Systematic review, 2021
Can the herb lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) ease PMS and period pain?
It looks promising. Pooling several small trials found lemon balm reduced PMS symptom severity more than the comparison group, but the evidence base is still too small to be sure.
What they did
Researchers searched medical databases in English and Persian up to May 2020 for clinical trials testing Melissa officinalis for PMS and primary dysmenorrhea. They found 978 articles, screened them, and combined results from 7 studies in a meta-analysis, rating the evidence quality with the GRADE system.
What they found
Across the 7 included studies, women who took Melissa officinalis had improved PMS and period pain symptoms compared to the control group. In the meta-analysis, it significantly lowered the average severity of PMS symptoms after treatment (Standardized Mean Difference: -0.93).
What it means for you
Lemon balm may help with PMS symptoms, but only 7 studies were available, so the authors say larger, well-designed trials are needed before this can be recommended with confidence.
7
Studies included in meta-analysis
978
Articles initially found
-0.93
Standardized Mean Difference
About the study
- Original title
- The Effect of Melissa officinalis on Premenstrual Syndrome and Primary Dysmenorrhea in Women of Reproductive Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Authors
- Mojgan Mirghafourvand, Mahsa Maghalian, Nafiseh Ghassab‐Abdollahi
- Journal
- Current Women s Health Reviews
- Year
- 2021
- Study design
- Systematic review
- What was tested
- Melissa officinalis (lemon balm), a herbal remedy.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.2174/1573404817666210831165630
Topics
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