White Sage (Salvia apiana)–a Ritual and Medicinal Plant of the Chaparral: Plant Characteristics in Comparison with Other Salvia Species

Abstract

Salvia apiana, commonly known as white sage, is an aromatic evergreen subshrub of the chaparral, commonly found in coastal plains in California and Baja California. It has been traditionally used by the Chumash people as a ritual and medicinal plant and used as a calmative, a diuretic, and a remedy for the common cold. However, until recently, relatively little has been known about the composition and biological activity of white sage. Phytochemical studies on S. apiana revealed the presence of substantial amounts of essential oil, accompanied by a variety of triterpenes, C23 terpenoids, diterpenes, and flavonoids. Extracts of the plant have been shown to exhibit antioxidative, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic effects. The influence of white sage constituents on the nervous system, including GABA, opioid, and cannabinoid receptors, has also been documented. The review aimed to compile information on the taxonomy, botany, chemical composition, and biological activities of S. apiana. White sage was compared with other representatives of the genus in terms of chemical composition. The differences and similarities between S. apiana and other sage species were noted and discussed in the context of their therapeutic applications. Reports on ethnomedicinal uses of white sage were confronted with reports on chemistry, bioactivity, and bioavailability of S. apiana constituents. Finally, a critical assessment of the available data was made and perspectives for the use of white sage preparations in modern phytomedicine were discussed.

Identification of Abietane-Type Diterpenoids and Phenolic Acids Biosynthesis Genes in Salvia apiana Jepson Through Full-Length Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiling

“…This was a little earlier than the previous estimation (17.6 Mya) according to the phylogeny between Salvia bowleyana ( S. bowleyana ), S. splendens , and S. miltiorrhiza (Zheng et al, 2021 ). However, both results suggested that the two lineages were diverged during late Oligocene or early Miocene, which is consisted with previous studies of the Salvia lineages (Kriebel et al, 2019 ; Krol et al, 2021 ). However, S. apiana had not been considered yet, which added nuclear gene information for North America taxa.…”

“…The application history of S. apiana is unique due to its distribution area. It is widely used by the Chumash Indians as diaphoretic, calmative, diuretic, and antimicrobial agent, as well as a burning sage used in religious practices (called khapshikh or xapcix) (Walker et al, 2015 ; Krol et al, 2021 ). In modern times, S. apiana is demonstrated to have pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic, analgesic, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antitumor activities, owing to its special chemical constitution (Khan et al, 2016 ; Saeed et al, 2016 ; Srivedavyasasri et al, 2017 ; Afonso et al, 2019 ; Krol et al, 2021 ).…”

“…It is widely used by the Chumash Indians as diaphoretic, calmative, diuretic, and antimicrobial agent, as well as a burning sage used in religious practices (called khapshikh or xapcix) (Walker et al, 2015 ; Krol et al, 2021 ). In modern times, S. apiana is demonstrated to have pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic, analgesic, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antitumor activities, owing to its special chemical constitution (Khan et al, 2016 ; Saeed et al, 2016 ; Srivedavyasasri et al, 2017 ; Afonso et al, 2019 ; Krol et al, 2021 ). Previous phytochemical studies on S. apiana have identified substantial amounts of essential oil, accompanied by a variety of triterpenes, C23 terpenoids, diterpenes, flavonoids, and phenolic acids (PAs) (Krol et al, 2021 ).…”

“…In modern times, S. apiana is demonstrated to have pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic, analgesic, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antitumor activities, owing to its special chemical constitution (Khan et al, 2016 ; Saeed et al, 2016 ; Srivedavyasasri et al, 2017 ; Afonso et al, 2019 ; Krol et al, 2021 ). Previous phytochemical studies on S. apiana have identified substantial amounts of essential oil, accompanied by a variety of triterpenes, C23 terpenoids, diterpenes, flavonoids, and phenolic acids (PAs) (Krol et al, 2021 ). A distinctive metabolic feature of S. apiana is that it can produce abietane-type diterpenoids (ATDs) in the aerial part of the plant, while the other American Salvia species can only produce clerodane derivatives (Dentali, 1991 ; Bisio et al, 2019 ; Krol et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Previous phytochemical studies on S. apiana have identified substantial amounts of essential oil, accompanied by a variety of triterpenes, C23 terpenoids, diterpenes, flavonoids, and phenolic acids (PAs) (Krol et al, 2021 ). A distinctive metabolic feature of S. apiana is that it can produce abietane-type diterpenoids (ATDs) in the aerial part of the plant, while the other American Salvia species can only produce clerodane derivatives (Dentali, 1991 ; Bisio et al, 2019 ; Krol et al, 2021 ). Carnosic acid and its derivatives, such as 16-hydroxycarnosic acid, rosmanol, and 16-hydroxycarnosol, etc., constituted the majority of this chemical group (Luis et al, 1996 ).…”