Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) hydrolate poorly influences isolated rat gastric fundus motility

  • Nikola M Stojanović Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
  • Sara Stojanović Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
  • Bogdan Stojiljković University of Nis, Medical Faculty, Serbia
  • Aleksandar Marković University of Nis, Medical Faculty, Serbia
  • Dragana Pavlović Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
  • Pavle Randjelović Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
  • Jelena Zvezdanović Faculty of Technology, University of Nis, Leskovac, Serbia
  • Ljiljana Stanojević Faculty of Technology, University of Nis, Leskovac, Serbia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/afmnai40-38933
Keywords: hydrolate, gastric fundus, contractions, Melissa officinalis

Abstract


Lemon balm has been used for centuries due to its strong sedative, antibacterial, antiviral, and spasmolytic effects. Besides different types of extracts and essential oils, hydrolates (by-products obtained during essential oil extraction) are preparations of aromatic medicinal plants with potential pharmacological activity. To estimate Melissa officinalis leaves hydrolate effects on gastric motility disorders, its influences were tested in vitro in a tissue bath in the spontaneous contraction of the isolated rat fundus experimental model. Increasing volumes of sample (making final concentration span 0.5 – 910 µl/ml) were successively added to the tissue bath. Lower doses did not produce any significant changes in the contraction patterns, while the higher ones led to a statistically significant increase in basal tone of the stomach fundus. Yet, these changes in basal tonus were still modest. Phytochemical qualitative characterization, done by liquid chromatography with ultra-high performances, showed that rosmarinic acid was dominant compound of M. officinalis hydrolate. Although the tested hydrolate poorly influences isolated rat gastric fundus motility, further studies could clarify its pharmacological activity and potential future application of this by-product of Melissa officinalis hydrodestilation.

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Published
2025/12/09
Issue
Vol. 40 No. 1 (2023): Acta facultatis medicae Naissensis
Section
Originalni rad / Original article