Lemon Verbena

Scientific name: Lippia citridora syn.?  Aloysia triphylla

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Chinese names: Ning meng ma bian cao

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Family: Fabaceae?

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Common parts used: Whole herb, sprouts

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Description: 

It is native to South America.

Traditional Use:

A pleasant tasting herb, it is used to relieve restlessness and promote sleep.  Used for digestion and calming gas in the digestive system.  

Clinical Studies:

A study tested the efficacy of an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory supplement containing standardized lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla, Lippia citriodora) extract and fish oil omega-3 fatty acid in a human pilot trial as an alternative treatment for joint management.

First, antioxidant activity of the supplement was determined through an oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. In a randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial, 45 subjects with pain discomfort received the nutritional supplement or placebo for 9 weeks. 

Western Ontario MacMaster (WOMAC) and Lequesne’s questionnaires, which are disease-specific measurements validated to measure joint dysfunction and pain, were administered and evaluated once per week in the placebo and intervention groups.

Pain and stiffness symptoms, and joint function were determined once per week through recording their respective WOMAC and Lequesne’s scores in the placebo and intervention groups. Statistically significant differences were determined at every measurement point between the two groups.

Lemon verbena extract showed strong antioxidant properties as measured by the ORAC assay. The nutritional supplement containing standardized lemon verbena extract and fish oil omega-3 fatty acid reduced symptoms of pain and stiffness significantly, and improved physical function as shown by WOMAC and Lequesne’s scores after 9 weeks of treatment. 

WOMAC and Lequesne’s total scores decreased 53% and 78%, respectively, at the end of the study compared to initial conditions. Onset of the effect was observed at the third and fourth weeks, when statistically significant differences were detected, compared to placebo.

This pilot study reveals that supplementation with lemon verbena combined with omega-3 fatty acids may be considered for further investigation as a complementary and alternative treatment for improving joint status in subjects with joint discomfort.

References:

Caturla N, Funes L, Perez-Fonz L, Micol V. “A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study Of The Effect Of A Combination Of Lemon Verbena Extract And Fish Oil Omega-3 Fatty Acid On Joint Management.” 2011 November http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22087615