Inside Sage

Active Components & Preparation 

Sage is a plant with the ability to grow in various climates and environments, thus resulting in many Salvia variants (Farhat et al., 2009).  The most common, S. officinalis, is made up with a combination of constituents, and studies have reported varying active components.  The main active components of S. officinalis are polyphenolic compounds such as rosmarinic acid and carnsonic compounds, as well as, essential oil (Farhat et al., 2009; Elisabeth-Cuvelier et al., 1994).

Polyphenolic compounds

Fig. 1 - Molecular structure of rosmarinic acid.

Phenols are common in plants and are characterized by their molecular structures containing more than one hydroxyl group on a phenol group (Elisabeth-Cuvelier et al., 1994).  Rosmarinic acid is a polyphenolic compound, known for its natural defensive properties (Farhat et al., 2009).  Rosmarinic acid is a strong antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antiinflammatory, and is a defensive component in sage (Peterson et al., 2003). 

Essential Oil

Essential oils, also known as volatile oils, are contained within plants and hold the scent of distinct plants such as, sage.  It is in the form of a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid – meaning it does not dissolve easily in water (Soković M, et al., 2010).  It is said that essential oils represent the “essence” of plants.  A form of alternative medicine called aromatherapy utilizes essential oils for treatment.

Sage can be prepared and administered in a few ways.  One of the most common ways of administering sage is oral consumption.  With this method, sage extract typically needs to be the final product for consumption.   Clinical drug trials usually prepare sage extracts in the form of droplets so patients can easily consume the herb.  Another popular form of administration is simply as an infused tea.  Sage tea is highly popular and the preparation for this is minimal (Cristovoa, F.L., et al, 2006).  Essential oils are cultivated via distillation or expression of sage and kept in liquid oil formation (Farhat et al., 2009).  The oil is usually administered topically on the skin as a massage oil, ointment, or even spray.  Leaves of sage can be also be cooked with food and used as an aid to digestion.  

Fig. 2 - Sage infused tea