Sage (Salvia officinalis) to help prevent premature skin aging

This botanical extract has superb antiseptic, astringent and antioxidant qualities, which have a very positive effect on preventing oxidative stress, and thereby helps to prevent premature aging. It furthermore has great antimicrobial, antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Sage is used in the following product: Rejuvenating Toner

On this page

• Description of Sage
• Properties
• Compounds found in Sage
• Uses of Sage
• Cosmetic classification of Sage

Description of Sage

It is a perennial shrublet with square stems bearing opposite pairs of grey, rough-textured leaves and attractive purple-blue flowers. It originated in the eastern Mediterranean and southern Europe and the leaves are normally used.

Properties

Sage is an astringent, antiseptic, tonic herb, with a camphor-like aroma and has excellent antioxidant properties to help prevent oxidative stress.

Compounds found in Sage

It contains essential oil rich in thujone as well as smaller amounts of camphor, 1,8-cineole and other monoterpenes. Apart from this it also contains phenolic acid such as rosmarinic acid, flavonoids, diterpenoids (such as carnosol and rosmanol together with triterpenes (oleanic acid and its derivatives) and luteolin-7-glucoside.

Uses of Sage

It is an effective treatment for gingivitis and mucosal inflammation of the throat and mouth ^{REF 251} but its cosmetic use extends to cover far more than this.

The rosmarinic acid contained in Sage has excellent antioxidant properties ^{REF 451 & 456}, which are reinforced by the picrosalvin also found in the plant.

In clinical tests, it was found that it prevents oxidative damage to the cell, while at the same time preventing t-BHP-induced lipid peroxidation and GSH depletion, improving the antioxidant potential of the cells - which can be ascribed to the rosmarinic acid and luteolin-7-glucoside. ^{REF 451}

It has excellent anti-inflammatory ^{REF 455} and antibacterial properties ^{REF 457 & 458} and showed a very positive effect in fighting acne vulgaris and seborrheic eczema ^{REF 453} while at the same time having great antimicrobial activity as well. ^{REF 454}

Further studies showed that Sage also protected against H2O2-induced DNA damage, as well as offering protection against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity. ^{REF 452}

Cosmetic classification of Sage

Sage leaf extract is classified by the CTFA as a biological product functioning as a miscellaneous skin-conditioning agent.