A light salve that can help in the healing and calming of cold sores and the herpes virus, a gentle but effective treatment.Made with the finest oils and Lemon balm leaves and the rays from the californian sun.
This fragrant lemon-scented plant has been valued since antiquity. Pliny and Dioscorides thought “Balm, being applied, doth close up wounds without any peril of inflammation.” Gerard said “The juice of Balm glueth together greene wounds, being put in oil, salve or balm for that purpose, makes it of greater efficacy.” Culpepper used it with salt, to take away wens, kernels, or hard swelling in the flesh or throat; to cleanse foul sores, and ease pains of the gout. Dioscorides said that the leaves steeped in wine, and the wine drank and leaves externally applied, is a remedy against the stings of a scorpion, and the bitings of mad dogs.
A 1999, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized German trial studied the efficacy of a topical cream made from the standardized dried leaf extract of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, 70:1) for the treatment of Herpes simplex labialis (“cold sores” - a form of herpes simplex that occurs on the lips). Sixty-six patients who had at least four episodes of herpes labialis yearly took part in the trial. The cream was applied topically on the affected area four times daily for five days. A significant difference in the size of the affected area and blisters, compared to placebo was observed by day two of the therapy. Symptoms on day two are of particular importance since symptoms in those suffering from herpes labialis are usually most intense at that time. The lemon balm cream shortened the healing period and had an advantageous affect on associated symptoms such as itching, tingling, burning, swelling, etc. The authors suggest that there exist some indication that using lemon balm will prolong intervals between herpes episodes. In addition, lemon balm is unlikely to make the herpes virus resistant.
Additional clinical research has shown lemon balm exerts potent antiviral activity against herpes simplex when used topically. Lemon Balm’s flavonoids, polyphenolics and other compounds are thought responsible for its antiviral actions.
Many herbalists already know that virucidal extracts of lemon balm have been repeatedly reported to effectively treat herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) which are common ulcerative cold sores and type 2 (HSV-2) which is classified as the most common sexually transmitted disease affecting human male and female genitalia.
