Evaluation of the anti-nociceptive profile of essential oil from Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) in acute and chronic pain models

Chindo, Ben A.; Howes, Melanie-Jayne R.; Abuhamdah, Sawsan; Mallam, Danjuma; Micah, Timothy; Awotula, Rosemary I.; Battison, Robin; Chazot, Paul L.

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance
Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant native to Mediterranean regions and found in other parts of the world. Extracts and essential oil from this widely cultivated culinary medicinal herb are used in traditional medicine to manage a variety of disorders that include epilepsy and pain.

Aim of the study
To assess the anti-nociceptive potentials of Melissa officinalis essential oil (MO) and probe the involvement of adrenergic, opioidergic, serotonergic and potassium adenosine triphosphate (KATP) mechanisms in its anti-nociceptive effects.

Material and methods
We employed formalin-, acetic acid and hot plate-induced nociception to study the acute anti-nociceptive effects of MO. The sciatic nerve injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain was utilized to study the anti-nociceptive effects of MO on chronic pain. Effects of MO on anxiety, cognitive deficits, oxidative stress and inflammation in the CCI rats were evaluated on elevated plus maze, open field test, novel object recognition, oxidative stress parameters and pro-inflammatory cytokines, respectively. The possible mechanism(s) of MO's anti-nociceptive effects were elucidated using prazosin, yohimbine, propranolol, glibenclimide, naloxone and metergoline, which are acknowledged antagonists for α1–, α2– and β–adrenergic, potassium adenosine triphosphate (KATP), opioidergic and serotonergic systems, respectively.

Results
MO significantly attenuated acetic acid- and formalin-induced nociception; prolonged the mean reaction time of rats on hot plate before and following sciatic nerve chronic injury (CCI). MO ameliorated anxiety, cognitive deficits and oxidative stress, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and produced a near total restoration of injured sciatic nerves in CCI rats. Naloxone, metergoline and glibenclimide significantly blocked, while prazosin, yohimbine and popranolol failed to block the anti-nociceptive effects of MO in formalin-induced nociception.

Conclusions
MO contains biologically active compounds with potential anti-nociceptive properties that modulate KATP, opioidergic and serotonergic pathways. These support the development of bioactive compounds from MO as anti-nociceptive agents.

Citation

Chindo, B. A., Howes, M. R., Abuhamdah, S., Mallam, D., Micah, T., Awotula, R. I., …Chazot, P. L. (2024). Evaluation of the anti-nociceptive profile of essential oil from Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) in acute and chronic pain models. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 321, Article 117500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2023.117500

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 22, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Nov 27, 2023
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Dec 4, 2023
• Journal: Journal of Ethnopharmacology
• Print ISSN: 0378-8741
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 321
• Article Number: 117500
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2023.117500
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1965603