Melilotus officinalis. M. arvensis   Melilot, Ribbed melilot, Common Melilot, King's clover      
PART USED: Herb
ODOR: Like new-mown hay due to the coumarin.
ACTIONS
1. Aromatic.[1]
2. Carminative.[1]
3. Spasmolytic.[1]
4. Analgesic- (flower and leaf extracts).[1]

ORIGIN: Europe.
HABITAT: Bare and waste ground.
DESCRIPTION: An erect biennial reaching 1 m in height. Leaves; pinnately trifoliate, the upper ones being long and narrowed at both ends. The yellow flowers are in axillary racemose, typically papilionaceous with the keel shorter than the wings, 5-6 cm long. Pod; 3-5 mm long, ribbed and hairless.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research

Effects of Melilotus officinalis on acute inflammation.
Plesca-Manea L, Pârvu AE, Pârvu M, Taamas M, Buia R, Puia M.
Abstract
Our study investigated the effects of Melilotus officinalis L. extract, containing 0.25% coumarin, on acute inflammation induced with oil of turpentine in male rabbits. The results were compared with those from a group treated with hydrocortisone sodium hemisuccinate and one injected with coumarin before inflammation was induced. The effects were evaluated by measuring serum citrulline, a test of in vitro phagocytosis, total leukocyte count and differential leukocyte count expressed as a percentage. M. officinalis had antiinflammatory effects because it reduced the activation of circulating phagocytes and lowered citrulline production. These properties were similar to those of hydrocortisone sodium hemisuccinate and coumarin. In the bone marrow acute phase response, M. officinalis had an inhibitory action that was lower than that of hydrocortisone sodium hemisuccinate and similar to coumarin.
PMID: 12112285 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.875 Phytother Res. 2002 Jun;16(4):316-9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Chemical Constituents and Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Tumor Activities of Melilotus officinalis (Linn.) Pall.
Liu YT, Gong PH, Xiao FQ, Shao S, Zhao DQ, Yan MM, Yang XW.
Abstract
Two new p-hydroxybenzoic acid glycosides, namely p-hydroxybenzoic acid-4-O-a-d-manopyranosyl-(1 ? 3)-a-l-rhamnopyranoside (compound 1) and 4-O-a-l-rhamnopyran-osyl-(1 ? 6)-a-d-manopyranosyl-(1 ? 3)-a-l-rhamnopyranoside (compound 2), and seven known compounds, compound 3, 6, 7 (acid components), compound 8, 9 (flavonoids), compound 4 (a coumarin) and compound 5 (an alkaloid), were isolated from the 70% ethanol aqueous extract of the aerial parts of Melilotus officinalis (Linn.) Pall. The structures of all compounds were elucidated by use of extensive spectroscopic methods Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), High resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS), and ¹H and 13C-NMR). Sugar residues obtained after acid hydrolysis were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The antioxidant activity of all the compounds was evaluated by 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS?) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The anti-inflammatory effects of the compounds were also evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. All compounds were shown to inhibit LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2) production by suppressing the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), respectively, in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The inhibitory effect of all the compounds on MCF-7 cells was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method. The results showed that compounds 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 exhibited better antioxidant activity compared to the other compounds. compounds 1-9 had different inhibitory effects on the release of NO, TNF-a and IL-6 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells by LPS, of which compound 7 was the most effective against inflammatory factors. compounds 1 and 2 have better antitumor activity compared to other compounds. Further research to elucidate the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of Melilotus officinalis (Linn.) Pall is of major importance towards the development and foundation of clinical application of the species.
PMID: 29382154 PMCID: PMC6017420 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23020271 Molecules. 2018 Jan 29;23(2). pii: E271. doi: 10.3390/molecules23020271. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Melilotus officinalis extract on the apoptosis of brain tissues by altering cerebral thrombosis and inflammatory mediators in acute cerebral ischemia
Gui-Cun Zhao, Yan-Ling Yuan, Feng-Rong Chai, Fa-Jing Ji
Abstract
Present investigation evaluates the protective effect of Melilotus officinalis (MO) extract on the brain tissues in acute cerebral ischemia. Acute cerebral ischemia was induced by occlusion of carotid artery and rats with cerebral ischemia were treated with MO (100, 250 & 500mg/kg) for the duration of three days. Cerebral ischemia was confirmed by estimating infract volume and neurological deficit score. Moreover biochemical parameters in plasma such as 6-keto-PGF1a and TXB2 and concentration of cytokine, oxidative stress, apoptosis ratio and protein expressions of Bcl2 & Bax were estimated in the brain tissues. It was observed that treatment with MO significantly (p<0.01) decreases the infract volume and neurological deficit score than negative control group. There was significant decrease (p<0.01) in the oxidative stress and cytokine in the brain tissues and increase in the plasma concentration of 6-keto-PGF1a in MO treated group of rats compared to negative control group. Plasma concentration of TXB 2 was significantly enhanced in MO treated group compared to negative control group of rats. It was also found that treatment with MO ameliorates the apoptosis induced by cerebral ischemia. Present study concludes that MO ameliorates apoptosis of brain tissues in cerebral ischemic rats by decreasing cerebral thrombosis, oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators.
Biomed Pharmacother
2017 May;89:1346-1352. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.02.109. Epub 2017 Mar 18. PMID: 28320101 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.02.109 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov