putrefaciens cell membrane. Besides, the morphological and ultrastructural changes observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicated that the S. putrefaciens cell membrane was destroyed irreversibly by MOEO. Meanwhile, the 0.5 μl·ml−1 MOEO could inhibit the formation and motility of biofilm as well as the production of extracellular polysaccharide. In general, MOEO destroyed the cell membrane to inhibit the growth of S. putrefaciens, which indicated MOEO had great potential to be used as a natural bacteriostat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mastitis in dairy cattle is a highly prevalent infectious disease, caused by various pathogens, mainly Staphylococcu aureus and Escherichia Coli, considerable economic loss worldwide. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of Herbal plants used against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria which are the causative agents of mastitis. Methods: Therefore, in this study we investigate the antimicrobial effect of plant to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of squaw mint (Mentha pulegium L., Lamiaceae family), catnip (Nepeta cataria L., Lamiaceae), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L., Lamiaceae), for mastitis treatment. Solutions prepared in fixed oils, against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria which are the main agents of mastitis. Isolation and antibiotic susceptibility analyses of milk samples taken from 100 subclinical mastitis dairy cows were performed. The antibacterial properties of the solutions were analysed by a disk diffusion method. Results: In the bacterial isolation, S. aureus was determined 97.7% and E. coli 53.5% positive of cows with mastitis. Antibacterial susceptibility test of the Lemon balm extract and essential oil showed maximum zone of inhibition against S. aureus 30 µl (23 mm), followed by 20 µl (19 mm), E. coli (19 mm) and 10 µl (5–7 mm), of the same extract against the Gram‐positive bacteria. The ethanol extracts show the similar activity against the Gram‐negative bacteria at 30, 20, and 10 µl (18–20 mm). Followed by S. aureus, when the zone areas for the susceptible solutions (Lemon balm, and essential oil) and the control group were compared, determined that there was little difference between for S. aureus and E. coli. Conclusions: This study hence indicated that in vitro cultured plantlets of lemon balm and peppermint oil can be used as the alternative method for production of mastitis and cheap source its precursor with antimicrobial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review and a meta‐analytic approach were considered to investigate the effects of lemon balm as a medicinal herb on anxiety and depression in clinical trials and its side effects. All randomized clinical trials published up to October 30, 2020 that examined lemon balm in patients with symptoms of depression or anxiety, with acute or chronic manifestations, were searched in 12 online databases. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan software. Continuous data were analyzed using standardized mean differences. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using Chi2, I2, and p value tests. Based on meta‐analysis results, lemon balm significantly improved mean anxiety and depression scores compared with the placebo (SMD: ‐0.98; 95% CI: −1.63 to −0.33; p = 0.003), (SMD: ‐0.47; 95% CI: −0.73 to −0.21; p = 0.0005) respectively, without serious side effects. Current evidence suggests that lemon balm may be effective in improving anxiety and depressive symptoms, particularly in the acute setting. Due to the high level of heterogeneity between studies, results should be interpreted with caution. The small number of clinical trials and differences between their methods were the limitations of the present study. Further high‐quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of the lemon balm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a long time, Melissa officinalis (M. officinalis) has been used to treat cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating the effects of M. officinalis on systolic and diastolic blood pressures in hypertensive patients. We conducted a double‐blind, controlled, randomized crossover clinical trial on 49 patients who received either M. officinalis capsules (400 mg/d; n = 23) or the placebo (n = 26) three times per day for a 4‐week period. After a 2‐week washout period, the M. officinalis group received placebo and the other group received M. officinalis for another 4‐week period. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured once at baseline and then every 2 weeks for 10 weeks. The statistical analysis of the obtained data revealed that the chronology of the consumption of M. officinalis and placebo had no effect on the systolic and diastolic blood pressures in these two studied groups. Moreover, it was found that systolic and diastolic blood pressures significantly decreased after the consumption of M. officinalis, compared to placebo. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures in group A at the beginning of the study were 152.30 ± 5.312 mmHg and 95.52 ± 1.988 mmHg, respectively, and, after the first phase (drug use), reached 129.88 ± 9.009 mmHg and 80.13 ± 5.488 mmHg, respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures in group B at the beginning of the study was 152.26 ± 5.640 mmHg and 94.44 ± 2.607 mmHg, respectively, and after the second phase (drug use), reached 131.77 ± 8.091 mmHg and 81.46 ± 7.426 mmHg, (p =.005), respectively. Also, no significant side effects were observed during the study. According to the results, M. officinalis can reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the patients with essential hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Canned tuna was fortified with a mixture of brine and hydrosols of aromatic plants (i.e. oregano, laurel, sage and lemon balm). An HPLC‐DAD method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of thirteen antioxidants in tuna fillets, including phenolic acids (gallic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid and rosmarinic acid), flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, vanillin, myricetin, rutin, quercetin, luteolin and apigenin) and one hydroxybenzaldehyde (syringaldehyde). The analytes showed satisfying recovery efficiency (82.1–92.1%), and the method presented excellent linearity (r2 > 0.99). The precision limit was ≤5.6% RSDr for intra‐day and ≤7.2% RSDR for inter‐day experiments. The determined analytes ranged between 8.86 mg (quercetin) and 512 mg (rosmarinic acid) per 100g tuna flesh (n = 10), verifying that the hydrosols fortified the tuna fillets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, Melissa officinalis essential oil was encapsulated through ultrasonication by using different ratios of whey protein isolate/sodium caseinate as coating material. Flavoured yoghurt was generated by adding microcapsules; the release behaviour of the essential oil was characterised over a 21‐day storage period. The released essential oil was quantified by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by gas chromatography. The results showed that the antioxidative activity of yoghurt samples was increased by the incorporation of encapsulated essential oil. Therefore, the use of microcapsules containing M. officinalis essential oil could be a suitable method for producing nutraceutical foods with antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress is an increasing problem that can result in various psychiatric and somatoform symptoms. Among others, benzodiazepines and valerian preparations are used to treat stress symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the prescription of a fixed herbal extract combination of valerian, lemon balm, passionflower, and butterbur (Ze 185) changes the prescription pattern of benzodiazepines in hospitalized psychiatric patients. In a retrospective case-control study, anonymized medical record data from 3,252 psychiatric in-house patients were analysed over a 3.5-year period. Cases (n = 1,548) with a prescription of Ze 185 and controls (n = 1,704) were matched by age, gender, hospitalization interval, and main International Classification of Diseases, Version 10 F-diagnoses. The primary objective was to investigate the effect of Ze 185 on the prescription pattern of benzodiazepines. Secondary objectives investigated the prescriptions of concomitant drugs and effectiveness of the hospital stay. Distribution of drug classes was analysed using the WHO's anatomic-therapeutic-chemical code. Data showed that both treatment modalities had a comparable clinical effectiveness but with significantly less prescriptions of benzodiazepines in the Ze 185 group (p = .006). This is of clinical importance because suitable alternatives to benzodiazepines are desirable. To obtain more support for this hypothesis, a dedicated randomized, controlled clinical trial monitoring drug safety is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the effects of treatment temperatures (22, 78, 100 °C) on the antioxidant activity of 13 types of dried ground spices and herbs (black mustard, black pepper, blackberries, onion, cumin, galangal, lemon balm, lovage, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary and watercress) through measurements of redox potential. Four different combinations of spices and herbs were created and applied to cooked pork sausages, then sensory evaluation was carried out. RESULTS: The redox potential was temperature dependent. A temperature of 78 °C was chosen to produce the cooked pork sausages with the addition of the spice and herb combinations. The combinations were black mustard, onion, and cumin (at a 1:1:1 ratio); onion, marjoram, and parsley (at a 1:1:1 ratio); black pepper, lemon balm, and parsley (at a 1:2.35:1.65 ratio) and black pepper, cumin, and lovage (at a 1:2:2 ratio). In pork sausages cooked at 78 °C, the variants at 12 g kg−1 had a more intense aroma and taste than those at 6 g kg−1 spice and herb combinations, and received a superior sensory evaluation in total. CONCLUSIONS: The most desirable treatment temperature possibly applied in food products was 78 °C as it gave the highest number of negative results in redox potential of water extracts. The addition of the tested spice and herb combinations contributed to the increase of antioxidant possibility of 78 °C‐cooked pork sausages. Further investigation of the redox potential in other meat products (raw meat products at 22 °C, sausages from cooked meat at 100 °C) with the addition of the current spice and herb combinations will be undertaken in subsequent research. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings: What is the central question of this study?How does an extract of Melissa officinalis L. ameliorate anxiety‐ and depressive‐like behaviour of mice?What is the main finding and its importance?An extract of Melissa officinalis L. possessed anxiolytic and anti‐depressant effects, which could mainly be mediated through its antioxidant and anti‐apoptotic properties. This study evaluated the effects of a hydro‐alcoholic extract of Melissa officinalis (HAEMO) on anxiety‐ and depressive‐like behaviours, oxidative stress and apoptosis markers in restraint stress‐exposed mice. In order to induce a depression‐like model, mice were subjected to restraint stress (3 h day−1 for 14 days) and received normal saline or HAEMO (50, 75 and 150 mg kg−1 day−1) for 14 days. The administered doses of HAEMO were designated based on the concentration of one of the main phenolic compounds present in the extract, rosmarinic acid (2.55 mg kg−1 at lowest dose); other phytochemical analyses including assays for antioxidant activity, total phenols and flavonoids were also carried out. The behavioural changes in an open field task, elevated plus maze, tail suspension and forced swimming tests were evaluated. Also, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity were assessed in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Moreover, levels of Bcl‐2, Bax and caspase 3 in the brain as well as serum concentration of corticosterone were evaluated. HAEMO (75 and 150 mg kg−1) significantly reversed anxiety‐ and depressive‐like behaviours. Also, HAEMO reduced MDA levels, enhanced enzymatic antioxidant activities and restored serum levels of corticosterone. An immunoblotting analysis also demonstrated that HAEMO decreased levels of pro‐apoptotic markers and increased anti‐apoptotic protein levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of restraint stress‐exposed mice. Our findings suggested that HAEMO reduced inflammation and had anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: A new solvent, deep eutectic solvent, in which there is growing interest, has been prepared and used as an extraction solvent in the dispersive liquid–liquid method of microextraction. To prepare the solvent, dichloroacetic acid, l‐menthol, and n‐butanol are mixed at a molar ratio of 4:1:1 and the deep eutectic solvent is formed after heating. Then a dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method using the prepared solvent is used for the extraction and preconcentration of some pesticides from an aqueous sample. To carry out the procedure, the deep eutectic solvent is mixed with methanol and rapidly injected by a syringe into the aqueous sample containing the analytes. After centrifuging, an aliquot of the sedimented phase is injected into the gas chromatograph. The influence of several variables on the extraction efficiency was investigated and optimized. RESULTS: Extraction recoveries and enrichment factors were obtained in the ranges of 53–86% and 1760–2853, respectively. The intra‐ (n = 6) and inter‐day (n = 5) precision of the method was satisfactory, with relative standard deviations ≤ 7% obtained at two concentrations of 10 and 50 μg L−1 of each analyte. Moreover, detection and quantification limits for the target analytes were obtained in the ranges of 0.11–0.23 and 0.38–0.74 μg L−1, respectively. CONCLUSION: Different samples, including green tea, rose water, lemon balm, mint, and pussy willow distillates were analyzed successfully using the method that was developed, and chlorpyrifos was found in rose water at a concentration of 17 ± 1 μg L−1 (n = 3). © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive decline can occur with normal ageing and in age-related brain disorders, such as mild cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, with limited pharmacological therapies available. Other approaches to reduce cognitive decline are urgently needed, and so, the role of dietary interventions or nutraceuticals has received much attention in this respect. In this review, we examine the evidence for dietary plants and their chemical constituents as nutraceuticals, relevant to both cognitive decline in normal ageing and in dementia. Pharmacological (in vitro and in vivo), clinical and epidemiological evidence is assessed for both frequently consumed plants and their dietary forms, including tea, coffee, cocoa (chocolate), red wine, grapes, citrus and other fruits; in addition to plants used less frequently in certain diets and those that cross the blurred boundaries between foods, nutraceuticals and medicinal plants. For the latter, turmeric, saffron, sage, rosemary and lemon balm are examples of those discussed. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on The Pharmacology of Nutraceuticals. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v177.6/issuetoc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Herbs are rich in various beneficial bioactive compounds and they can be used for many different purposes. One of the most common is maceration of herbs in alcohol. Different substances respond differently to extraction in prepared solutions. It is very important to enhance the highest proportion of beneficial ingredients during the maceration process in a herbal liqueur. A comparative analysis of numerous different phenolic compounds from eight of the most frequently used herbs for making aperitifs in Europe was performed. RESULTS: In the comparison among all studied herbs, the highest phenolic content was found with Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) (14.61 mg g−1) and Mentha piperita (peppermint) (13.89 mg g−1), while the lowest content was found with Centaurium erythraea (common centaury) (3.96 mg g−1). Salvianolic acid isomers and caffeic acid derivatives were the greatest contributors to the total phenolic content in lemon balm, wormwood, peppermint, fennel and sage. These compounds contain more hydroxyl groups and they were better extracted at the beginning of the maceration process. Caraway and common centaury contain more flavonols (quercetin and kaempferol derivatives), with higher chemical stability and fewer hydroxyl groups in their structure. CONCLUSION: The compositions of eight herbal liqueurs were highly related to the presence of different herbal ingredients and their solubility in the extract over time. Most flavonol derivatives were extracted over a longer time and the two liqueurs (common centaury and caraway) therefore had the highest phenolic contents after 3 weeks of maceration. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a novel usage for functional essential oils, the present study aimed to evaluate the influence of process parameters on the characteristics of Melissa officinalis essential oil microencapsulated through whey protein isolate (WPI) and sodium caseinate (NaCS). Melissa officinalis was encapsulated via whey proteins and NaCS with variable ratios (0–100), core/coating ratios (10–100%), and ultrasonication power (50–150). The impacts of these variables were examined via response surface methodology. The findings demonstrated that lower particle sizes were obtained at higher amounts of WPI with the lowest level of applied sonication power. Desirability function results indicate that the maximum quantity of WPI with an ultrasonication power of 50 W led to the lowest particle size, zeta potential, and turbidity. The application of microcapsules loaded with Melissa officinalis was found to be useful to preserve their bioactive compounds and induces flavour stability, enabling the use of microcapsules in food formulations. Procedure of Melissa officinalis essential oil encapsulation in WPI/NaCS mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melissa officinalis is a plenteous source of antioxidant flavonols and flavonoids that contain health-promoting and antidiabetic properties, so this study was undertaken to provide the first assessment of the antidiabetic properties of hydroalcoholic extract of M. officinalis in type 2 diabetic patients. We did a randomized, placebo-controlled trial which included 62 patients, receiving either M. officinalis capsules (700 mg/d; n = 31) or the placebo (n = 31) twice daily for 12 weeks. There were significant differences in serum FBS (P = 0.007), HbA1c (P = 0.002), β-cell activity (P = 0.05), TG (P = 0.04), HDL-c (P = 0.05), hs-CRP (P = 0.001), and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.04) between the two groups at the end of the study; but total cholesterol, LDL-c, insulin, and HOMA-IR showed no significant changes between the groups. In M. officinalis group, there was a significant change in HDL-c (P = 0.009) and QUICKI (P = 0.005) compared with baseline values. No adverse effects were observed. It seems that M. officinalis is safe and effective in improvement of lipid profile, glycemic control, and reduction of inflammation. [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]

Background Infant colic ( IC) is a prevalent physiological event of infants, which can disrupt the child's home environment. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a mixture of Matricariae chamomilla L., Melissa officinalis L. and tyndallized Lactobacillus acidophilus ( HA122) compared with Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and with simethicone for the treatment of IC. Methods A multicenter randomized comparative study was conducted in infants with colic, according to Rome III criteria, who were randomly assigned to receive M. chamomilla L., M. officinalis L. and tyndallized L. acidophilus ( HA122) (Colimil® Plus®; Milte Italia Spa, Milan, Italy) (Group A), L. reuteri DSM 17938 (Group B) and simethicone (Group C). Treatment was given to subjects for 28 days. Key Results One-hundred and seventy-six patients completed the study. Mean daily crying time at day 28 was significantly lower in group A (−44, 95% CI: −58 to −30, P<.001) and group B (−35, 95% CI: −49 to −20, P<.001) when compared to group C. No significant difference was observed between Group A and Group B (mean difference: −9 minutes, 95% CI −23 to +5, P=.205). At day 28, 39 of 57 (68.4%) of infants in Group C responded to the treatment compared with 57 out of 60 patients (95%) of Group A and 51 out of 59 (86.4%) of Group B ( P<.001). Conclusions This study suggests that administration of M. chamomilla L., M. officinalis L. and tyndallized L. acidophilus ( HA122) and L. reuteri DSM 17938 are significantly more effective than simethicone in IC. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02708238. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercially available corn oil was enriched in polyphenols by adding olive leaf and lemon balm extracts, respectively. First, dried and ground plants were extracted through homogeniser-assisted extraction. Then, the dried extracts were partially dissolved into the corn oil by means of solid-liquid extraction method. Total phenolic content increased 9.5 and 2.5 times over the pure corn oil. The antioxidant activities of enriched oil by olive leaf and lemon balm extracts have been found almost 14 and 6 times higher than that of untreated oil, respectively. Olive leaf extract enhanced the quality better than lemon balm extract with respect to carotenoid ( TCC) and chlorophyll contents. Addition of 0.12-0.15% natural antioxidants gave rise to increase in the stability of the oil (≈18%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The effect of ALS-L1023, an extract of Melissa officinalis L. (Labiatae; lemon balm) leaves, on experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in mice was evaluated. Methods C57BL/6 mice were given either vehicle or ALS-L1023 daily via oral gavage for 3 weeks (days 0-21). CNV was induced by rupturing Bruch's membrane using laser photocoagulation (day 7). Two weeks after laser injury (day 21), the CNV lesions were evaluated by an examination of choroidal flat mounts using fluorescein-labelled dextran, immunofluorescence staining with isolectin B4 and fluorescence angiography. The effects of ALS-L1023 on endothelial cell tube formation and the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 were evaluated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Results The extent of CNV was reduced by ALS-L1023. Mice treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg/day of the material exhibited 44.3 and 68.1% reductions in the extent of CNV lesions, respectively, compared to the vehicle group ( P < 0.001). The size of the isolectin B4-labelled area was also significantly decreased in the ALS-L1023-treated groups ( P < 0.001). On fluorescein angiography, ALS-L1023-treated mice exhibited significantly less leakage of fluorescent material than did vehicle-treated mice. ALS-L1023 decreased vascular endothelial growth factor-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell tube formation in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 was suppressed by ALS-L1023. Conclusions The laser-induced CNV in mice can be inhibited by ALS-L1023. Therefore, it may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of diseases involving CNV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the protective ability of the addition of two antioxidant herb extracts, mate tea and lemon balm, on boar epididymal frozen-thawed spermatozoa quality. Testes from mature boars were collected at local slaughterhouse, and sperm samples from epididymis were recovered by flushing. Spermatozoa were cryopreserved in lactose-egg yolk buffer supplemented with various concentrations of lemon balm and mate tea (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 g l−1) using the straw-freezing procedure. Motion parameters, acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, lipoperoxidation levels and DNA oxidative damage (8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine base lesion) were evaluated. There were no differences among experimental groups with regard to motility characteristics, viability, acrosome and plasma membrane integrity; however, the highest concentration of lemon balm produced significant ( P < 0.05) improvement in curvilinear trajectory, straightness and amplitude of lateral head displacement after thawing. The supplementation of freezing extender with mate tea and lemon balm reduced sperm lipid membrane peroxidation, and only mate tea protected DNA against oxidative damage during cryopreservation at 120 min post-thawing ( P < 0.05). Mate tea experimental extender at concentration of 10 g l−1 showed the lowest percentage of sperm oxidised DNA and malondialdehyde generation; thus, mate tea is a potential candidate such as antioxidant compound on boar sperm cryopreservation medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Serra da Estrela' cheese is a Portuguese delicacy, which has been produced for centuries from the milk of cattle pasturing in the protected Serra da Estrela natural park. Transforming this cheese into a functional food would be a huge benefit for the market and the consumer. Decocted extracts, dried chestnut flowers and lemon balm plants were incorporated into the cheese to functionalise it, granting antioxidant activity to this foodstuff. The functionalised cheeses showed higher antioxidant activity, especially lipid peroxidation inhibition. The incorporation of dried plants appeared to be more effective than using decoctions, but the influence of the plant species was less observable. Furthermore, the fatty acids profile of the cheeses was also determined through gas chromatography. C18:1 and C16:0 were the most abundant fatty acids; saturated fatty acids prevailed over the unsaturated ones. Between the control and the incorporated samples no significant differences were found. In addition, the external colour was measured through a spectrophotometer for lightness, yellowness and redness. There were some differences recorded for each samples' colour. In general, the results indicated that the functionalisation of this exquisite dairy product with natural plant extracts provided beneficial characteristics, both for consumers (healthier product) and producers (added-value products). Practical applications The food industry is always searching for new products which are cheaper to produce and healthier for the consumer, withstanding longer storage periods. 'Serra da Estrela' cheese was incorporated with chestnut flowers and lemon balm dried plants and their respective decoctions in order to achieve antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydroalcoholic (EtOH/H2O) extract of matured leaf margins of lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis L.) afforded a new 3,23-disulfate of 2 α,3 β-23,29-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28- O- β- D-glucopyranoside ( 1) and a new 23-monosulfate of 2 α,23-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid 3- O- β- D-glucopyranoside ( 2), along with six known compounds, i.e., 23-monosulfate of 2 α,3 β,19 α,23-tetrahydroxyurs-12-ene-28-oic acid 28- O- β- D-glucopyranoside ( 3), 3,5,6-trihydroxydehydro- α-ionol 9- O- β- D-glucopyranoside ( 4), quadranoside III ( 5), rosmarinic acid ( 6), caffeic acid ( 7), and luteolin ( 8). All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, antimalarial, and cytotoxic activities. Only rosmarinic acid exhibited substantial antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, whereas sulfated terpenes showed considerably lower or no antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the effects of diet supplementation with 1% clove flower buds powder combined with either 0.2% lemon balm extract or 0.2% agrimony extract (each of the two pulverized extracts supplied through drinking water) on body weight of broilers, total feed intake, feed conversion ratio and the carcass yield, activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, EC 1.11.1.9) in blood, concentration of sulfhydryl (−SH) groups, malondialdehyde (MDA), vitamin A and E, low-density lipoproteins in the blood plasma, serum cholesterol, total lipids, triglycerides and high-density lipoproteins in broiler chickens at 42 days of age. On the day of hatching, 120 male and female broilers of Cobb 500 were randomly divided into three groups. The control group (1st group) of broilers received a basal diet (BD) without any feed and water additive. Both experimental groups of chicks were fed BD enriched with clove ( Syzygium aromaticum L.) powder at a dose of 10 g/kg DM for 42 days. Moreover, either lemon balm ( Mellisa officinalis L.) extract or agrimony ( Agrimonia eupatoria L.) extract diluted with drinking water (2:1000) was given to broilers in the 2nd and 3rd group respectively. The results indicated that feeding the diets enriched with selected herbal supplements failed to affect the growth performance of broiler chickens at 42 days of age. In addition, this supplementation had no influence on the activities of SOD and GSH-Px, concentration of vitamin A and selected lipid metabolism indices. On the other hand, we observed beneficial effects on some indices of the antioxidant status (increased concentration of −SH groups and vitamin E, decreased concentration of MDA) in the blood of broilers in both experimental groups in comparison with the control group of chickens (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a slightly better antioxidant capacity was found in the blood of broilers supplied the combination of clove and lemon balm compared to clove and agrimony (vitamin E, 11.26 ± 0.73 vs. 9.73 ± 0.64 μmol/L, p < 0.05 respectively). It could be concluded that supplementation of the diet with clove flower buds powder combined with lemon balm extract or agrimony extract dissolved in drinking water has a potential to increase the antioxidant status but fails to influence either the growth performance or the selected lipid metabolism indices of broilers at the age of 42 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

16-hydroxy-9-oxo-10 E,12 E,14 E-octadecatrienoic acid, also known as Corchorifatty acid B (CFAB), is isolated from the ethanol extracts of the aerial parts of Melissa officinalis Linné ( Labiatae) and exhibits inhibitory effects on cellular pigmentation in both human melanocytes and mouse melanoma B16 cells. CFAB specifically decreases cellular melanin by most likely inducing rapid degradation of tyrosinase in B16 cells. Interestingly, unlike other reagents that promote degradation of tyrosinase in proteasomes or lysosomes, neither proteasomal nor lysosomal inhibitors can halt CFAB-induced tyrosinase degradation. Only brefeldin A, which specifically inhibits protein transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex, can effectively impede CFAB-induced tyrosinase decrease. These results suggest that CFAB-induced tyrosinase decrease occurs in post-Golgi compartments but not in proteasomal or lysosomal compartments. Taken together, CFAB is a unique reagent that primarily accelerates tyrosinase decrease by a mechanism that differs from those considered for other hypopigmentation reagents currently reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on paediatric dental issues which include the "Investigation of human reliability relations between child patients and dentist" by A. Sugimoto, M. Ozaki, and W. Motokawa, "Child behaviour modulation during first dental visit after administration of lemon balm" by K. Pardo-Aldave, L. F. Villegas, and colleagues, and "Success rate and side-effects by different inhalation sedation systems in paediatric dentistry" by C. Vergalle, A. A. Neves, and colleagues.

A micro-morphological study of infected tissues and a chemical investigation into the volatile fraction of secretory tissues of healthy and infected plants were carried out. The botanic species were: Melissa officinalis L. (infected by Erysiphe galeopsidis and Septoria melissae): Salvia officinalis L. (infected by Erysiphe salviae); Mentha piperita L. (infected by Puccinia menthae). The results show that pathogenic fungal infection seriously damages the secretory tissues and stomata, causing a decrease in the amount of essential oil contained in infected plants, and modifying the composition of the plant's volatile fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for nanoparticles is increasing day by day due to their wide range of applications in various areas including pharmaceutical industry. Nanoparticles are formally synthesized by chemical methods in which the toxic and flammable chemicals are used. Synthesis of nanoparticles from various biological systems has been reported, but among all, biosynthesis of nanoparticles from plants is considered as the most suitable method. The current study confirms the potential of aqueous extract of Melissa officinalis grown under in vitro condition for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Also, we revealed the cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and anti‐acute myeloid leukemia effects of AgNPs compared to mitoxantrone in a leukemic mouse model. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using several techniques including UV–Vis., FT‐IR, TEM, FE‐SEM, and EDS. In vivo experiment, induction of acute myeloid leukemia was done by DMBA in 75 mice. The obtained results were fed into SPSS‐22 software and analyzed by one‐way ANOVA. By quantitative real‐time PCR, S1PR1 and S1PR5 mRNA expression in lymphocytes were significantly (p ≤ 0.01) increased by treating the leukemic mice with the AgNPs and mitoxantrone. Also, AgNPs similar to mitoxantrone, significantly (p ≤ 0.01) enhanced the platelet, lymphocyte, and RBC parameters and the anti‐inflammatory cytokines (IL4, IL5, IL10, IL13, and IFNα) and reduced the total WBC, blast, monocyte, neutrophil, eosinophil, and basophil counts and the pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IL1, IL6, IL12, IL18, IFNY, and TNFα) as compared to the untreated mice. In vitro experiment, AgNPs similar to mitoxantrone had low cell viability dose‐dependently against murine C1498, human HL‐60/vcr, and 32D‐FLT3‐ITD cell lines without any cytotoxicity on HUVEC cell line. Furthermore, the DPPH assay showed similar antioxidant potentials for AgNPs and mitoxantrone. Above results approve the excellent anti‐acute myeloid leukemia, cytotoxicity, and antioxidant properties of AgNPs compared to mitoxantrone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on research into plants that can provide benefits to memory and their historical use. It states the pyrroloindol alkaloid physostigmine was isolated from seeds of calabar beans. It mentions sage and lemon balm is used in memory loss and includes the active phytochemical rosmarinic acid which has anti-inflammatory properties. It comments on research into leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree and the plant extract EGb-761 which contains terpenoid lactones and flavonoid glycosides.

isolation, structure elucidation and bioactivity of two new sulfated triterpenes (I) and (II) and six known compounds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the first report of Tulip virus X (TVX) in association with variegation in lemon balm and the first report of the presence of the virus in the United States. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has been grown for centuries as an ornamental and for its medicinal properties. One of the most popular clones shows bright variegation symptoms. Mechanical inoculations onto Gomphrena globosa , using variegated leaf tissue as the inoculum source, resulted in development of necrotic lesions about 5 days postinoculation, which suggested a viral aetiology of the variegation.