Melissa is a small, perennial, aromatic herb with delicate, lipped flowers belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It is known for its medicinal properties and is highly appreciated as a culinary herb, used to prepare refreshing citrus-flavored infusions (which earned it the name "cedronella"). The parts of the plant commonly used are mainly the leaves, but also the flowers and stems, which are collected just before or during flowering. Over the centuries, it has been widely used in specialized preparations, such as "spirito di melissa" or "anti-hysterical water," particularly useful for calming nervousness in young women.

According to the theory of signatures, Melissa is considered a plant of Venus, meaning it is considered a medicinal plant for female disorders. It has been known since the Middle Ages for its anti-hysterical and sedative properties, and it is capable of treating gastric disturbances, hyperexcitability-induced nausea, amenorrhea, and psychogenic dysmenorrhea.

In herbal medicine, Melissa leaves are primarily used, but the flowers and stems are also utilized. The plant extracts contain triterpenes, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, and various flavonoids (luteolin, quercetin, apigenin, camphor). An essential oil containing citral, citronellal, and caryophyllene can also be obtained from the plant.

Currently, Melissa is employed as a sedative for states of anxiety with visceral somatizations and restlessness. It is also used in the treatment of gastroenteric dyspeptic disorders due to its antispasmodic action and for managing migraines.