by Ava Hampton and Gisele Rinaldi Siebold

Catherine O’Donnell, owner of Kulprit LLC, created Lemon Balm Salve to provide soothing relief from herpes simplex viral breakouts, cold sores, shingles and blisters. According to O’Donnell, the benefits of the salve are due to lemon balm, its main ingredient, which calms irritated, fragile skin and relieves burning and itching. “When I apply the Lemon Balm Salve to my minor cuts and scratches, the abrasions are gone quickly,” she says.

Native to southern Europe, North Africa and parts of Asia, lemon balm or Melissa officinalis is a perennial herb from the mint family and has been cultivated to grow in the U.S. and in mild climates throughout regions of the world. The wide variety of flavonoids, tannins and Rosmarinic acid are believed to provide the salve’s antiviral properties.

The lemon balm cream shortened the healing period and was effective in relieving symptoms such as itching, tingling, burning and swelling. The authors suggest that there exists some indication that using lemon balm may prolong intervals between herpes episodes.

The effectiveness of the lemon balm salve towards inflammation, rashes and hives is still unknown. O’Donnell, though, personally states that she, “has gotten very good results,” from her product. “The effectiveness increases with an early treatment of the infections.”

O’Donnell adds, “Due to lemon balm’s calming effect, it may also be taken as a tea, to calm jittery nerves and lessen anxious behaviors.”