Melissa for hypertension: does the plant have a blood pressure lowering effect?
The use of this herb for hypertensive patients is quite justified. The components of lemon balm have a calming effect on the nervous system, and also lower blood pressure. Therefore, it can be used to treat this pathology.
In addition, it helps to cope with some of the consequences (or causes, since all these pathologies are interconnected) of high blood pressure: due to the antispasmodic effect, it soothes headaches, relieves spasm of blood vessels in coronary heart disease, and reduces the pulse rate in tachycardia.
However, any herbal medicine (and lemon balm is no exception) can be used only for chronic and mild forms of the disease. In our case, it is 1-2 degree of AH. In addition, she is unable to relieve hypertensive crises - i.e. sharp increases in blood pressure. Therefore, if you have noticed that the herbal preparation no longer controls the pressure, you should consult a doctor for prescribing stronger medications.
What is the hypotonic effect of lemon balm associated with?
The main active ingredients of lemon balm are essential oils, which are contained in it in large quantities. It has a complex effect on hypertension, acts by several mechanisms, which explains its effectiveness.
Due to its sedative properties, lemon balm very well soothes the nervous system, reduces the tone of the sympathetic section. This leads to a decrease in the concentration of adrenaline in the blood, as a result of which the vessels dilate, the heart rate and pressure drop. It also prevents hypertensive crises.
The diuretic effect, present in lemon mint, promotes the removal of excess water from the body, reduces the volume of circulating blood, and, accordingly, blood pressure.
Finally, due to its antispasmodic effect, it dilates the vessel and relaxes smooth muscles, which leads to a decrease in blood pressure and a decrease in headache.
Contraindications and side effects
Like any other drug, lemon balm has its own contraindications, which must be taken into account when using it:
- individual intolerance (also remember that if you are allergic to mint, it can also be when you use lemon balm);
- hypotension (low blood pressure);
- vegetative-vascular dystonia of the hypotonic type;
The plant also has a number of side effects, most often due to excess dosage:
- vegetative disorders (dizziness, nausea, sweating);
- weakness, drowsiness;
- sexual dysfunctions in men (decreased potency);
- dyspeptic manifestations;
- itchy skin.
In addition, it is not recommended to use lemon mint preparations (especially in large doses) when driving and other complex mechanisms, since the plant can disturb concentration and cause drowsiness.
Take with caution in combination with other sedatives or antihypertensive drugs, as lemon mint enhances their effect.
How to properly grow, harvest and store a plant?
If you do not want to depend on pharmacies, you can collect or grow lemon balm herb yourself, especially since it is quite simple.
Collection, procurement and storage
What the plant looks like, you can see in the photo:
The raw material is the tops of the shoots (together with the stem), they are harvested before flowering, which falls in June-August.
The grass is dried in ventilated rooms or in special dryers at a temperature of no more than 40 degrees. This is to prevent volatilization of essential oils. In no case should the plant be dried in the sun. Spread the material in an even thin layer.
It is necessary to store dry raw materials in dark ventilated rooms, in bags made of natural fabric or in paper bags, no more than two years, but the greatest efficiency remains for 3 months.
Growing
It is better to grow lemon balm from seeds - in this case, the plants will be more viable, although you can use any other methods - root cuttings, branches, using seedlings, etc. They are planted in spring (in April), on warm ground, to a depth of 1 cm.
You need to choose the right place. Too much humidity leads to the development of fungal diseases. The soil should be of medium acidity or neutral.
Care is not difficult, watering is required only during dry periods, especially in the first year of growth, when lemon balm does not yet have a developed root system.
To prepare the medicine, the tops of the plant are cut off; this can be done no more than 3 times per season.
Lemon balm recipes
The plant can be used both independently and in combination with other antihypertensive drugs.
There are the following main dosage forms of lemon balm:
- Infusion of herbs - 1 tablespoon of raw materials is poured with 200 ml of hot water (about 70 degrees), kept for 3-5 hours and filtered. Take 1 tbsp. spoon three times a day before meals. It is allowed to store the medicine for no more than 3 days.
- The juice of a fresh plant has more nutrients than the previous form, but is not suitable for long-term storage. Use 40-60 drops 6 times a day.
- The herb powder also retains the active ingredients well. For its preparation, a dry plant is ground in a mortar. Take 2-4 grams 3 times a day before meals.
- Finally, lemon balm is also used in the form of tea, which is prepared according to the standard method - a teaspoon of a dry plant is poured into 200 ml of boiling water. You can add sugar or honey to taste.
A more effective remedy for pressure becomes in the form of medicinal fees with other plants. The combination with mint, valerian and chamomile enhances the sedative effect, with motherwort, oregano and periwinkle - a vasodilator, and hawthorn normalizes heart function, reduces heart rate. In addition, almost all of these plants have a diuretic effect.
Usually, the combined funds are taken in the form of an infusion. It is prepared according to the above recipe, but instead of one lemon balm, a mixture is used in equal proportions.
You can also make a tincture with alcohol, which will retain more nutrients. For this, 150 ml of vodka is poured over 2 tablespoons of raw materials and insisted in a dark room for 7 days, then filtered through cheesecloth. Take 40 drops before meals.
For the treatment of arterial hypertension, any medications, including herbal remedies, must be taken throughout life, since they do not act on the causes of the disease, but only control blood pressure at the desired level.
Conclusions
Melissa, due to its calming, antispasmodic and diuretic effects, lowers blood pressure in hypertension. It is widespread throughout the country; its cultivation does not require special efforts and special technologies. Moreover, it is a very pleasant medicine due to its taste.
All this makes it the plant of choice in the treatment of arterial hypertension.
