This common plant and herb has been used as a remedy to treat common complaints such as colds and abdominal pain. Herbalists have been working with sage since the 16th century. Historically, it has been used extensively in the Middle East, according to H.U. Gali-Muhatsib in a 2000 article in "Phytomedicine." Sage oil is extracted from the leaves of the sage plant. It is also known as Salvia libanotica. Anyone considering herbal or natural therapies should consult a doctor or other health care professional.
Skin Cancer Prevention
In 2000, a study on mice determined that sage oil suppressed skin tumor growth. The study was conducted by the Department of Biology, American University of Beirut, Lebanon and published in the journal, "Phytomedicine," The researchers concluded that sage oil could be an effective chemo preventive agent against skin cancer.
Memory Tonic
Nicola Tildesley is chief researcher on a project studying sage oil effects on memory, published in the journal "Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior" and funded by Oxford Natural Products. She believes that sage oil improves short-term memory. In her study in 2003, sage oil improved the short-term memory of healthy young adults given a list of words to recall. Sage is currently being researched for potential treatment in people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Aromatherapy
Sage is very aromatic and may be used for various ailments as an aroma-therapeutic oil. Sage, along with fennel, aniseed, and clary-sage have estrogen-like compounds. The Mayo Clinic reports that, when used as aromatherapy, these fragrances may help to alleviate discomfort associated with premenstrual syndrome and menopause. The clinic warns that there are few human studies to substantiate these claims.
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