Sage Essence

Description

SAGE (Salvia officinalis)

Family: Labiatae (mint)

Source: The Essential oil is obtained from the leaves.

Fragrance:Camphor, woody.

Volatility: Top note.

General description and habitat:

Sage and Clary Sage are examples of over 400 species of this hardy, evergreen shrub; native to southern Europe; gray-green, wrinkled, oval-shaped leaves; sage flowers are violet blue, sage is ground hugging but can reach 60 cm.

Principal constituents:

Borneol, camphor, cineole, pinene salve, thujone (but not clary-sage).

History

History and folk use:

S. officinalis (common sage) has been grown for centuries for cooking and Medicines. The best comes from Dalmatia.

The ancient Egyptians and Greeks highly esteemed sage. The former administered it to infertile women and as a protection against the plague. The Greeks believed it could treat loss of Memory, deterioration of the senses, and for the liver.

Sage and clary-sage were esteemed in the Middle AgesBiologists in the 1930s recommeded sage for women’s problems. Clary-sage is regarded as a cure-all.

Properties & Uses

General properties:

Emmenagogic, tonic, stimulant, antisudorific, antispasmodic, blood cleansing, antiseptic, warming

Primary Uses:

Asthma	Depression
Fatigue	Menopause
Rheumatism	Sore throats

Secondary Uses:

Abscesses,	Amenorrhoea,	Animal Bites,
Boils,	Bruises,	Burns,
Catarrh,	Cuts,	Diuretic,
Eczema,	Gum Disease,	Gum or Mouth Ulcers,
Hair Loss,	Hair Problems,	Headaches,
Herpes,	Inflamed Uterus,	Kidney Tonic,
Laryngitis,	Palpitations,	PMS,
Poor Concentration,	Stress,	Sterility,
Stings,	Sweating,	Thrush,
Tonsillitis,	Urinary Tract Infections.

This herb has approval status by the German Commission E.

Recommended daily dosages in Germany are as follows:

Internal:

0.1 - 0.3 g of essential oil.

For gargles or rinses:

2.5 g of herb in 100 ml of water.
2 - 3 drops of essential oil in 100 ml of water.
5 g of alcoholic extract in 1 glass of water.

References:

Blumenthal, M (Ed.): The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. American Botanical Council. Austin, TX. 1998.

Contraindications

Sage should only be used under the direction of a professional aromatherapist because of its high thujone content.

Do not take it internally.

Not for use by epileptics, hypertensives or during the first eight months of pregnancy.

(Clary-sage is less toxic.)