Salvia officinalis

Salvia officinalis, “Sage” or “Common sage” in English and “Sauge officinale” in French, belongs to the Lamiaceae botanical family. Native to the Mediterranean region, especially in the Adriatic, it is a shrub growing to 0.6 m in dry banks and stony places.

The strongly aromatic leaves of this very common herb are used as a flavoring in cooked foods.

Sage leaves have a very long history of medicinal use, mostly as a remedy for disorders of the digestive system (flatulence, inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, diarrhea…). It is also used as an antiphlogistic for inflammation of the mouth and throat, for gingivitis and stomatitis.

Among the main constituents of the essential oil (1 to 2,5 %) are thujone, cineole. The plant contains also sesquiterpenes, tannins, rosmarinic acid, diterpenoid bitter substances, oleanolic acids and derivatives.

• English name Sage
• French name Sauge officinale