Phytochemical and Biochemical Studies of Sage (Salvia officinalis L.)

Salvia is one of the major genuses belonging to Lamiaceae family. It is historically well known by its therapeutic applications. Salvia officinalis L. is a common herbal plant known as common sage. It is used in the food and beverage industries due to its powerful antimicrobial activity against several gram positive and negative bacteria. It contains high percentage of the essential oil due to the presence of external glandular structures that produce volatile oil. It is rich in the biologically active constituents which are represented mainly by polyphenolic compounds. These phenolic compounds are characterized by presence of one or more aromatic rings with one or more hydroxyl groups. The previous studies showed that water extract of this plant prevented growth of colorectal cancer and human prostate carcinoma cells. This might refer to its ability to decrease the tissue lesions occurred as a result of oxidative stress. It showed radioprotective effect against irradiation through lowering lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl and NO in brain tissue and elevating activities of the antioxidant enzymes. It showed antiinflammatory effects by reducing marrow acute phase response and NO synthesis. Also, it showed antagonistic effect against Aluminum neurotoxicity due to reducing the oxidative stress and improving the antioxidant status and particularly by inhibiting the acetylcholinesterase activity.