In Europe, medicinal plants are widely used for sleep problems, but this use is still poorly documented scientifically; however, a Swiss team recently conducted research on the combination of valerian / lemon balm (Valeriana officinalis / Melissa officinalis). The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted in adult subjects without not sleep problems, because it was aimed primarily at observing the body’s tolerance to this combination and the incidence of side effects.
Tolerance to the product was established at 93% in the valerian / lemon balm group, and at 91% in the placebo group. Surprisingly, 33% of the valerian / lemon balm group said they noticed an improvement in the quality of their sleep – even though they initially had no such problem; in the placebo group, only 9% said they had noticed such an improvement. In conclusion, the authors note that if healthy subjects observe an improvement in their sleep after absorption of this product, patients suffering from insomnia are likely to experience a significant improvement in their condition.
The product used during this research is called Songha Night © (Pharmaton Natural Health Products, Switzerland), whose tablets contain 450 mg of dry extract of valerian (4.5: 1) and 240 mg of dry extract of lemon balm (5 : 1). The dosage was three tablets, half an hour before bedtime.
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Cerny A, Schmid K. Tolerability and efficacy of valerian / lemon balm in healthy volunteers (a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study). Fitoterapia. 1999; 70: 221-228.
