-IBIS-1.7.0-
rx
herb
Salvia officinalis (Sage)
Botanicals

definition

botanical name(s): Salvia officinalis

synonyms: sage, garden sage, sawge, edelsalbei, salbei, sauge

part(s) used: leaves

qualities: spicy, warm, aromatic, dry, bitter, pungent

affinities: lactiferous glands

actions: astringent (will decrease secretions), carminative, antiseptic, diaphoretic, stimulant, antispasmodic, antidiarrheic, antigalactagogue, promotes estrogen

dosage:

» infusion: 1 tbsp. herb to one cup water; drink 1 - 3 cups per day; if acute, drink tea every hour

» tincture: 1 - 4 ml.

» powder: 1 - 2 g.

therapy: excessive sweating, excessive mucous secretions, diarrhea, pharyngitis, inhibition of lactation

toxicity: 2; essential oil is very toxic

» contraindicated during pregnancy due to emmenagogue and abortifacient effects associated with its volatile oil (thujone) content (Brinker, Wichtl, De Smet, Farnsworth, Albert-Puleo)

» avoid prolonged use due to possible epileptiform cramps (De Smet)

» most American products are adulterated with 50-95% Salvia fruticosa (Mabberley, p. 517)

» ingestion of a decoction or infusion may result in cheilitis or stomatitis (Duke, p. 421)

» essential oil may produce absinthium toxidrome from presence of thujone; 8 cc. of this oil can cause marked dyspnea, and epileptiform convulsions, followed by circulatory failure; if fatal, death occurs within hours (von Oettingen, p. 524)

constituents: volatile oil, diterpene bitters, flavonoids, phenolic acids

footnotes

Albert-Puleo M. 1978. Mythobotany, pharmacology, and chemistry of thujone-containing plants and derivatives. Econ. Bot., 32:65-74.

Brinker F. 1996. The Toxicology of Botanical Medicines, rev. 2nd ed., Sandy, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications.

De Smet PAGM et al. (eds.). 1993. Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs 2, Berlin: Springer-Verlag

Duke, J.A. 1985. C.R.C. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, FL: The C.R.C. Press.

Farnsworth NR, Bingel AS, Cordell GA, Crane FA, Fong HHS. 1975. Potential Value of Plants as Sources of New Antifertility Agents I. J. Pharm. Sci., 64:535-98.

Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The Plant Book: A Portable Dictionary of the Higher Plants. Cambridge University Press.

von Oettingen, W.F. 1958. Poisoning: A Guide to Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders and Company.

Wichtl M (ed.). 1994. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.