The sages (scientific name: Salvia ) is a kind of plants of the family of the Lamiacées which includes/understands more than 900 species, annual, bi-annual, long-lived or shrubby. Ten of them are indigenous in Europe, the Sauge of the meadows for example.

The name comes from the Latin salvare , “to save”. Certain sage species, mainly the officinal sage, have many medicinal virtues indeed. They were regarded with the Moyen-âge as a panacea. The flowered celebrities and the sheets of two species mainly, the sclarée Sage ( Salvia sclarea ) and the officinal Sage ( Salvia officinalis ), were used in Infusion S and Décoction S. Certaines species of sages, as the Salvia divinorum (known locally under various names as hojas of will pastora or yerba of María ), are still employed in the chamanic rites of some tribe S of Indiens of America.

Nowadays, the sage is especially employed like aromatic Herb. Its taste powerful, slightly bitter and is camphorated. It Marie well with the Pig and the dishes containing Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck).
Many vegetable receipts call upon sage to aromatize the dishes (potato, Féculent S,…).
It is used in preparations like the Aïga bolhida or the arista (square of roast pig).
Enfin, certain species are purely decorative.

General characteristics

Surface of distribution

One finds it in all the zones moderated, on well drained grounds and the sites must be quite sunny. On clay soil to make a sand contribution.

A little history

The sage was one of the saving plants of the Moyen-âge. Recognized by the Chinese, the latter did not hesitate to exchange their most invaluable sheets of the against sage sheets. Louis XIV had even made its herb tea of election of it and was used about it for any matter. The Greeks, the Romans and the Arabs commonly employed it like tonic and in compress against the bites of snake. In XVIe century, the botanist Jacob Tabernae-Montanus tells that the Egyptian women were accustomed to drinking sage juice to increase their fertility.

At the XVIIIe century, one rolls the sage sheets like cigarettes. All the asthmatic started to smoke of sage as of the appearance of the first spring Pollen. The plant was associated with immortality and longevity. Certain groups of Amerindians mixed sage with grease of bear to cure the problems of skin. One also used the plant to treat the Verrue S.

" Who has sage in his garden, does not need a médecin" ( saying of Provence )

Principal species

Confusion

The Phlomis fruticosa is often named " Sage of Jerusalem " , but does not form part of the kind Salvia , in spite of its comparable visual aspect, especially on the level of the sheets. He is simply member of the Lamiaceae.

Composition

Diterpène S and Triterpènes, salvene, Flavonoïde S, Oil essential with thujone, Tannin.

Medicinal properties

Disinfectant, Antispasmodique, Antisudorale, Apéritive, Bactericidal, Calming, Cephalic, Coronary, Digestive, Energy, Stops the milk rise, light Diurétique, Emménagogue, Fébrifuge, Laxative, blood Fluidifiant, Stimule the memory, Tonique

See too

Related articles

• Plants used in phytotherapy
• Grass and aromatics of kitchen

Random links:

Julie Halard-Decugis | Germain IV of Constantinople | Tunnel of Glion | Georgius Calixtus | Breakbeat Kaos