Neurological and Neuroprotective effects of Melissa officinalis L.

Melissa officinalis (Lamiaceae) has been used in Iranian Traditional Medicine for the treatment of neurological disorders, including dementia, epilepsy, paralysis, strokes, migraine, and vertigo. Several pharmacological studies showed neuroprotective effectsofM. officinalis and its active constituent, namely rosmarinic acid.  Regarding the high prevalence of Alzheimer's and other central nervous system diseases as well as the utilization of M. officinalis for the treatment of these diseases in traditional medicine, this review aimed to identify the neuroprotective effectsof this plant and its major components for the treatment of neurological diseases. This study is a review article. Major textbooks in traditional medicine and pharmacy as well as the scientific databases were searched to find the effect of this plant on neurological disorders and other central nervous system diseases in traditional medicine. M. officinalis acts through different mechanisms, including the reduction of oxidative stress, inhibition of acetylcholinestrase, stimulation of acetylcholine and GABAA receptors, and inhibition of metalloproteinase-2 and monoamine oxidase.  Oral administration of M. officinalis  for 8 weeks leads to the treatment of above-mentioned diseases without any side effects. The utilization of M. officinalis as a complimentary treatment may be beneficial for the treatment of neurological disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease.