Natural Compounds of Salvia L. Genus and Molecular Mechanism of Their Biological Activity

Abstract

The study of medicinal plants is important, as they are the natural reserve of potent biologically active compounds. With wide use in traditional medicine and the inclusion of several species (as parts and as a whole plant) in pharmacopeia, species from the genus Salvia L. are known for the broad spectrum of their biological activities. Studies suggest that these plants possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiangiogenic, hepatoprotective, cognitive and memory-enhancing effects. Phenolic acids, terpenoids and flavonoids are important phytochemicals, which are primarily responsible for the medicinal activity of Salvia L. This review collects and summarizes currently available data on the pharmacological properties of sage, outlining its principal physiologically active components, and it explores the molecular mechanism of their biological activity. Particular attention was given to the species commonly found in Kazakhstan, especially to Salvia trautvetteri Regel, which is native to this country.

Aqueous sage leave extract attenuates inflammation and oxidant-induced genotoxicity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

“…Since both cytokines are involved in the same immune response pathway, these results are unexpected. Most research reports inhibition of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α ( 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ). In our study, the opposite response of IL-1β and TNF-α to sage extract treatment may indicate the activation of other independent immunomodulatory pathways and polypharmacological effects owed to the extract's complex composition.…”