Chemical composition, biological activities, and surface tension properties of Melissa officinalis L. essential oil

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) is a plant of the family Lamiaceae. The present study aimed to determine chemical composition lemon essential oil grown in Northeastern Bulgaria, perform comparative analysis its antimicrobial activity with that citral, and surface tension properties. main compounds (concentration above 3%) were: ß-caryophyllene (20.45%), geranial (19.74%), neral (15.81%), germacrene D (11.50%), (R)-(+)-citronellal (3.07%), geranyl acetate (3.04%). antibacterial was weak against tested gram-negative gram-positive bacteria. Exceptions were observed for Listeria monocytogenes Salmonella enterica subsp. Enterica serovar Abony. Citral exhibited higher investigated bacteria compared gram-negative. determined at six different temperatures (6, 10, 15, 20, 25, 3 °C). energy presented minimal differences from 124.52 125.57 mN/m temperatures. Surface heat capacity between 10492.11 11394.17 N/(m.K).