Lemon Verbena Tea: What Research Shows About the Tea, Safety and Cautions
Lemon verbena tea (Aloysia citrodora leaf): the European traditional-use listing for stress, sleep and mild stomach complaints, the thin human evidence, and safety points.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
Overview and identity
Lemon verbena tea is made from the leaf of Aloysia citrodora Paláu, a plant in the Verbenaceae family. [1] The European regulator's monograph lists the older names Aloysia triphylla, Verbena triphylla and Lippia citriodora as synonyms. [2] The word "verbena" is shared by several plants, so a label should show the scientific name. The plant profile is in Lemon Verbena; this page is about the tea.Traditional use and the European view
In 2021 the European Medicines Agency's herbal committee (HMPC) adopted a monograph on lemon verbena leaf as a "traditional herbal medicinal product" for two uses: relief of mild symptoms of mental stress and to aid sleep, and symptomatic treatment of mild stomach complaints including bloating and flatulence. [2] "Traditional" means accepted on the basis of long-standing use only. [2] The assessment says it was marketed for at least 30 years as a comminuted (cut) leaf for traditional use as a sedative and gastrointestinal relaxant. [3]The monograph describes a herbal tea as the form. As a description of the regulator's text, not advice, the sleep entry names "1-2 g of the comminuted herbal substance in 200 ml of boiling water as a herbal infusion" half an hour before bedtime. [2] It says to consult a doctor if symptoms last more than two weeks. [2] Its use in children is not recommended. [2] For how the EU describes infusions see How Herbal Tea Is Prepared.
What research shows
| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Form and people studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insomnia | 100 patients; sleep scores improved versus placebo after 4 weeks [4] | Promising but limited; the EMA gave it low relevance | A sugar syrup of the leaf, not a tea; adults with insomnia |
| Sleep quality | 71 healthy people with sleep problems; better sleep scores and actigraphy than placebo over 90 days [5] | Promising but limited | A dietary supplement extract, not a tea |
| Tea for sleep or stomach | The EMA said the only trial it reviewed could not be applied to its tea preparation [3] | Proper evidence not found for the tea | Searched: EMA assessment report; PubMed "Aloysia citrodora insomnia randomized" |
The EMA assessment judged the syrup trial to have several limits: no objective sleep measure, no follow-up, and a syrup that could itself affect sleep. [3] It concluded the data do not meet the standard for "well established" use, so the case rests on long use. [3] The 2024 supplement trial used an extract and cannot be read as a result for tea. [5]
Safety
- Allergy: the monograph lists hypersensitivity to the plant and to other plants of the Verbenaceae family as a contraindication. [2]
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: safety has not been established and use is not recommended. [2] A mouse study of a water extract found no malformations, but that is animal data and the regulator's advice still stands. [3]
- Drowsiness: the assessment says products may cause drowsiness, and the risk may rise with alcohol or other sedatives. [3] The monograph says it may impair driving and use of machines. [2]
- Kidney: the assessment report lists "patients with renal problems should avoid it" in its contraindications section, then concludes the volatile-oil concern behind that is not relevant to the monograph use because the dried leaf holds only about 2% oil. [3] The final monograph lists only hypersensitivity as a contraindication. [2] Because the documents differ, ask a clinician if you have kidney disease.
- Side effects in trials: in the syrup trial, mild restlessness, tremor, sleepiness and itching were reported. [3]
- Medicines: the monograph lists interactions as "None reported". [2] That is an absence of reports. Ask a pharmacist; see How Interactions Work.
- Liver, bleeding, surgery: not described in the sources we read. Tell the surgical team about herbal teas; see Supplements Before Surgery.
Related: Lemon Balm Tea is a different plant and Lemongrass Tea is another lemon-scented tea.
Frequently asked questions
Does lemon verbena tea help with sleep?
Proper evidence not found for the tea. Trials tested a syrup and a supplement extract, and the EMA accepts the leaf as a traditional product based on long use. [3] [2]
Is lemon verbena the same as lemon balm or lemongrass?
No. They are different plants; lemon verbena is Aloysia citrodora. [1]
Can I drink lemon verbena tea while pregnant?
The EMA says safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not established and does not recommend it. [2]
Is lemon verbena tea safe for children?
The monograph says use in children is not recommended and has not been established. [2]
Does lemon verbena tea interact with medicines?
The EMA lists none reported, and it warns of added drowsiness with alcohol or sedatives. [2] [3] Ask a pharmacist.
References
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Aloysia citrodora Paláu. Read 2026-10-22.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. European Union herbal monograph on Aloysia citrodora Paláu, folium. EMA/HMPC/376770/2019, adopted 13 January 2021. Read 2026-10-22.
- European Medicines Agency, HMPC. Assessment report on Aloysia citrodora Paláu, folium. EMA/HMPC/376761/2019, 13 January 2021. Read 2026-10-22.
- Afrasiabian F, et al. Aloysia citriodora Palau (lemon verbena) for insomnia patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of efficacy and safety. Phytother Res 2019 (abstract; EMA review of the trial read in the assessment report). Read 2026-10-22.
- Dietary Supplementation with an Extract of Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena) Improves Sleep Quality in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Study. Nutrients 2024 (abstract). Read 2026-10-22.