Lemon Balm for Herpes, Cold Sores, and Shingles

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family, closely related to catnip and having a few similar properties. Natural lemon balm oils and extracts contain tannins, which are known for their powerful antiviral properties. It is also packed with eugenol, a powerful antibacterial chemical known to relax nerves and muscles, and terpenes, which are used in aromatherapy to soothe sore nerve tissue.

Given this unbeatable recipe of natural anti-herpes compounds, it might seem that lemon balm was created for the sole purpose of combating the herpes virus: it is in every way an ideal natural treatment.

The herpes virus family is one of the most successful viral groups in the world, and includes the viruses that cause shingles, cold sores, genital herpes, chicken pox, Epstein Barr (the "mono" or "kissing disease" virus), roseola, and Cytomegalovirus (CMV). The herpes virus family name is derived from the latin word herpein, meaning "to creep", referring to these virus' tendency to "hide" in nerve tissue and then reactivate.

It is for this reason that herpes viruses seem to come and go. While they sometimes become permanently latent, or hidden--as in the case of most people who have had chicken pox--they have a tendency to reactivate in times of stress, as occurs in people with shingles, herpes simplex 1, or herpes simplex 2.

The reason that lemon balm is ideal in combating these pesky viral infections that it combines a number of important traits in eliminating the outbreak or reactivation of herpes viruses. It acts to reduce stress, a major contributing factor to herpes outbreaks, while also loading the body with antioxidants, soothing nerve pain, calming muscle spasms, fighting secondary or causative bacterial infections, and, finally, acting to destroy viral matter itself.

One recent placebo-controlled study of 18 healthy volunteers revealed a significant increase in calmness and alertness in participants who were given lemon balm rather than a placebo. Other studies have implicated its use to combat insomnia and other anxiety-related disorders, and have yielded encouraging results. Since stress contributes to herpes outbreaks, lemon balm may help to prevent infections by easing psychological stress.

Eugenol in lemon balm combats herpes symptoms by relaxing the sore, stressed, painful muscles and nerves affected by herpes viral outbreaks. Topical application of lemonbalm to outbreak areas can provide instant relief, as a study published in Phytomedicine concluded. Topical application of lemon balm teas and poultices lead to immediate reduction in swelling, itching, and pain.

Lemon balm's natural eugenol also helps to fight bacterial infections. While they do not themselves cause herpes outbreaks, they may infect herpes sores, and lemon balm can prevent this common complication. Bacterial infections also often lead to herpes outbreaks of all kinds, because they stress and "distract" the immune system.

Perhaps lemon balm's most powerful anti-herpes action comes from the fact that it contains tannins, which have widely been implicated for their countless antiviral properties. Tannins are powerful astringents, and owing to lemon balm's high content of them, it has been implicated in battling viral infections of all kinds, including every variety of herpes: not limited to cold sores, genital herpes, and shingles.

Fortunately, lemon balm also appears to be impressively safe, and the University of Maryland reports that it has never been shown to produce any side effects or symptoms of toxicity-- although, as always, caution should be used by people who are pregnant, nursing, or have medical conditions.

Lemon balm can be used to combat herpes viral infections in a variety of ways. One of its most effective uses can be acheived by pressing a cotton-ball soaked in lemon balm tea against cold sores, shingles sores, and genital sores. The tea can also be used to bathe and wash wounds, or may be taken internally. Lemon balm is also often taken internally as a capsule, tincture, or tea.