Health Benefits of Sage Essential Oil
This oil has a number of non-cosmetic medicinal uses which are listed below.
Anti-fungal
The presence of camphor and camphene in this essential oil gives it an antifungal property. This oil is capable of inhibiting fungal infections, both internally and externally, and gives relief from fungal infections like dysentery, skin diseases, Athlete’s Foot or dermatitis. This property is one of the causes behind its use in skin care products.
Antimicrobial
The components in sage essential oil which give protection against fungal infections also provide protection against microbial infections too. Therefore, you can protect small wounds or cuts from developing irritating or potentially dangerous infections.
Antibacterial
This oil is equally useful at countering bacterial infections since it kills bacteria and inhibits their growth in the body. This property can also be used to heal ailments like bacterial infections in the ears, nose, throat, eyes, genitals, urethra, colon, intestines as well as on the skin and in wounds.
Antioxidant
This is perhaps the most valuable aspect of this essential oil and the reason behind its extensive use in anti-aging and skin treatment products. According to a study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, sage gets it potent antioxidant power from rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid. [Antioxidants, as the name suggests, act against oxidants or free radicals in the body, which are the main causes of aging. These antioxidants slow down aging and prevent symptoms like wrinkles, sagging skin, and muscles, reduction in vision and hearing capabilities, malfunctioning of the brain, memory loss, degeneration of tissues, macular degeneration, and nervous disorders.
Antiseptic
Since it has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, it serves as an antiseptic for wounds, surgical incisions, postnatal injuries, ulcers, and sores.
Anti-inflammatory
It reduces inflammation on the skin, inflammation due to fever, and prevents the entry of poisonous material into the bloodstream. It also reduces the effects of excessive intoxicants and narcotics, ingestion of excessive salty or spicy food, the influence of very hot winds, etc. A study in Pharmaceutical Biology journal suggests that it helps cure inflammation in the stomach, intestines, and excretory tracts too.
Antispasmodic
This property of sage essential oil is useful in treating all problems that arise from spasms, including pain in the stomach, chest, and intestines, as well as coughs, convulsions, and cramps.
Cholagogue & Choleretic
Both of these properties mean the same, which is a substance that promotes the discharge of bile. This helps in digestion, soothing the stomach, and improving the functionality of the whole digestive system against inflammation caused by excessive acids. It also neutralizes acids in the stomach and the bloodstream, thereby providing relief from acidity and acidosis, which in turn protects us from peptic ulcers due to acidity, as well as from boils, eruptions, and skin diseases that occur when acid levels rise in the blood.
Cicatrisant
This is yet another property which has made a strong place in the world of cosmetics as a key ingredient of anti-mark and anti-spot cream. This property helps to eliminate scars, fat cracks, post-natal abdominal stretch marks, and blemishes caused due to boils, pox, and sores. This also helps in quick healing of wounds and incisions.
Depurative
Sage essential oil speeds up the removal of toxins from the blood through excretion or sweating and thus purifies the blood, acting as a depurative.
Disinfectant
The antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties of essential oil of sage make it an effective disinfectant, as it gives sound protection from both internal and external infections.
Emmenagogue
This essential oil regularizes menstrual cycles and helps relieve obstructed menses. It activates certain hormones, such as estrogen, which helps to bring about clear menstruation and gives relief from problems like a headache, nausea, weakness, fatigue, depression, mood swings, and other associated symptoms of periods.
Expectorant
It can give you relief from a cough, cold, and infections in your chest and respiratory tracts. It also provides relief from congestion that results from the common cold.
Febrifuge
Sage essential oil reduces fevers by fighting infections and reducing inflammation caused by them.
Stimulant
If all the properties of this essential oil are to be described with a single term, ‘stimulant’ would be the appropriate one. Most of the properties it displays are different expressions of this property. It stimulates the brain, nervous system, liver, spleen, and the circulatory and excretory systems, thereby activating and optimizing them.
Word of Caution: Being a nervous stimulant, those with epilepsy, hysteria, or a history of either, should avoid using it. Furthermore, since it contains camphor and camphene, which are toxic in nature, it should be avoided during pregnancy.
Blending: Essential oil of sage blends well with the essential oils of Clary Sage, Geranium, Ginger, Lavender, Orange, Vetiver, Neroli, Rosemaryand Tea tree.