Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

are the flowering tops and leaves, from which
an essential oil is obtained by steam distilla-
tion and an absolute obtained by solvent
extraction (ARCTANDER;POUCHER).^1

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Essential oil, which largely containsa-terpin-
eol,a-terpinyl, linalool, linalyl acetate, ger-
anyl acetate, germacrene D,b-caryopyllene,
nerol, neryl acetate, myrcene, and the diter-
pene alcohols, manool, and sclareol, is ob-
tained from the flowering tops and leaves.2–5
The oil of the leaves contains high amounts of
germacrene D.^4 The essential oil and flowers
contain 1-methoxyhexane-3-thiol, one of the
most potent odorants known, having a unique
odor profile described as alliaceous, herba-
ceous-green, and perspirant.^6 Some commer-
cial and genuine samples of the essential oil
containtrans-anethole.^7 The yield of the vol-
atile oil and the relative concentrations of its
components vary with the sources (MASADA;
POUCHER).8–11 An acetone extract of the
whole plant collected in Turkey contained
various diterpenes (candidissiol, ferruginol,
manool, microstegiol, 7-oxoroyleanone,
sclareol, 7-oxoferruginol-18-al, and 2,3-dehy-
drosalvipisone), sesquiterpenes (caryophyl-
lene oxide and spathulenol), and flavonoids
(apigenin, 4^0 -methylapigenin, 6-hydroxy
apigenin-7,4^0 -dimethyl ether, luteolin, and
6-hydroxyluteolin-6).^12

PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES

Clary sage oil has shownin vitroantimicrobial
(Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus,
and S. epidermis) and antifungal activities
(Candida albicans). Active constituents were
identified as linalool anda-terpineol.^3 Other
antimicrobial compounds obtained from the
whole plant include caryophyllene oxide,
2,3-dehydrosalvipisone, and 7-oxoroylea-
none.^12 Amethanolicextractofthedriedleaves
and stems showed high antioxidant activity in

the DPPH radical scavenging assay.^13 The oil

has also shown activity against the growth of

Trichomonas vaginalis^14 and anticonvulsive

activity in animals; it also potentiated the nar-

cotic effects of Evipam and chloral hydrate.^15

TOXICOLOGY

Except for being moderately irritating to rab-

bit skin, available data indicate clary sage oil

to be generally nontoxic.^16 The essential oil

failed to showin vitroDNA-damaging acti-

vity.^17 The oral LD 50 of theessential in rodents

was over 5 g/kg (TISSERAND AND BALAZS).

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.

Both oil and absolute are used as fragrance

components in soaps, detergents, creams,

lotions, and perfumes (e.g., eau de cologne).

Maximum use level reported for the oil is

0.8% in perfumes.^16

Food. While clary sage is reportedly used

only in beverages (e.g., wines and liqueurs

with muscatel flavor), clary sage oil is used

rather extensively in major food products such

as alcoholic (vermouths, etc.) and nonalcohol-

ic beverages, frozen dairy desserts, candy,

baked goods, gelatins and puddings, and con-

diments and relishes. Highest average maxi-

mum use level reported is about 0.016%

(155 ppm) for the oil in alcoholic beverages.

Traditional Medicine. The flowering tops

and leaves have been used to treat catarrh and

as an antiseptic and emmenagogue (BOULOS);

herb also used as a stomachic in digestive

disorders, as an antispasmodic, and powdered

to serve as a snuff to treat headache (UPHOF)

and in kidney diseases. Mucilage of seeds is

used in tumors and in removing dust particles

from the eyes, among others.^18

Others. After the essential oil is removed

by distillation, the crude material is used as

Clary sage 205