Sage Essential OilBotanical Nomenclature: Salvia officinalis Native to the Mediterranean, sage is now cultivated in commercial herb houses and backyard gardens worldwide. This shrubby little perennial is known by a variety of names but most of us simply refer to it as "sage". A few different plants in the genus Salvia can be distilled to make sage essential oil but to an aromatherapist, it's oil made from S. officinalis that is the "true" sage.
Characteristics of Sage OilSage essential oil should be pale yellow in color and possess a strong herbaceous scent laced with camphor. It has a definite "medicinal" scent that feels full and warm in the nose. Undertones can range from "earthy" to "antiseptic".Psychological AromatherapySage essential oil is most often used for its believed therapeutic properties and is not often mentioned in psychological aromatherapy. But, author Patricia Davis recommends sage for meditation.Traditional Uses for Sage Essential OIlThe use of sage essential oil is fairly new but the use of the herb itself isn't. 16th and 17th century herbalists like Gerard and Culpepper wrote extensively of sage's medicinal uses. Essential oil expert Salvatore Battaglia tells us that sage essential oil has these therapeutic actions:
Scientific Studies on Sage OilGiven sage's long history as a medicinal plant, it's not surprising that a number of studies have looked at this popular herb's essential oil.Antimicrobial Properties Many (if not most) of the scientific studies on sage essential oil have focused on its antimicrobial actions. A number of studies have found sage effective against E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Shigella and other dangerous microbes. Cognition-Enhancing Benefits A 2006 study on patients with conditions like Alzheimer's disease found sage "particularly promising". Sage essential oil is among the oils researchers identified as potentially beneficial to both healthy and cognitively-challenged patients. Type 2 Diabetes A 2006 study of herbs traditionally believed to benefit type 2 diabetes found sage "useful" in lowering plasma glucose in patients at risk for adult-onset diabetes. This was an animal study and looked at both tea made from sage and sage essential oil. This study supports the findings of previous studies and seems to support the traditional herbal practice of using various sage preparations to control blood sugar levels.
Safety IssuesWhen it comes to safety, aromatherapists are divided. Kurt Schnaubelt, in his book "Advanced Aromatherapy" calls sage one of the safest of all oils while Salvatore Battaglia recommends that sage be used only by licensed professionals.Germany's Commission E deems sage extracts "contra-indicated" for pregnant women and warns that sage is sometimes associated with certain types of seizure disorders. In preparation for this article, we could find no U.S. studies on the safety of sage essential oil in humans however a 2007 article in the journal Physiological Research found that sage did adversely affect animal embryos.
References: Battaglia, S. (2005). The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. Kennedy, D., et al. (2006). The psychopharmacology of European herbs with cognition-enhancing properties. Lima, C., et al. (2006). Metformin-like effect of Salvia officinalis (common sage): is it useful in diabetes prevention? Bozin, B., et al. (2007). Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of rosemary and sage (Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Salvia officinalis L., Lamiaceae) essential oils. Domaracky, M., et al. (2007). Effects of selected plant essential oils on the growth and development of mouse preimplantation embryos in vivo. Leave Sage Essential Oil & return to Essential Oil Directory page.
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