International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ___________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202Vol. 2(12), 107-109, December (2013) Int. Res. J. Biological Sci. International Science Congress Association 107 Mini Review Paper An Overview of Badranjboya (Melissa officinalis)Sadiya Noorul Basar* and Roohi Zaman Dept. of Ilmul Saidla, National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bangalore, Karnataka, INDIAAvailable online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 22nd July 2013, revised 25th August 2013, accepted 9th October 2013Abstract Melissa officinalis L., is a is a perennial plant, which belongs to the family labiatae .It is basically cultivated in Mediterranean region and native to Europe, Northern Africa and West asia. It is called lemon balm, bee balm, melissa, sweet balm . It has a lemony flavor and fragrance. Traditionally this herb was used for longevity, healing wound, relaxing the heart, treating tooth ache, Nowadays it is used in anxiety, mild depression, restlessness, irritability, indigestion, acidity, nausea, bloating and colicky pains, and cold sores. It is also called as a hormonal herb due to its antithyroid activity. Keywords:Melissa officinalis, Badranjboya, lemon balm, depression, antithyroid activity. Introduction Melissa is also called as bee balm because the word Melissa comes from a greek word which means bee and as melissa has great attraction towards bee hence it is called so. It is called as Badrangboya, taragarbha in Persian, Mufarrehal qhalb2,3Utrajul Raihath, Warqe habaqe Rauhawi in Arabic, Billi lotan2,3,4 in Hindi, Mountain balm, sweet balm or Lemon balm in Engish. Lemon balm is a medicinal plant as well as most important commercial plants during the recent decades . It is used in traditional medicine for various ailments like a plant juice, cream or tea infusion is used for nervous agitation, and for promoting sleep, and ameliorates functional gastrointestinal complaints, hysteria,melancholia, chronic bronchial catarrh, migraine, toothache, earache, headache and high blood pressure and, externally, for rheumatism, nerve pains and stiff necks (compress). In Unani sysyem of medicine its grass and seeds are used in it is used in epilepsy, paralysis, bells palsi, arthritis, Mastitis, halitosis, its syrup and distillate are made for different ailments. Origin and Distribution Melissa is a native of southern Europe, Western Asia, Northern Africa, east as far as the Caucasus and northern of Iran but now it grows throught the world, In India it is found in temperate Himalaya from Garhwal to Sikkim and Khassia mountains. Lemon balm in India is found to grow on sandy, scrubby area, damp wasteland, at elevations ranging from sea level to the mountains. It has been used traditionally for different medicinal purposes but nowadays for several applications in pharmacy, nutritional and sanitary industrials, lemon balm is being used enormously10Botanical DescriptionMacroscopic: The leaves are broadly ovate,or ovate-lanceolate,crenate. The petiole varies in length from 1-1.2 cm while lamina is about 2.5x1-3.5x1.2 cm. Microscopic: In transverse section the leaf shows single layered upper and lower epidermis provided with glandular and non glandular hairs. The glandular hairs are characterized by the presence of unicellular circular head and uni to multi celled tail. The non glandular hairs are unbranched, uniserate, multi- cellular, with the outermost cells tapering. These are ornamented with small bristles. Upper epidermal cells are mostly larger than the lower ones , while both are covered with cuticle. The epidermis is followed by single layer of palisade tissue continuos to lamina whereas it discontinues at the veins or midrib which is replaced by 3 to 4 layered collenchymatous tissue on the upper side and 3-6 layered on the lower side of the leaf. The collenchymas is followed by circular parenchyma tissues with large intercellular spaces. The vascular bundle is kidney shaped and is collateral. The vessel members are mostly with spiral to reticulate thickenings with simple perforations plates and tracheids are mostly pitted. The stomata are indistinct. Unani Description of Melissa officinalis Badranjboya is a grass fragrant, greenish black and bitter in nature. It is called as billi lotan because the cat loves to play on it. It is of 2 types: i. Shorter species whose leaves are short and light and thin, and its edges are protruded and it has many bands as teeth of the saw, its flowers are bluish red in colour and many times it is cooked as a vegetable. It usually blooms in mausam e rabeeh, its root do not branch. Its seeds resemble seeds of alsi, but are smaller than that and colour is brownish this type is called as utrajiya and turanjan, ii. Bigger species, fragrance is same as that of smaller species but much stronger and its leaves are not long but round, colour is greenish on rubbing it gives smell of lemon and leaves resemble like that of jangli tulsi. Some scholars have stated that its leaves are rough, broad and appear same as that of nana (pudina). Its root gives many branches and flowers are white in colour and according to some colour is bluish white and seeds are very less. its seeds are equal International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ________________________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202 Vol. 2(12), 107-109, December (2013) Int. Res. J. Biological Sci. International Science Congress Association 108 to that of isapghoal, its colour is blackish and has fragrance it is usually found in damp areas its potency is same as that of farasiyoon and is said that it is a type of raihan2-4 Taxonomical Classification: Kingdom: Plantae, Division: Tracheophyta, Subdivision: Speramtophyta, Class: Magnoliopsida, Superorder: Asteranae, Order: lamiales, Family: Lamiaceae, Genus:Melissa, Species:Melissa officinalis L. Phytochemical Studies The leaf of Melissa officnalis contains monoterpenoid aldehyde, flavonoids (quercitrin, rhamnocitrin), polyphenolic compounds (rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and protocatechuic acid), triterpenes (ursolic and oleanolic acids), monotherpenoid aldehides, sesquiterpenes, tannins and monoterpene glycosides11, essencial oils (citral) and flavonoids (luteolin)12 . A study on Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) leaf extract has shown to contain more than 5% hydroxycinnamic acid content is known to have anti axiety effects13.  Pharmacological Activities Antiviral activity: In one of the study 10% aqueous extracts of Melissa inhibited the replication in vitro of herpes simplex virus type 2, influenza virus A2 (Mannheim 57), influenza viruses and myxoviruses in vitro and vaccinia virus14-16. In a study where tannin isolated from aqueous extract of the Melissa leaves inhibited haemagglutination induced by Newcastle disease virus or mumps virus14,17, tannin-free polyphenol fraction of an aqueous extract inhibited herpes simplex and vaccinia viruses in egg and cell culture systems14,18 aqueous extracts of the leaves have also been reported to have activity against Semliki Forest virus14,19. Antispasmodic activity: An ethanol extract of the leaves and essential oil inhibited histamine- and barium-induced contractions of guinea-pig ileum in vitro which in turn inhibited the contractions guinea-pig ileum which exhibited smooth muscle relaxant activity in tracheal muscle while an aqueous extract was inactive. A 30% ethanol extract did not inhibit acetylcholine- and histamine-induced contractions in guinea-pig ileum in vitro at concentrations up to 10ml/ml14,20,21. Psychoneurological activity: An acute treatment with Melissa officinalis L.had shown to improve cognitive performance and mood, reduces induced stress and anxiolytic effects in humans22-24. Gastrointestinal Tract: Traditionally Melissa has been used for GIT disorders, to promote digestion and for griping pains of the belly. According to the German commission E monograph Melissa is indicated in functional gastrointestinal complaints especially for spasm in the digestive tract and flatulent dyspepsia and carminative properties25. Antioxidant Property: Melissa essential oil has been shown to have antioxidant properties which is due to the presence of mono and sesquiterpenes components, caffeic acid and flavonoids. A study on mice Melissa containing rosmarinic acid had an activity to protect the liver from damage with its antioxidant action. These studies indicate that Melissa has a strong antioxidant property26. Some recent studies on Melissa has shown that, it is useful in treating hyperthyroidism and Graves’ disease. Firstly, In a dose dependant freeze dried extract of Melissa has inhibited the binding of Graves’ disease immunoglobulins to the thyroid. These studies suggest that Melissa is potentially useful in treating Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism27. Pharmacological Uses according to Unani Medicine: Mufarreh Qhalb, Muqhawwi e qhalb, Munzij e sauda, Musaffi e khoon, Mutayyab e Nikhath, Muhallil2,3,4 , However Melissa is known to cause some of the side effects like headache, burning micturation and problematic to hot temperament people as the temperament of Melissa is Hot and dry in 2nd degree. Conclusion Melissa officinalis L.which is called as lemon balm, bee balm, melissa, sweet balm has enormous health advantages as mentioned in traditional advantages when these were analysed were proven to be scientific. A lot more number of upcoming researches are being done which would be much more worthful. References1.Chevallier A., Encyclopedia of medicinal plants,th edt. New York. United states of America (1996) 2.Hakeem M., Bustanul Mufradat, New Delhi: Idara Kitabul Shifa, 110, (2002)3.Ghani N., Khazainul Advia. New Delhi: Idara Kitabul Shifa, 149, 390 (2011)4.Kabeeruddin H.M., Ilmul Adviae Nafeesi, Delhi: Aijaz Publishing house, 90, (2007)5.Anonymous, Unani Pharmacopoeia of India, Part 1, Vol 2. 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Tannin of Melissa officinalis, Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 124, 865–869 (1967)18.Herrmann E.C. and Kucera L.S., Antiviral substances in plants of the mint family (Labiatae), II. Nontannin polyphenol of Melissa officinalis, Proceedings of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 124, 869–874 (1967)19.Van den Berghe D.A., Present status and prospects of plant products as antiviral agents, In: Vlietinck A.J., Dommisse R.A., eds. Advances in medicinal plant research. 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