Editor's Note
In this study, the basal and spasmolytic properties of a hydroethanolic leaf extract (HLE) of Melissa officinalis  L. (lemon balm) were assessed  ex vivo  on different segments of the GI tract of mice after phytochemical characterization of the extract. Overall, the effects of  M. officinalis  HLE tested on gut motility are site and dose dependent, the authors conclude. These effects could be because of an action of phenolic compounds, but further experiments will have to confirm this hypothesis. Whether the effects observed  ex vivo  have an impact on intestinal transit will have to be assessed  in vivo .
Abstract

Melissa officinalis  L. (lemon balm) has been used for decades with symptomatic benefits in patients with digestive disorders. However, very little is known on the effects of  M. officinalis  on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In this study, the basal and spasmolytic properties of a hydroethanolic leaf extract (HLE) of  M. officinalis were assessed  ex vivo  on different segments of the GI tract of mice after phytochemical characterization of the extract.  M. officinalis  HLE had site- and dose-dependent effects on the contractile activity of the GI tract, the motility response being impacted in the jejunum and ileum but not in the antrum and colon. The observed effects could be caused by the phenolic compounds (mainly rosmarinic acid) detected in the extract.

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