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Sage (Garden Sage, Red Sage, Purpletop Sage- Salvia officinalis var. rubia, Labiateae
Collection: The leaves should be gathered shortly before or just at the beginning of flowering in dry sunny weather in May or June. Dry in the shade or not above 35 degrees C.
Part Used: Leaves.
Constituents:
- Volatile oil, containing [alpha] and [beta]-thujone as the major components, with cineole, borneol, camphor, 2-methyl-3-methylene-5-heptene and others
- Diterpene bitters; picrosalvin (carnosol), carnosolic acid and others
- Flavonoids; salvigenin, genkwanin, 6-methoxygendwanin, hispidulin, luteolina
- Phenolic acids; rosmarinic, caffeic, labiatic etc.
- Salviatannin, a condensed catechin.
Actions: Carminative, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, astringent, anti-inflammatory.
Indications: Red Sage is the classic remedy for inflammations of the mouth, throat and tonsils, its volatile oils soothing the mucous membranes. It may be used internally and as a mouth wash for inflamed and bleeding gums (gingivitis), inflamed tongue (glossitis) or generalized mouth inflammation (stomatitis). It is an excellent remedy in mouth ulcers (apthae). As a gargle it will aid in the treatment oflaryngitis, pharyngitis,tonsillitis andquinsy. It is a valuable carminative used in dyspepsia. It reduces sweating when taken internally and may be used to reduce the production of breast milk. As a compress it promotes the healing of wounds. Red Sage stimulates the muscles of the uterus and so should be avoided during pregnancy.
Priest & Priest tell us that it is a “carminative, stimulating astringent – especially suitable for weak, pale, atonic patients. Cold preparations check excessive perspiration from circulatory debility.” They give the following specific indications: gastric debility and flatulence, night sweats, sore ulcerated throat.
CAUTION: Avoid during pregnancy.
Combinations: As a gargle for throat conditions it combines well with Tormentil and Balm of Gilead. In dyspepsia it can be combined with Meadowsweet and Chamomile.
Preparation and dosage:
Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the leaves and let infuse for l0 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. Mouthwash: put 2 teaspoonfuls of the leaves in half a liter ( one pint) of water, bring to the boil and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Gargle deeply with the hot tea for 5-l0 minutes several times a day. Tincture: take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.
Remedies for:Carminative, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, astringent, anti-inflammatory, sudorific, expectorant, tonic, aromatic, nervine, vermifuge, emmenagogue, diuretic, stimulant, diaphoretic, stomachic, antiseptic. Red Sage is the classic remedy for inflammations of the mouth, throat and tonsils, its volatile oils soothing the mucous membranes. Used as a mouth wash for inflamed and bleeding gums (gingivitis), inflamed tongue (glossitis) or generalized mouth inflammation (stomatitis).
An excellent remedy in mouth ulcers (apthae). As a gargle it will aid in the treatment of laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis and quinsy. A valuable carminative used in dyspepsia. It reduces sweating when taken internally and may be used to reduce the production of breast milk. As a compress it promotes the healing of wounds. Red Sage stimulates the muscles of the uterus and so should be avoided during pregnancy. Jethro Kloss calls sage an almost “cure-all – you could never go amiss if you take sage.”
Combinations: As a gargle for throat conditions it combines well with Tormentil and Balm of Gilead. In dyspepsia it can be combined with Meadowsweet and Chamomile.
Dosage:
Infusion: Pour a cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the leaves and let infuse for 10 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day. Mouthwash: put 2 teaspoonfuls of the leaves in half a liter (one pint) of water, bring to the boil and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Gargle deeply with the hot tea for 5-10 minutes several times a day.
Tincture: take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.
History of Sage
The meaning of sage’s botanical (Latin) name, salvia, is to help or to save, same word-root as salvation. In Arabic, sage has the refined name “mariamiya,” derived from the name Miriam (Mary), the mother of Jesus. According to Arab tradition, Mary and Jesus fled from Bethlehem, where he was born, because they feared the anger of King Herod’s soldiers. It was during the summer. The mother and her child, tired and sweaty, searched for a little shade and a place where they could rest. In their flight, they encountered a three-lobed sage bush, with silvery leaves and a wonderful scent.
Mary put her child down in the shade of the bush, picked the leaves, and used them to wipe her burning face. The sweet intoxicating smell of the sage plant revived her and the tiny infant, and Mary blessed the bush. On that day, the sage plant received the name blessed mariamiya. Sage also has a place in Jewish tradition. Land of Israel nature researchers have linked the Hebrew name of the plant, Marva, with Mt. Moriah. Some claim that the form of the seven-branch menorah originally symbolized the shape of the sage plant that grows in the Land of Israel.
The Healing Properties of sage
Sage has been used as a spice and a healing herb for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used sage as a drug to guarantee fertility. In ancient Greece, Dioscorides reported that when boiled in water, the liquid extract from the sage plant stopped bleeding from cuts and wounds, and prevented hoarseness and coughing. During the Roman era, Pliny reported that the sage plant improved memory. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates was quoted as asking, How can a person die if sage is growing in his garden?
The ancient world used the sage plant for a variety of ills: toothache, menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, cardiac problems, eye inflammation, colds, hand tremors, hemorrhoids, and to disinfect wounds, stop hemorrhaging, kill lice, strengthen the immune system, and treat many other diseases and injuries. New research suggests that sage may restore mental function and improve memory. The herb acts on the cortex of the brain thereby eliminating mental exhaustion and improving concentration.
Sage Tea
Preparation of sage tea: It can be prepared by pouring a cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of dried sage leaves with lid on. It should be infused for few minutes before straining and sweetening with honey, if desired. In case of fresh leaves, a tablespoon of chopped sage leaves can be used and the tea be prepared similarly.
Sage Tea Benefits: Sage tea is beneficial in coping with stress. It is astringent, sedative and expels gas; it clears the respiratory tract, makes a good gargle for sore throats, can be used for body odor and helps overcome colds.
Sage is useful for night sweats as it reduces sweating. It also reduces milk flow in nursing mothers prior to weaning, prevents the formation of kidney stones by dissolving residues of uric acid, and regularizes menstruation. An infusion of sage can be applied to the scalp to reduce dandruff.
Precautions: In high doses, sage can overstimulate and should be avoided by anyone who suffers from epilepsy. It should also be avoided in early pregnancy.
Sage and Body Odor
The compendium of herbal remedies issued by the German Commission E – the most widely used list of herbal treatments published by any Western government – includes directions for using the herb sage to treat body odor. That’s of interest to the chemically sensitive and anyone else who wants to smell sweeter while avoiding the sort of deodorants and antiperspirants sold in drug stores.
Perspiration itself is normally odorless and serves a natural function in helping the body regulate temperature. When bacteria populating the skin decompose the perspiration, they create byproducts, which are the source of the odor. Thus, cleanliness and hygiene are essential for preventing this problem. Most deodorants inhibit the growth of bacteria. If you’ve tried a lot of deodorants and antiperspirants to no avail, there may be other causes of your problem. An article in the February 1999 issue of Cutis, reviewing the available research on body odor, explains that the problem also may be caused by sweat containing high levels of food substances, such as garlic or other constituents from spicy foods.
An undesirable scent can also be caused by zinc deficiency, liver disease, diabetes or gastrointestinal disorders that lead to poor or incomplete digestion, according to the researchers. These possible causes should be ruled out by a health care provider. If you’ve done what you can with soap and water and still want to improve your aroma without using a commercial product, Commission E recommends sage leaf (Salvia officinalis). The herb can be taken internally in a variety of forms and externally as an undiluted alcohol extract. Commission E gives the following dosages: as a whole herb, 4 to 6 grams daily; as an essential oil, 0.1 to 0.3 grams daily; as a tincture, 2.5 to 7.5 grams daily; or as a fluid extract, 1.5 to 3 grams daily.
If using externally, daub the alcohol extract under the arms. The only contraindication the commission gives to sage leaf is that pure essential oils and extracts containing alcohol should not be taken during pregnancy. As for possible side effects, prolonged use of alcohol extracts or essential oils can lead to convulsions, though this is rare. But does sage really fight body odor? According to herbalists, sage will reduce perspiration. The herb is also touted as a treatment for everything from mouth cancer to gray hair. So far there have been few attempts to investigate any of these claims scientifically.
Pharmacists at Komenskeho University in the Slovak Republic reported in 1996 that they had found compounds in sage that kill the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. And in 1991, researchers writing in the Bulletin of the Tokyo Dental College reported that sage could interfere with the enzymes used by bacteria in the mouth to attack the gums. But a search of the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s database found no studies confirming that sage will stop sweat or smell. So for the time being, consumers will have to rely on the traditional lore of herbalists – and the official thumbs up from the German government – in deciding whether the wisest approach to body odor is a sage one.
Sage, Memory and Alzheimers
Sage is an herb you shouldn’t forget if you want to give yourself a memory boost. In 1597, well-known herbalists detailed how sage is good for the brain and “quickens the nerves and memory.” Over the years, people have added it to teas for just that reason – to improve memory. Now, researchers say there’s proof that this wise tale of medicine may actually work. In one of the few clinical trials looking at sage’s ability to improve memory, healthy, young adults who had taken sage oil capsules performed significantly better in a word recall test.
The study – funded by Oxford Natural Products – appears in the latest edition of the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. In the study from researchers at the Medicinal Plant Research Center, 44 healthy, young adults took either sage oil capsules or a placebo. The participants then took a series of word recall tests. The people who had taken the sage oil consistently had better word recall – a sign that sage may help improve memory.
Ancient Medicine for Modern Times
“This proves how valuable the work by the old herbalists is, and that they shouldn’t just be ignored because they were writing centuries ago,” says researcher Nicola Tildesley, in a news release. However, researchers point out that more study needs to be done on how sage works its magic on the brain and that people should not get too excited just yet.
But, researchers are already looking at sage’s ability to improve memory in serious brain disorders – such as Alzheimer’s disease. They say sage’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties could be valuable in Alzheimer’s treatment. The team is already testing sage’s ability to improve memory on people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Reference
Tildesley, N. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 2003; vol 75: pp 669-674. News release, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.