Salvia officinalis (herb). Sage for conception. The use of salvia officinalis in folk medicine

Due to the presence of essential and tanning oils, sage has disinfectant and anti-inflammatory properties. A decoction of the plant is used to rinse the mouth and throat for colds, sore throats, and catarrh of the respiratory tract. It is used as an external remedy for hair loss, inflammatory skin diseases, ulcers and purulent wounds, for the treatment of frostbite and minor burns.

Sage leaves have a spicy, pungent odor and a bitter, spicy taste, so they are used as a seasoning, added to sauces, fish, meat dishes, soups. Sage goes very well with rosemary.

A regular one is suitable for sowing seeds. flower pot. The ground is pre-fertilized, and then the sprouted seeds are planted in it. You should choose the brightest place for sage - a window sill in in this case ideal area for normal growth.
Please note that experts recommend sage in the form of seedlings. Chances that the plant will take root in this case more. It must be watered regularly, but in minimal quantities.

IN summer period It is better to place the pots on the balcony. By receiving sufficient light, sage leaves will be more fragrant and juicy.

Sage care

Sage does not require special care. It is enough to regularly weed the soil, loosen it and fertilize it once or twice a year.
In spring, it is necessary to regularly rejuvenate old shoots. This is done very simply. Simply cut off the tops of the bushes and remove dry shoots. This procedure is also carried out in the spring.

Excessive soil moisture can destroy sage. That is why monitor the frequency of watering, and if necessary, cover the bushes with film during heavy rainfall.

Tip 3: How to grow and prepare sage

Salvia officinalis is a unique plant. It is used in cooking, in folk medicine, during manufacture medicines, in aromatherapy, in cosmetics. It will decorate any corner of the garden with its beautiful decorative leaves and fragrant large inflorescences.

Salvia officinalis is a small perennial subshrub with a height of 45-70 cm. The plant propagates by seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush. You can grow sage as an annual crop.

How to sow seeds?

It is better to choose a well-lit place for sowing, with humus soils. It is important that the soil is not acidic and not over-moistened.

Seeds are sown in early spring with a planting depth of about 2 cm. Shoots appear after 12-15 days. 1 g of seeds is required per 1 m2.

When the seedlings grow up, weakened plants are sorted. At the same time, they are picked and seated on an area with a distance of 25-30x50-70 cm.

How to care for Salvia officinalis?

Sage is unpretentious and does not require special care. Like any cultivated plant, it needs watering if the weather is dry, removing weed competitors from the “residence area,” and loosening the soil. In spring or autumn, you can apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. But don’t overdo it: unnecessary chemicals are completely unnecessary in medicinal raw materials. Use humus or compost from the garden heap.

Before spring regrowth begins, overwintered sage bushes are cut at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground and the soil is loosened. This pruning promotes better bushiness of the sage.

When and how are medicinal raw materials prepared?

In the first year of planting, cutting is carried out once, in August-September. Subsequently, the leaves are cut off several times per season. They start from the moment the flower shoots extend and end in September, so that the plant has acquired leaves and is prepared for wintering.

The most healing plants will be three years old. By this age, sage accumulates the most medicinal substances. The most valuable will be the leaves cut from the upper tiers of the bushes. The leaves located in the lower and middle tier contain the least amount of essential oil.

Cut sage leaves are arranged in small bunches and hung in the shade under shelters in attics. When using drying ovens, the grass drying temperature cannot be increased above 35°C, otherwise the quality of the harvested raw materials will sharply decrease. Dried sage retains its healing properties for two years.

Sage treats infertility in women, it increases estrogen levels and lowers prolactin levels, stopping lactation. Sage has a bactericidal and hemostatic effect and is used for rinsing for bleeding gums, stomatitis, sore throat, orally for bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, colitis, cholecystitis, stomach ulcers and diabetes mellitus. Sage is used externally for hemorrhoids and baldness.

Raw materials: Salvia officinalis herb.

Botanical description of Salvia officinalis

Salvia officinalis(Salvia officinalis) is part of the genus Sage (Salvia) of the subfamily Nepetoideae of the Lamiaceae family.

Salvia officinalis- perennial herbaceous plant or a subshrub from 20 to 70 cm high with a powerful woody branched root, fibrous at the bottom, a straight tetrahedral stem, densely covered with oblong leaves 35-80 mm long, 8-40 mm wide. The stem leaves are much larger than the bracts. The flowers are purple, collected in simple or branched inflorescences, the fruits are round dark brown nuts, consisting of 4 lobes, the diameter of the nut is about 2.5 mm.

Collection of medicinal raw materials

Sage blooms in June - July, starting from the second year after sowing. The leaves and flowering tops of sage are collected. You can collect it already in the first year after sowing, in September, from next year leaves can be collected 2-3 times per summer, from flowering time until September. Sage is rich in essential oils, so it is recommended to dry sage leaves under a canopy, in attics, in dryers - only at low temperatures, so as not to lose most of the aromatic substances.

Chemical composition of Salvia officinalis

Sage leaves contain up to 2.5% essential oil, which includes cineole, D-?-pinene, compounds of?- and?-thujone, D-camphor, D-borneol and D-camphor. Alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, oleanolic and ursolic acids were also found in the leaves. The fruits contain 19-25% fatty oil, represented mainly by glycerides of linoleic acid.

The use of salvia officinalis in folk medicine

Salvia officinalis affects hormone levels in women, increasing estrogen levels and helping with infertility, premenstrual syndrome, and hot flashes during menopause. Sage helps restore ovulation and is used in the first phase of the cycle. In addition, sage helps stop lactation by lowering prolactin levels and treats hyperprolactinemia. Sage is not recommended for polycystic disease, adenomyosis, endometriosis due to progesterone deficiency. Using sage with low progesterone levels can trigger the degeneration of immature follicles into cysts.

Sage has anti-inflammatory, emollient, disinfectant, hemostatic, diuretic, and anti-sweating effects. Decoctions and infusions of sage leaves and flowers are effective for colds accompanied by fever, helping to lower the temperature and relieve inflammation in sore throats, acute respiratory infections, and flu, having a similar effect to raspberry leaves.

An infusion of sage herb is used for stomach ulcers, gastritis, colitis, cholecystitis, and flatulence.

Salvia officinalis when used internally and in aromatherapy (aroma lamps with aroma oil of sage and aromatic sachets of sage) has a positive effect on the central nervous system, calms and tones, helps with nervous exhaustion and overwork. For inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, cough and bronchitis, inhalations from an infusion of sage leaves or sage essential oil are used, as well as sage tea orally.

Sage is used for rinsing as an anti-inflammatory and astringent for diseases of the nasopharynx, oral cavity and gums - tonsillitis, stomatitis, bleeding gums, gingivitis, pulpitis, cheilitis, aphthous lesions of the oral cavity, gumboil.

Sage is used for douching for gynecological diseases, recommended for external hygiene during the postpartum period in combination with sage essential oil (for external use).

Sage is used externally for baldness and hair loss in the form of masks and rinses for the head. For hemorrhoids, baths of sage leaves, elderberry flowers and chamomile are recommended.

Methods of using sage and dosage

Sage for the treatment of infertility and female diseases

To treat infertility, sage is taken in the first phase of the cycle for 10-11 days after menstruation - before the onset of ovulation. Pour 1 heaped teaspoon of sage (2-3 g) into a glass of hot boiled water (about 80°C), leave for 15-20 minutes, strain and take 1/3 cup 2 times a day before meals from day 4-5 of the cycle within 10-11 days. An infusion of sage herb is not prepared for future use, as it quickly loses its properties and also turns sour. Every day you should make a fresh infusion and store it in a cool place. You can brew 3 times a day, 1/2 teaspoon (about 1 g) per glass of water, leave for 10-15 minutes and drink as tea after meals.

Sage is considered a phytoestrogen; its chemical structure is similar to the hormone estrogen, which is involved in the formation of the follicle and the onset of ovulation. Sage is recommended for low estrogen levels, lack of ovulation and poorly growing endometrium. When taking sage for the treatment of infertility and hormonal disorders, menstruation may occur later. If it is necessary to use sage when the level of your own progesterone is low, and you are prone to adenomyosis, polycystic disease and endometriosis, it is recommended to use it simultaneously with boron sage, and in the second phase of the cycle, from 15 to 25 days, herbs with a progestogenic effect.

To prolong female youth, it is recommended to take sage in courses of 2-3 weeks every three months after 35 years to increase and maintain estrogen at a sufficient level. During menopause, sage helps improve well-being during hot flashes and reduce sweating. Prepare the infusion as indicated above, drink slowly over 20-30 minutes. But it is much more effective to combine sage with mantle, alternating their intake, or taking sage in small courses, and the rest of the time drink tea from mantle or other herbs that have a progestogenic effect: this will protect against osteoporosis and reduce the risk of cancer. Although sage, as a natural phytoestrogen, suppresses the action of hostile synthetic estrogens and excessive production of its own estrogens, thereby helping to reduce the risk of cancer (primarily breast and endometrial cancer) and increased bone fragility.

Sage for gargling and mouthwash

For rinsing, brew a more concentrated infusion of sage: 1 tablespoon per glass of hot boiled water, leave for half an hour, strain and rinse your mouth or throat every 1-2 hours (for acute sore throat, bleeding gums, chronic and acute periodontitis, loose teeth, periodontal disease, stomatitis , flux and other diseases of the mouth and throat).

Sage infusion for internal use for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems

To prepare the infusion you need 2 teaspoons of sage herb, 500 ml hot water(slightly cooled boiling water). Leave for 15-20 minutes, strain.

Thanks to the presence of sage leaves large quantity essential oil that increases the secretion of gastric juice and bile and has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antifungal effects, sage infusion helps with gastritis with low acidity, inflammation of the liver and gallbladder, stomach and duodenal ulcers, colitis, suppresses the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus. For gastrointestinal diseases and obesity, take 1/4-1/2 cup 2-3 times a day half an hour before meals.

For chronic bronchitis, excessive sweating, atherosclerosis, hypertension, take 1/3-1/2 cup of sage infusion during or after meals.

Sage for the treatment of hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are treated with medicinal enemas from a concentrated infusion of sage: 2 tablespoons (10-12 g) in half a glass of hot water, leave for 20 minutes. Do the enema after a small cleansing enema, so that the infusion has a therapeutic effect and is absorbed, you should lie down for half an hour after administering the infusion. Take tea from buckthorn bark or senna leaves every night at night and avoid constipation, follow a therapeutic diet excluding sugar and sweets.

You can also use a collection with sage, chamomile flowers and oak bark, or with elderberry flowers for hemorrhoids for medicinal compresses and baths.

Sage for baths for skin and musculoskeletal diseases

Pour 200 g of sage herb into 3-4 liters of hot water (not boiling water), leave for 30-40 minutes, strain and pour into a bath with a water temperature of 37-38°C. Take a bath every other day for a month, then take a break or use another collection for medicinal baths.

Contraindications to the use of Salvia officinalis

Salvia officinalis is contraindicated for internal use during pregnancy and lactation, acute inflammatory processes in the kidneys, high level own estrogens. Sage should be taken with caution if a woman has low progesterone levels.

Buy sage you can pack 50 g or 1 kg. You can also purchase sage mixtures or order custom production collection with sage and other medicinal herbs, flowers and roots, an aromatic sachet with sage or clary sage.

Update: October 2018

Salvia officinalis (salvia) is useful plant from the Yasnotkov family, has long been used in official and folk medicine. Clary sage is also beneficial and a source of essential oil. The aroma of sage is impossible to forget, and appearance plants cause pleasant aesthetic sensations.

The homeland of this beautiful subshrub is the Mediterranean. Accordingly, the first to use the plant for medicinal purposes were ancient Greek and Roman healers, and they used sage in the widest range. The name comes from the Greek - “health and well-being”.

Structure

The plant is a perennial, reaching a maximum height of 75 cm. The root is hard and branched. Numerous stems have a tetrahedral shape and are densely dotted with oblong leaves. The flowers have irregular shape, colored purple or pinkish-white, collected in inflorescences. The fruit remains in the calyx.

Flowering begins in the second year of the growing season and continues from late May to July. Sage is cultivated in the heat-loving regions of Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, and with decorative purpose. The leaves have a strong odor. The upper parts of the plant and leaves, as well as the inflorescences of clary sage, have medicinal value.

Collection and preparation

Sage leaves can be harvested all summer, starting from the flowering period. They should be cut at a height of 10 cm from the ground, separated from the stems and laid in an even layer on paper. Drying can be done as follows: open method in the shade and in a dryer at T 40 C. The raw materials retain their properties for 12 months. after preparation. Best stored in glass jars out of exposure to sunlight.

Chemical composition

Sage leaves contain:

Valuable essential oil is most actively produced during the fruiting period and is most contained in flowers.

Medicinal properties and contraindications of sage

Sage leaves have:

• astringent;
• anti-inflammatory;
• disinfectant;
• antimicrobial, especially against staphylococci and streptococci;
• tonic;
• hemostatic effect.

The essential oil of the plant is equivalent in effectiveness to Vishnevsky ointment, since it has an antibacterial and wound-healing effect.

Sage preparations are indicated for:

• Bleeding and inflammation of gum tissue and oral mucosa;
• Catarrhal phenomena of the upper respiratory tract;
• Stomach colic;
• Diabetes mellitus;
• Long-term non-healing wounds, burns, ulcers;
• Radiculitis, sciatica and other diseases.

Contraindications and special instructions

You should not take sage in doses higher than recommended, or for more than 3 months continuously. Absolute contraindications to the use of sage preparations are:

• individual intolerance;
• acute nephritis;
• severe, persistent cough;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• Treatment is also not recommended for children under 5 years of age.

Side effects

If the plant is intolerant, individual hypersensitivity reactions may develop. If the indicated dosages are exceeded and the use is very long, irritation of the mucous membranes is possible.

Pharmacological preparations of sage

In addition to dry plant materials, sage is available in the following dosage forms:

• Included in syrups for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system and pharynx: Broncholin-Sage, Larinal, Bronchosip, etc.
• The plant extract is included in cosmetics (shampoos, creams, hair balms), toothpastes, and mouth rinses.

Folk recipes

The scope of use of sage in folk medicine is truly limitless. It is used to treat ENT pathologies (tonsillitis, laryngitis, etc.), inflammatory and purulent skin lesions, pulmonary tuberculosis, polyarthritis, edema, radiculitis, atherosclerosis, gynecological diseases, gastrointestinal tract pathologies, liver, infertility and much more. Here are the most effective recipes with the plant.

Sage tea

• It has a pronounced anti-sweat effect that lasts for at least 2 hours. Recommended both for excessive sweating and for diseases accompanied by rapid sweating, for example, tuberculosis.
• Helps speedy recovery from bronchitis, bronchial asthma, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and gall bladder.
• Stops lactation if necessary.
• Strengthens hair follicles, stops premature baldness.

1 tbsp. dried raw materials or 1 bag of pharmaceutical tea, pour 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes and drink a third of a glass three times a day before meals. The optimal duration of treatment is 2-3 weeks.

Sage tea

For external use:

• Promotes rapid healing of non-healing wounds (washing wounds, applying lotions).
• Eliminates thrush in children (mouth rinse).
• Sage helps with toothache, as well as in the treatment of gumboil (rinsing).
• Reduces the severity of inflammatory changes in sore throat (irrigation and gargling).
• , strengthens the roots (rinse after washing with a light massage of the scalp).

For internal use:

• Normalizes the acidity of gastric juice in gastritis with low acidity.
• Helps with colitis, enterocolitis.
• – sage not only facilitates the discharge of sputum, but also has an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect.

1 tbsp. dry leaves pour a glass of boiling water and leave for 1 hour, filter. Take half a glass orally three times a day before meals. To treat cough, it is recommended to mix the infusion with warm milk in a 1:1 ratio.

Decoction with sage

• Accelerates recovery from bronchopulmonary pathology;
• Helps cure exacerbations of gastrointestinal and liver diseases.
• Normalizes blood sugar.
• Reduces pain from radiculitis.

One tbsp. dry raw materials are poured with a glass of boiling water and boiled over very low heat for 10 minutes, after removing from the heat, leave for another half hour. Take 1 tbsp. three times a day.

Alcohol tincture of sage

• Helps in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
• Improves brain activity, especially in elderly patients.

3 tbsp. dried herbs are infused for 1 month in half a liter of alcohol for sunny place, tightly closing the lid. Take 1 tbsp. before meals, with water.

Sage wine

Recommended for older people general strengthening, improving the functioning of blood vessels and the brain. For 1 liter of table grapes, take 80 grams of dry plant material. The mixture is infused for 8 days and taken 20 ml per day after meals.

Inhalations with sage

• Helps eliminate inflammatory processes in the throat and bronchi.
• Helps cure infectious rhinitis.
  

A handful of dry herbs is poured with 2 glasses of water and boiled over low heat for about 5 minutes. The resulting broth is allowed to cool slightly, then inhaled over steam, covered with a towel, for about 5-7 minutes.

Sage herb for infertility

Entire books by traditional healers are devoted to the treatment of infertility with the help of plants, which is quite true. scientific explanation. The fact is that sage phytohormones are similar in structure to estrogens, female sex hormones, and therefore act in the body in a similar way (see also). But before treatment, you should consult with a gynecologist about the possibility and advisability of herbal medicine.

Treatment regimen

Herbal medicine is prescribed for 10 days in the first phase menstrual cycle on the first day after the end of the next menstruation, i.e. approximately from the 5th to the 15th day of the cycle. If menstruation is absent for a long period of time, then treatment can be started on any day - in this case, the first day of treatment will be considered the 5th day of the cycle.

Preparation

One tbsp. dry leaves of the plant or a pharmaceutical tea bag are brewed with a glass of boiling water, left for 15 minutes, filtered. This is a daily portion, which is divided into three doses during the day and drunk 20 minutes before meals. A fresh infusion is prepared every day.

Efficiency

After 1-3 cycles (1-3 course doses, respectively), you should go for an ultrasound and assess the condition of the ovaries, endometrium and other signs of readiness for pregnancy. You should not take sage for more than 3 months, but if necessary, re-treatment is carried out with a break of 1 month.

Sage in gynecology

Used to eliminate menopausal symptoms, it is especially effective when started at the earliest manifestations of menopause, even before the cessation of menstruation.

The plant is also effective in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome, accompanied by emotional instability, abdominal pain, etc.

Renders beneficial features for women who need to stop lactation, for which it is recommended to take tea or sage infusion 100 ml twice a day for 5-7 days, but usually the milk disappears already on the 3-4th day of intake.

At the same time, it is recommended to apply compresses to the mammary glands with sage oil (2-3 drops per 25 ml vegetable oil) to prevent milk stagnation. Gauze is soaked in the resulting mixture of oils and applied to the chest for 1 hour, covered with cellophane. Once a day is enough.

• The ancient luminaries of medicine considered the plant to be salvation from all diseases and even from material troubles;
• During the plague, sage preparations helped to recover and recover;
• Research is underway to develop sage-based drugs for the treatment of;
• Sage extract is used in perfumery.

Sage is a pleasant-smelling herb that is often found in culinary recipes.

But it turns out that sage has truly unique healing properties.

Useful properties of sage

• Salvia officinalis is an anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, antimicrobial and astringent.
• It is used for diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
• Externally used for sore throat, mumps, gingivitis.
• It helps with inflammation of the gallbladder and liver.
• The leaves contain essential oil, tannins, resins, acids, bitterness, vitamins P, PP, and mineral salts.

Leaves and tops of stems are used to obtain raw materials. But unfortunately, sage is almost never found in the wild. But those who grow it on their plots should know the rules for its harvesting.

How and when to harvest sage

Sage is harvested in early summer, when its flowers are just beginning to bloom. For harvesting, choose dry, sunny weather.

Plants must be clean. If there is dust on them, they need to be rinsed with a hose or watering can and allowed to dry thoroughly.

Sage is a perennial plant, and it begins to bloom only in its second year. If the plant has never bloomed before, then only the lower, well-formed leaves can be taken for drying.

And flowering plant cut off the leaves along with top part stem.

Before drying, the plants are sorted out, removing the lower stems, since they are coarse, almost woody and not suitable for drying. Browned leaves are also removed.

How to dry sage

The stems are collected in bunches and tied harsh thread and hang them flowers down in a dark, warm, dry place where there is good air circulation.

Plants can also be laid out on canvas or burlap and, as the top layer dries, carefully stir the raw materials to avoid rot.

Sage is a very aromatic plant, but if it is not dried correctly, it acquires a musty smell. Therefore, it dries very quickly.

You can dry sage in dryers, but the temperature should not rise above 40°, otherwise it will evaporate. essential oils.

The finished raw material should consist of whole or slightly broken leaves. It is not customary to chop sage leaves, because then they quickly lose their aroma.

Well-dried leaves become very fragile and the stems become brittle. When dried, sage does not lose its aroma. The taste of the raw material is bitter and astringent. The yield of finished raw materials is 25-35% of the original volume.

Medicinal sage is a heat-loving subshrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The plant has a straight leafy stem up to 70 cm high, pointed oblong green leaves and light purple flowers collected in branched or simple apical inflorescences. The fruit is a small, black or brown nut consisting of four lobes.

Sage can be found in the wild only in the countries of southeastern Europe (Greece, Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, etc.). In Russia and the CIS, the plant grows in gardens, fields and vegetable gardens, either cultivated or wild.

How to Harvest Sage

For medicinal purposes, the flowering tops of sage and its leaves, containing healing essential oils, are used. The first collection of plant materials is carried out in early autumn in the year the plant is sown. In subsequent years, sage leaves and inflorescences are harvested in two stages:

1. during the budding period (June-July);
2. during the period of fruit ripening (September).

During the first two years after sowing, only lower leaves plants with petioles at least 20 mm long. Subsequently, medicinal raw materials collected from the entire above-ground part of the shoots are prepared.

Sage is collected in two ways:

• pick leaves from growing shoots with your hands and dry them;
• cut off the above-ground part of the plant with a sickle, pruning shears or scissors, dry it, and then thresh the leaves and flowers.

It is advisable to harvest on dry, sunny days, after waiting for the morning dew to dry. Before collecting, dusty and dirty plants should be washed with water from a hose or watering can and allowed to dry thoroughly. During harvesting, it is necessary to ensure that diseased, dried or insect-eaten leaves do not get into the medicinal raw material.

How to dry sage at home

Sage is dried in dark, well-ventilated, warm rooms protected from moisture or under specially equipped canopies. outdoors. Cut plants are collected in bunches, tied and hung to dry with the flowers facing down. Leaves collected from growing shoots are laid out thin layer onto paper and dried, occasionally subjecting the medicinal raw material to agitation to prevent rotting.

If desired, sage can also be dried in a dryer. However, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature in its chamber is below 35 degrees. When overheated, healing essential oils evaporate from the herb, and the medicinal raw material itself quickly loses its healing and aromatic properties.

The moisture level of dried sage should not exceed 13%. At the same time, the finished medicinal raw materials should not contain thick stems, twigs, darkened leaves and other foreign impurities.