Clary Sage Research Summary

Clary Sage in Biosynthesis: Researchers explored the biosynthesis of (-)-sclareol, a diterpene in Salvia sclarea used in the flavor and fragrance industry. They identified a gene responsible for encoding a key enzyme in sclareol production and found that this enzyme incorporates water into its product, a feature uncommon in its enzyme class.

Effects of Gamma Irradiation: A study on clary sage seeds revealed that gamma irradiation affects moisture, oil, and ash contents, with the highest dose increasing phenolic content and antiradical activity. However, it also reduced antioxidant activity and altered the seeds' fatty acid composition and volatile compounds, suggesting low irradiation doses are preferable for maintaining seed quality.

Repellent Activity: Essential oils from Salvia species, including clary sage, showed significant repellent effects against the mosquito Aedes albopictus. Clary sage oil provided repellency for up to 64.2 minutes, with potential for development into mosquito repellent formulations.

Sclareol Accumulation Sites: Contrary to previous beliefs, sclareol in clary sage accumulates as epicuticular crystals mainly on the calyces, rather than in oil pockets of secretory trichomes.

Diterpene Synthase Enzymes: Two distinct enzymes in clary sage contribute to sclareol biosynthesis. These enzymes, when expressed in yeast, can synthesize sclareol, indicating potential for biotechnological applications in its commercial production.

Antibacterial Activity: Diterpenoids from clary sage hairy roots showed activity against drug-resistant Staphylococcus strains, both in planktonic cultures and in biofilms. They enhanced the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics and altered the biofilms' structure.

Antidepressant and Analgesic Effects: Clary sage oil exhibited potent antidepressant effects, potentially linked to dopamine modulation. It also effectively reduced menstrual cramp levels and dysmenorrhea severity in a study on female college students, suggesting its use as a nursing care intervention.

Regulatory T Cells and Autoimmune Diseases: Research indicates that CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells play a critical role in immune self-tolerance and that their absence leads to autoimmune diseases. Foxp3 was identified as a critical gene for the development of these cells.

Cancer and Immunotherapy: Studies show that sclareol has anti-cancer properties and can modulate the immune response, with potential as a therapeutic agent. Liposome-encapsulated sclareol effectively reduced tumor growth in vivo.

Clary Sage for Women's Health: Aromatherapy with clary sage oil was found to reduce menstrual cramps, and inhaling the oil may induce relaxation in women with urinary incontinence during urodynamic assessments.

References:

1. A diterpene synthase from the clary sage Salvia sclarea catalyzes the cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to (8R)-hydroxy-copalyl diphosphate
2. Effect of γ-irradiation on bioactivity, fatty acid compositions and volatile compounds of clary sage seed (Salvia sclarea L.)
3. Repellent effect of Salvia dorisiana, S. longifolia, and S. sclarea (Lamiaceae) essential oils against the mosquito Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae)
4. Extracellular localization of the diterpene sclareol in clary sage (Salvia sclarea L., Lamiaceae)
5. Discovery and functional characterization of two diterpene synthases for sclareol biosynthesis in Salvia sclarea (L.) and their relevance for perfume manufacture
6. Amphilectane diterpenes from Salvia sclarea: biosynthetic considerations
7. Salvipisone and aethiopinone from Salvia sclarea hairy roots modulate staphylococcal antibiotic resistance and express anti-biofilm activity
8. In vitro antioxidant activities and an investigation of neuroprotection by six Salvia species from Iran: a comparative study
9. Antidepressant-like effect of Salvia sclarea is explained by modulation of dopamine activities in rats
10. Effect of aromatherapy on symptoms of dysmenorrhea in college students: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial
11. Factors influencing the prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhoea in young women
12. Pain relief assessment by aromatic essential oil massage on outpatients with primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial
13. Randomized controlled trial for Salvia sclarea or Lavandula angustifolia: differential effects on blood pressure in female patients with urinary incontinence undergoing urodynamic examination
14. Intratumoral injection of IL-12 plasmid DNA--results of a phase I/IB clinical trial
15. Immunologic self-tolerance maintained by activated T cells expressing IL-2 receptor alpha-chains (CD25). Breakdown of a single mechanism of self-tolerance causes various autoimmune diseases
16. Control of regulatory T cell development by the transcription factor Foxp3
17. Induction of circulating myelin basic protein and proteolipid protein-specific transforming growth factor-beta1-secreting Th3 T cells by oral administration of myelin in multiple sclerosis patients
18. Regulatory CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells in tumors from patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer and late-stage ovarian cancer
19. Sclareol modulates the Treg intra-tumoral infiltrated cell and inhibits tumor growth in vivo
20. Cytotoxic and antitumor activity of liposome-incorporated sclareol against cancer cell lines and human colon cancer xenografts
21. Sclareol induces apoptosis in human HCT116 colon cancer cells in vitro and suppression of HCT116 tumor growth in immunodeficient mice
22. The effect of sclareol on growth and cell cycle progression of human leukemic cell lines