Uses for Pineapple Sage

Pineapple sage -- botanically known as Salvia elegans -- is a variety of sage, a common kitchen herb. Garden sage, or Salvia officinalis, has been used since ancient times both as a cooking spice and an herbal remedy for a variety of illnesses. Pineapple sage has all the beneficial qualities of regular garden sage, but it also features the fruity flavor of pineapple. Before taking pineapple sage as an herbal remedy, consult your doctor.

Traditional Uses

The word "sage" is from the Latin word for "cure;" true to its name, sage has been used as a general tonic and a cure-all, recommended by herbalists and natural healers for ailments as diverse as menstrual cramps, diarrhea, tonsillitis, warts, epilepsy, measles and intestinal parasites. Other herbal uses include treating coughs, colds and fevers. Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health notes that some of sage's traditional uses -- such as an antiseptic mouth rinse and a digestive aid -- have been supported by modern clinical studies.

Constituents and Effects

Pineapple sage contains thujones, camphor and tannic acids, as well as flavones, phenolic acids, glycosides, and compounds such as salvigenin, rosmanol and the anti-inflammatory agent beta-sitosterol. Drugs.com, which provides medically-reviewed information to consumers, credits sage with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Mood Lifter and Memory Aid

Sage, which is believed by scientists to affect levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, is being studied for possible use in memory enhancement and for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. In a clinical study published in 2006 in "Neuropsychopharmacology," researchers found that doses of 300 to 600 mg of dried sage leaf significantly improved cognitive performance and mood in 30 healthy volunteers. Sage also demonstrated anxiolytic -- or anxiety-reducing -- effects.

Menopause Symptoms

Many herbalists recommend sage to ease troublesome symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, insomnia and night sweats. BSCAH reports that a study showed that a mixture of extracts of sage and alfalfa resulted in complete elimination of night sweats in 20 of 30 women, with the other 10 experiencing various degrees of relief.

Dosages and Precautions

According to Drugs.com, the usual dose of sage is 4 to 6 g of the fresh leaves a day; 300 to 600 mg of dried sage leaves have been used in mood and cognition studies. Possible side effects of sage include mouth irritation -- including canker sores -- and dry mouth. BSCAH cautions that due to the content of thujone, a toxin, you shouldn't take sage consecutively for more than two weeks. Consult your doctor before using pineapple sage. Pregnant women should not use sage.