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, four-lobed nutlet, black or brown.

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

How to collect sage

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

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

During the first two years after sowing, only the lower leaves of the plant with petioles at least 20 mm long are plucked. In the future, medicinal raw materials are harvested, collected from the entire ground part of the shoots.

Sage is harvested in two ways:

• they cut off the leaves with their hands from the growing shoot and dry them;
• the ground part of the plant is cut with a sickle, pruner or scissors, dried, and then the leaves and flowers are threshed.

It is expedient to make preparation in dry, sunny days waiting for the morning dew to dry. Dusty and dirty plants should be washed with water from a hose or watering can before harvesting 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 ingress or under specially equipped outdoor sheds. Cut plants are collected in bunches, tied and hung to dry with flowers down. The leaves collected from the growing shoots are laid out thin layer on paper and dried, from time to time exposing the medicinal raw material to tedding in order to prevent decay.

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, thick stems, twigs, darkened leaves and other third-party impurities should not be contained in the finished medicinal raw material.

Essential oils contained in the leaves and flowers of sage are of value in cooking and medicine. Dried crushed leaves are used as a seasoning for meat and vegetable dishes, and whole leaves and flowers are brewed as a tea. Growing sage in the garden during the growing season, the intensity and strength of the aroma changes. This happens because in different time concentrated in the plant different amount useful elements. Therefore, the collection of sage for drying is not carried out all summer, but only at certain periods.

Summer collection of sage

At the beginning of summer, sage is most saturated with essential oils, and the leaves and flowers harvested at this time are most valued. The collection begins as soon as the inflorescences begin to bloom on the plant. For drying, intact dark green leaves are selected and plucked along with the cuttings. The inflorescences of the plant are also suitable for collection. Branches are cut off on which the lower flowers have already blossomed, and the upper ones are still in buds. If you cut off fully bloomed inflorescences, during drying, the lower petals will fall off, and the stems will remain bare from below, which have no real value.

The harvesting time lasts approximately 20 days. When the sage fades and the seeds begin to ripen, its collection stops. At this time, the leaves and stems of the plant coarsen, and the concentration of nutrients in them decreases. Ripe seeds fall on the soil, and they self-sow. After the next rain, the seeds will germinate and young plants will emerge from them.

Collecting sage in autumn

The second harvest begins at the end of September, when the plant has recovered from the summer heat. By this time, beautiful velvety leaves grow back on the sage bushes and flowers begin to bloom. The sprouted self-seeding plants will also come into force and form into strong young bushes. Harvesting is carried out in the same way as in the summer. In terms of value, the raw materials collected in the fall are not inferior to the summer collection.

Drying of the collected raw materials is carried out in the open air under a canopy so that the sun's rays do not fall on the plants spread with a thin layer. In autumn, it is more difficult to dry the green mass due to the lower temperature, therefore, when the leaves dry out a little, they are dried at home in the oven, setting the temperature in it to 60 ° C and opening the oven door.

It should be noted that, like all medicinal plants, sage is harvested away from highways and industrial production with emissions of harmful gases. Also, the collection point should not be located within the city, so that the plant does not absorb harmful substances. Properly and on time, harvested sage can be used as an additive to tea or a medicinal plant for two years.

Perennial shrub 20-70 cm high. With stems, usually slightly leafy at the base, woody gray tomentose, like all young stems; with finely toothed, petiolate leaves tapering towards the base. Sage blooms in June-July. The smell of the plant, especially when rubbed in the fingers, is strong, specific. The plant comes from Asia Minor and is cultivated in our country. In villages, it is cultivated in gardens, vegetable gardens, flower beds, as a remedy primarily for rinsing the mouth and throat, especially for toothache.

Where does sage grow?

It is widely cultivated in the south of the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in the Crimea. Does not grow wild.

Collection and storage of sage.

Harvested 2-3 times: the first harvest - during flowering, the second - in September. Sage leaves are dried in an air dryer. Shelf life 1 year.

Medicinal properties of sage.

Sage leaves have disinfectant, astringent, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, emollient effects.
It is used for inflammatory processes of the oral cavity and pharynx, upper respiratory tract as an astringent and anti-inflammatory agent in the form of rinses. Also used for poultices. Festering wounds heal quickly if they are washed with an infusion of sage or make lotions from this infusion.

The use of sage in traditional medicine recipes.

A decoction of sage cleanses the stomach, frees the throat from phlegm, and cooked in water or wine has a good effect on the liver and kidneys. The action of sage is enhanced if wormwood is added to it and a decoction is prepared from this mixture. The decoction enhances the activity of the endocrine glands. Sage is used for hypertension, atherosclerosis (especially in menopause in women), tremor paralysis. Gargling with a decoction is recommended for various inflammatory processes in the oral cavity and throat diseases. If you regularly rinse your mouth with sage, you can avoid gum disease. Inhalation from a decoction relieves the condition in diseases of the larynx and respiratory tract. It is useful to make masks and compresses for the face from sage. The people attributed special properties to sage: it was believed that drinking tea from sage leaves prolongs life. Hippocrates and Dioscorides considered sage to be a sacred herb and the most useful medicine, especially for female infertility.

In case of infertility, it was recommended to drink sage juice with a small amount of salt. In Chinese medicine, sage has long been used as a general tonic, as well as for articular rheumatism, externally for chronic skin diseases.

Infusion of sage leaves.

Brew 1 liter of boiling water 50 g of herbs, leave for 1 hour, strain. Drink without restriction with bedwetting.

Infusion of sage leaves.

Grind 10 g of sage leaves to 0.5 mm, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, cool, strain. The infusion is good for 2-3 days. Store in a cool place.
In higher doses long time it is undesirable to use, since there may be poisoning of the body and irritation of the mucous membranes.

The plant came to the people through pharmacies and became quite popular in it.
Now you can often meet with the use of sage both in pure form and in mixtures with other herbs in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diseases of the liver and gallbladder, as well as a diuretic, carminative and astringent.

Water tincture of sage.

20.0 g per 1 liter. boiling water is steamed with a closed lid - it promotes digestion.
Sage leaf tea has antiseptic properties and treats inflammatory processes in the renal pelvis; facilitates expectoration in chronic bronchitis.
It also reduces night sweats in consumptives.
With fluxes, diseases of the gums and throat, a mixture of two decoctions is good: from sage (5.0 g per 1 glass of water - 10 minutes) and oak bark (5.0 g per 1 glass of water). Both decoctions are filtered and mixed. Rinse hot.
During asthmatic attacks, a few small puffs of a cigarette made from dry Datura leaves (Datura is poisonous) and sage give a good effect. Take half a small leaf of Datura and one leaf of sage, roll up a cigarette, inhale several times not very strongly with smoke. The entrance is passing. This, of course, does not cure asthma, but it brings relief.

The use of sage.

The name of the herb comes from the ancient Greek words: sun, health, well-being. Hippocrates, Dioscorides and other ancient Greek physicians called sage "sacred herb". To this day, sage leaves are official in many countries of the world.
Traditionally, sage is used for rinsing in acute angina, chronic tonsillitis, stomatitis, gingivitis, aphthous lesions of the oral cavity.
In addition, an infusion of sage leaves is taken for gastric diseases, cholecystitis, hepatitis, mild forms diabetes, hypothyroidism, tremor paralysis, pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, articular rheumatism, intervertebral osteochondrosis. Baths with sage are useful for eczema, psoriasis, skin rashes. Sage improves memory, cleanses blood vessels.

properties of sage.

Sage is a repository of phytohormones. Their role is still not well understood. They are known to act as catalysts and are similar to human hormones similar to estrogens (female sex hormones). That is why it is useful for women after 35 years of age to take a course of rejuvenation - three times a year for a month, regularly drink a glass of infusion in the morning: 1 teaspoon of sage per glass of boiling water. Insist until cool. Drink slowly, 30-40 minutes before meals. You can add honey or lemon for taste. AT Ancient Egypt after devastating wars or epidemics, women were forced to drink boiled sage and season their food with it in order to increase the population. The priests distributed the herb for free. The fulfillment of these conditions by young women was especially carefully monitored.
There is nothing surprising or mystical in this. Infusion of sage seeds promotes conception, helps both men and women. Unlike other fertility-enhancing plants, sage increases the “sucking” reflex of the cervix in women.

Infusion of sage seeds.

1 teaspoon of seeds pour a glass of boiling water. Do not strain. Keep in the refrigerator so as not to sour. Drink 1 dessert spoon 2 times a day - in the morning on an empty stomach and at bedtime for 11 days immediately after the cessation of menstruation. The course of treatment is 3 months. If the desired pregnancy does not occur, then take a break for two months and repeat the treatment. The result is sure to come. And no - it means you need to treat inflammation of the tubes and ovaries.
I hope someone appreciates the following advice.

Sage infusion for longevity. (Especially useful in old age.)

100 g of sage flowers, 800 ml of vodka and 400 ml of water. Insist 40 days in the sun indoors glass vessel. Take 1 tablespoon half and half with water in the morning on an empty stomach. The shelf life of the tincture is 1 year. Tones and stimulates nervous system in addition, sage contains natural antioxidants. Note: sage grows in the south - in the Crimea, the Krasnodar Territory, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Moldova - you can agree on flowers or tinctures with relatives or friends, or write them out by mail.

To improve memory.

Crush the leaves into powder. Take a pinch 3 times a day with water.

Sage infusion for parkinsonism and multiple sclerosis.

Pour 2 teaspoons of sage with 2 cups of boiling water, simmer in heat for 2-3 hours. Strain twice. Daily dose: drink in fractional portions no more than half a glass at a time. Or take 1 dessert spoon 3-4 times a day - individually. In some cases, sage baths up to 5-7 procedures are useful.

Sage wild, meadow.

It grows everywhere in our meadows. Collect at the beginning of flowering. I will not describe it, but it also contains anthocyanins, steroids, organic acids, essential oils.
It will be more useful if I tell you about its application.

With neurosis of the heart and neurastheria, an infusion of sage is used.

Pour 2 teaspoons of dried leaves with 2 cups of boiling water, leave for 1 hour. Drink half a glass 2-4 times a day in a warm form.

Treatment of thrush with the use of sage infusion.

1 full tablespoon per 200 ml of boiling water. Leave for half an hour. Mix 3 parts of the infusion with 1 part of table vinegar. Make lotions.

The use of sage to improve hearing.

Pour a handful of leaves hot water, boil. When it boils, keep one or the other ear over the steam. Don't lean too low to avoid getting burned. Do 1-2 times a day until improvement.

Sage infusion for tuberculosis of the lymph nodes.

Pour 2 tablespoons of leaves with a glass of boiling water, first leave for 5 minutes, then boil for 2 minutes. Strain after cooling. In a month, it will be possible to add lemon balm, mint, St. John's wort, currants, rose hips to sage. Inside, take 1-2 tablespoons, use the rest of the broth for lotions.

Sage contraindications.

Sage - for all its obvious benefits, it is not without side effects.
It should be excluded from therapeutic agents for reduced thyroid function.
Sage is contraindicated with acute inflammation of the kidneys - nephritis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis.
You can not take an infusion of sage with a strong cough, otherwise it will only intensify it.
Poorly tolerated sage with hypotension. It is undesirable to use it from above three months in a row (breaks required).
Sage is contraindicated during pregnancy. As a precaution, do not prescribe his drugs to nursing mothers, as he dramatically reduces the amount of milk.
Sage is contraindicated in amenorrhea - a long delay in menstruation.

All this applies to any kind of sage.

Ethiopian sage or key herb.

Perennial herbaceous plant 50-100 cm high, of the mint family. The root is thick (up to 3 cm), hard, woody, the stem is pyramidal, branched, tetrahedral, from 25 to 100 cm high. stem - paired, short-leaved or sessile, with a wide stem-bearing base, much smaller; the upper bracts are sessile, broadly ovate, pointed, entire, shorter than the flowers. Ethiopian sage flowers are white, 6-10 in false rings. The fruits are ovoid-triangular, brown, smooth nuts in a cup. Ethiopian sage blooms in June-July. The fruits ripen in July-August.

Where does Ethiopian sage grow?

Grows on the slopes of beams and river valleys, forest edges and clearings, on the roadsides of the Caucasus, forest-steppe regions of Ukraine.

Collection of Ethiopian sage.

Medicinal raw material in Ethiopian sage is the upper parts of the stem with flowers, partly with immature fruits, leaves and individual leaves. The smell of raw materials is slightly aromatic, the taste is slightly bitter. Store in a well ventilated area.

Medicinal properties of Ethiopian sage.

Ethiopian sage leaves can be used to make an antiperspirant tincture. In tuberculosis patients with profuse sweating, a tincture at a dose of 15 drops 3 times a day reduces sweating. The greatest effect develops on the 3rd day. After stopping the tincture, the effect lasts from 2 to 15 days. A similar effect of the tincture was also found in patients with fibrous-cavernous pulmonary tuberculosis with debilitating profuse sweating. In this case, the tincture was prescribed 20 drops per dose 3 times a day for 3 days. Sweating decreased on the 2nd-3rd day.
In healthy people with profuse sweating during the summer heat, the tincture has no effect.
Preparation of tincture: pour 250 ml of vodka or alcohol 1 tbsp. l. sage herbs, insist in a dark place for 9 days, strain. Drink 15-20 drops 3 times a day before meals.

Due to the presence of essential and tannin oils, sage has disinfectant and anti-inflammatory properties. A decoction of the plant is used for rinsing the mouth, throat for colds, sore throats, and catarrhs ​​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, light burns.

Sage leaves have a spicy, pungent smell and a bitter, spicy taste, so they are used as a seasoning, adding to sauces, fish, meat dishes, soups. Rosemary goes very well with sage.

Suitable for sowing seeds flower pot. The earth is pre-fertilized, and then germinated seeds are planted in it. The place for sage should be chosen the brightest - the window sill in this case is an ideal area for normal growth.
Please note that experts recommend sage in the form of seedlings. The chances that the plant will take root in this case are greater. It should be watered regularly, but in minimal quantities.

AT summer period it is better to place the pots on the balcony. Getting enough light, sage leaves will be more fragrant and juicy.

Sage care

Sage does not require special care. It is enough to regularly weed the earth, loosen it and fertilize it once or twice a year.
In the spring, regular rejuvenation of old shoots should be carried out. It is carried out very simply. It is enough just to cut off the upper parts of the bushes and remove the dry shoots. This procedure is also carried out in the spring.

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

Advice 3: How to grow and harvest sage officinalis

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

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

How to sow seeds?

It is better to choose a place for sowing well-lit, with humus soils. It is important that the soil is not acidic, without waterlogging.

The seeds are sown in early spring with a embedment 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 dive and seat them on a site with a distance of 25-30x50-70 cm.

How to care for sage officinalis?

Sage is unpretentious and does not require special care. Like any cultivated plant, he needs watering if the weather is dry, removing weed competitors from the "living area", loosening the soil. In spring or autumn, potash-phosphorus fertilizers can be applied. But do not overdo it: extra chemistry is absolutely not needed in medicinal raw materials. Use humus, compost from a garden heap.

Overwintered sage bushes are cut off at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground before the beginning of spring regrowth and the soil is loosened. This pruning contributes to better bushiness of sage.

When and how are medicinal raw materials harvested?

In the first year of planting, cutting is carried out once, in August-September. In the future, the leaves are cut several times a season. They start from the moment the flower arrows extend and end in September, so that the plant is overgrown with leaves and prepared for wintering.

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

Cut sage leaves are arranged in small bunches and hung in the shade under shelters, in attics. Using drying cabinets, the temperature of grass drying must not be increased above 35 ° C, otherwise the quality of the harvested raw material is sharply reduced. Dried sage retains its healing properties for two years.

Application medicinal herb medicine began in ancient times. Another name for medicinal sage, which was given to him by Hippocrates - sacred grass. It is important to note that meadow sage, which grows in meadows and along roads, is not used in medicinal purposes because it's a completely different plant.

The perennial shrub Salvia officinalis has several names: salvia, honeydew, noble or royal sage, lettuce leaf. A plant with a powerful woody root system belongs to the Lamiaceae family. The branchy stalk of sage, capable of reaching a height of 70 cm, is strewn with foliage. The grayish-green leaf blades are petiolate and oblong, rounded at the base with crenate-toothed edges and covered with small bluish hairs.

In early summer, the shrub blooms with pink, brown or purple flowers, collected in rings of 4 to 8 pieces. In September, 4 nut fruits appear.

The natural habitat of the shrub is the Mediterranean countries with dry loamy soil. AT natural conditions sage officinalis is not found in medical purposes in Russia, Ukraine and others European countries usually engaged in its cultivation. Reproduction occurs with the help of seedlings, seeds, cuttings and division of plants. Since the shrub has decorative properties and pleasant aroma, gardeners love to plant it.

The natural habitat of sage officinalis - Mediterranean countries with dry loamy soil

Places and rules for collecting sage

From compliance with the collection rules healing herb depends on its value. It is important to collect all medicinal plants away from sources of pollution ( car roads, enterprises, cities). Otherwise, the raw material will absorb heavy metals and harmful chemical elements.

. Flowers and foliage are recommended to be collected in June from the moment of flowering. You need to harvest strong and intact leaves, as well as inflorescences.

Gallery: medicinal sage (25 photos)

How to collect sage officinalis (video)

The collected grass should be spread in a thin layer on a paper or cloth base in a place protected from direct sunlight. The second drying method: collect sage in whisks and hang in a well-ventilated area. The period of harvesting the plant lasts 3 weeks, until it blooms.

Since young branches with panicles of inflorescences begin to grow in autumn, harvesting can be continued. The process of autumn collection takes place in the same way as the summer one. Difficulty is possible only when drying due to frequent rains. Then the raw materials can be placed for drying in an oven with a temperature of 40 ° C and the door slightly opened.

The maximum amount of essential oil in the grass is observed at the beginning of the summer season.

Useful and medicinal properties of sage officinalis

The presence of nutrients in the shrub allows you to successfully use it in the treatment of many ailments. The leaves are rich in the following elements:

• alkaloids;
• essential oils;
• flavonoids;
• vitamins;
• trace elements;
• organic acids;
• resinous and tannins;
• bitterness.

Sage has the following effect on the body:

• expectorant;
• astringent;
• choleretic;
• emollient;
• antimicrobial;
• hemostatic;
• diuretic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• diaphoretic;
• bactericidal.

The use of products containing sage depends on the purpose and expected effect. The patient applies decoctions or infusions externally or internally, depending on the disease.

Medicinal preparations based on sage officinalis have high biological activity

Pharmacy forms of sage release and their purpose

Medicines have high biological activity. Herb-based pharmaceutical companies produce a variety of medicines.

1. Powder. Local astringent, antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral action.
2. Syrup. It is characterized by antitussive and bronchodilator properties.
3. Lozenges. The use is recommended for preventive purposes and to combat pathologies of the upper respiratory tract.
4. Spray. Antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
5. Solution for topical use. It is used as an anti-inflammatory, astringent and antiseptic agent.
6. Alcohol solution. It has a tanning, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect.
7. Collection. It has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Some remedies are combined with the addition of other herbs that have a therapeutic effect.

Healing properties of sage (video)

Sage contraindications

Due to the fact that the plant has estrogenic properties, it should not be taken by women who have been diagnosed with fibroids, endometriosis and polycystic disease. The contraindication applies to women during periods of childbearing and breastfeeding.

Folk recipes with medicinal sage

Indications for treatment using a valuable shrub can be very diverse. It has long been used in home therapy as a homeopathic remedy for many diseases.

Thanks to the active substances contained in the fragrant plant, preparations based on it help to cope with gynecological ailments, respiratory diseases and infections. genitourinary system. Flowers are usually included in gastric and chest herbal preparations that alleviate the condition with pulmonary diseases.

Sage flowers are usually included in gastric and chest herbal preparations that alleviate the condition with pulmonary diseases.

In dermatology, lotions, powders and compresses are used to help get rid of fungal infections, ulcers, purulent wounds and other skin lesions. Taking baths with the addition of valuable raw materials help treat excessive sweating, reduce pain, relieve swelling and stop bleeding with hemorrhoids.

For cosmetic purposes, a hair rinse is prepared, as well as compresses and infusions for facial skin care. Tea from medicinal sage helps to increase efficiency and improve brain activity, and also stimulates the immune system.

Folk recipes:

• Inflammatory processes of the tonsils, throat, gums and oral cavity are treated by rinsing a solution of 500 ml of boiled water and 1 teaspoon of sage leaves.
• To get rid of acute bronchitis, boil 250 ml of milk and 1 tablespoon of herbs in an enamel container, cool, strain, then boil again and drink at night.
• Thanks to the content natural antibiotic, tincture disinfects wounds and cleanses the blood. To prepare it, take 4 teaspoons of leaves and 2 cups of water. The infusion can be used against hair loss. Wounds can be sprinkled with powder from crushed dry grass, and a fresh sage leaf can be applied to the site of an insect bite.
• With pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, the concentration of the drug should be reduced. 2 teaspoons of raw materials should be boiled for 3 minutes in 500 ml of water, insisted and taken for colitis every 3 hours, 1 tablespoon, and for gastritis with low acidity, a third of a glass 3 times a day before meals.
• With sore throat, bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis and pharyngitis, inhalations are made from 1 teaspoon of raw materials or 2 drops of oil.
• If you need to strengthen the nervous system, you should make a remedy from the leaves: sage (5 g), dubrovnik (5 g) and boiling water (50 ml). Consume before meals.