Sage

Therapeutic Uses

Alzheimer’s disease – Taking extracts of two different sage species (Salvia officinalis and Salvia lavandulaefolia) for 4 months seems to improve learning, memory and information processing in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

Mental performance – Taking a single dose of common sage (Salvia officinalis) or Spanish sage (Salvia lavandulaefolia) by mouth seems to improve memory, alertness, and attention in healthy adults. When used as aromatherapy, these sage species seem to improve alertness, but not attention and memory.

Cold sores, when applied as a cream containing sage and rhubarb – Applying a cream containing common sage (Salvia officinalis) and rhubarb (Rheum officinale and Rheum palmatum) to cold sores may be about as effective as acyclovir (Zovirax) cream. Acyclovir cream heals the cold sores in about 6 days; it takes the sage and rhubarb cream about 7 days to heal them. Sage and rhubarb together work faster than sage alone.

High cholesterol – Taking common sage (Salvia officinalis) three times per day for 2 months seems to reduce “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides, and increase “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, in people with high cholesterol.

Memory – Taking a single dose of common sage (Salvia officinalis) or Spanish sage (Salvia lavandulaefolia) by mouth seems to improve memory in healthy adults. However, these sage species do not seem to improve memory when used as aromatherapy.

Menopausal symptoms – Early research suggests that taking extract of common sage (Sage Menopause, Bioforce AG) for 8 weeks improves symptoms of menopause, especially hot flashes. Also, other developing research suggests that taking a combination of common sage (Salvia officinalis) and alfalfa extract for 3 months reduces hot flashes and night sweats.

Medicinal Uses: * Aromatherapy * Cellulite * Colds * Culinary/Kitchen * Dental/Oral Care * Deodorants/Perfumes * Digestion * Facial Care * Hair * Herbal Steam * Herbal Teas * Insect Repellent * Lice * Lice * Memory/Focus * Menopause * Menorrhagia * Pet * Sore Throat * Thanksgiving Harvest

Sage Leaf Side Effects: Adverse reactions are likely only with overdoses (more than 15 g sage leaf per dose) or prolonged use.

Sage Leaf Drug Interactions: Taking sage along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. By affecting chemicals in the brain, sage may decrease the effectiveness of medications used to prevent seizures. Taking sage along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness.