Medical Plants Photo herbarium

medicinal plants photo herbarium Sage

Sage has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The Latin name Salvia comes from the Latin “salvum” which means „to save“, so sage can be said to be a “savior” in many health disorders and ailments.

Medicinal sage (Salvia officinalis L.) is a perennial semi-wild plant of the family Lamiaceae. The stems in the cross section are four-column or almost round, grow up to 70 cm in height. The root system is well developed. The leaves are simple, wrinkled, grayish green in color, covered with tiny hairs, oppositely arranged on the stems. the flowers are monoecious (bisexual), about 2-3 cm large, they are arranged 5-10 in apparent clusters inflorescences on top of the stems. It blooms from May to July, lasting about 20 days.

It naturally grows on rocky hills in the coastal area and on the islands of the Mediterranean, but due to its exceptional healing value it is grown all over the world. Sage adores a lot of sun and does not like predominantly moist soil and should be watered modestly. It is resistant to drought and frost.

Sage has a wide application from being an amazing cosmetic ingredient due to its anti microbial properties to being used as a flavoring agent in the food and beverage industry.

Use for medicinal purposes

Dried sage leaf and essential oil are used for medicinal purposes.

Salviae folium or dried sage leaf.

Ingredients: • Mono and sesquiterpenes (essential oil) • Diterpenes - carmazolic acid (in the acidic medium, carmazolic acid passes into carmazole. These two compounds are bitter substances of sage - they are not distilled and do not pass into essential oil but are obtained only by extraction • triterpenes: germaniol, ursolin and oleomolic acid. • lamiaceae tannins: polyphenolic compounds rosemary acid type • flavoni: luteolin, genkwanin

Health benefits and usage

External - infuse, tincture, extract for rinsing and gargling, for inflammation of the gums, oral cavity and pharynx. Adstringens due to lamiaceae tannins. Used internally - inhibits the secretion of sweat. In larger doses over a long period of time, it should not be used due to the existence of a poisonous thujon. Pregnant women should not use it.

Taxonomy

kingdom: Plantae order: Lamiales

family: Lamiaceae genus: Salvia species: Salvia officinalis

common name Common sage

flowering time V, VI, VII month

Salviae aetheroleum or sage essential oil

Yellowish to light green liquid with a characteristic smell and pungent taste. It is obtained by distillation by water vapor from Salviae officinalis .

Ingredients: • 1.5-2.5% essential oil: • thujon • 1.8% cineol • camphor • borneol and bornyl-acetate • thymole and carvacrol (rarely)

Health benefits and usage

Antiseptic, fungicide, antiflogistic, abortive in higher dosage. Use only externally for rinsing and gargling. Sage extract is used in cosmetics: • against dandruff • as an antimicrobial • antioxidant • adstringent agent • for cleaning • as a natural deodorant • for skin conditioning • skin protection • skin soothing effect • as a tonic

References:

Ljekovita kadulja, https://www.plantea.com.hr/ljekovita-kadulja

Prof.dr.sc.Zdenka Kalođera, Farmaceutsko-biokemijski fakultet, Farmakognozija II, Zagreb, 2006/2007.