It has been grown for many centuries for its pleasant, slightly medicinal or balsamic smell.
It was used in medieval times as a place marker in bibles.
It is referred to by Culpeper and others as the 'balsam herb'.
Leaves of the plant have been found to contain a range of essential oils. A Spanish study found the oil includes carvone as the main component , together with minor amounts of beta-thujone, t-dihydrocarvone, c-dihydrocarvone, dihydrocarveol isomer c-carveol and t-carveol.