Salvia aegyptiaca
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643feb8f2312d110960471 |
| Scientific name | Salvia aegyptiaca |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 23 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among the Bedouin of the Sinai Peninsula, dried leaves of Salvia aegyptiaca are infused in hot water and drunk as a mild tea to relieve cough and cold symptoms (Al‑Masri et al., 2018). In the Balochistan province of Pakistan, rural healers simmer dried aerial parts for fifteen minutes to make a decoction taken after meals for dyspepsia and abdominal discomfort (Khan et al., 2020). Omani traditional healers in the Al‑Batinah region crush fresh leaves and stems and apply the moist mass as a poultice to minor wounds, a practice documented by Al‑Farisi et al., 2019. Ethiopian practitioners in Sidama traditionally macerate the aerial parts in a water‑alcohol mixture for two weeks, filtering the liquid into a fever‑reducing tincture, as reported by Mekonnen and Kebede, 2019. These three cultures and the reported plant parts (leaves, aerial parts, fresh stems) demonstrate a clear pattern of using infusions, decoctions and macerations.
A practical way to prepare a classic mild tea is to use 1 g of dried Salvia aegyptiaca leaves per 200 mL of freshly boiled water, cover and steep for 5–10 minutes, then strain. The resulting infusion can be taken up to three times a day for the temporary relief of cough or cold. Safety note: the plant contains α‑thujone, a mild neurotoxin, so pregnant women and individuals with epilepsy should avoid using it, and the total daily intake should not exceed the dose suggested in the reference monograph (Al‑Masri et al., 2018).
Chemical analyses of the species have consistently identified an essential‑oil fraction rich in 1,8‑cineole (eucalyptol), camphor and α‑thujone, together with flavonoids such as luteolin‑7‑O‑glucoside and apigenin, and phenolic acids like rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid (Ghanem et al., 2015; Al‑Masri et al., 2018). These constituents provide plausible mechanisms for the expectorant, anti‑inflammatory and antimicrobial actions reported in the ethnobotanical surveys.
Modern relevance is evident in the growing body of in‑vitro studies confirming the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the essential oil and rosmarinic‑acid‑rich extracts, and in the increasing commercial availability of Salvia aegyptiaca leaf tea as a herbal supplement. While clinical trials are still limited, ongoing research and continued traditional use in the regions described above suggest that this modest sage will remain a useful part of both ethnobotanical practice and contemporary phytotherapy.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
• Seed oil (limited non-medicinal technical or food applications reported); essential oil and extracts from aerial parts used as fragrance components; leaves occasionally employed as a flavoring or tea substitute (non-medicinal, food/beverage contexts).
Industrial and craft applications:
• Essential oils and extracts from leaves/flowering tops are incorporated into fragrance matrices; leaf/seed extracts are used as natural flavoring agents; triterpenoids isolated from the plant are employed as chemical standards in fragrance/flavor analytical chemistry.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
• Leaves used as an herbal seasoning or tea substitute (non-medicinal beverage); leaf/seed extracts serve as natural flavoring ingredients in food products.
Colorants and tanning:
• No documented tannin, dye, or ink uses reported for the taxon.
Wood and fiber:
• No documented timber, pulp, bast fiber, or cordage uses reported for the taxon.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
• Leaf/flowering-top essential oils and extracts incorporated into fragrance compositions; leaf/seed extracts used as flavor/fragrance ingredients; triterpenoid phytochemicals (e.g., oleanolic and ursolic acids) are referenced as natural product standards and quality markers in fragrance/flavor chemistry.
Properties relevant to use:
• Essential oil composition characterized by monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes (e.g., camphor, 1,8-cineole, α-pinene) suitable for fragrance applications; presence of oleanolic and ursolic acids facilitates standardization and authentication as natural product markers.
Standards and regulation:
• No distinct ISO/ASTM/EN standards are identified for this taxon’s materials; food and fragrance uses must comply with general national/international regulations for natural flavoring and fragrance materials (e.g., FEMA GRAS or equivalent regional authorities, and good manufacturing practice requirements).
Sustainability and sourcing:
• Wild collection in arid regions raises habitat and overharvest concerns; sourcing from cultivated material where possible is recommended to reduce pressure on wild populations.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Melissa perennis | Forssk. | Fl. Aegypt.-Arab. : 108 (1775) |
| Salvia arida | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 73 (1796) |
| Salvia gabrieli | Rech.f. | Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 71: 538 (1941) |
| Salvia pumila | Benth. | Labiat. Gen. Spec. : 726 (1835) |
| Thymus hirtus | Viv. | Fl. Libyc. Spec. : 30 (1824) |
| Thymus syrticus | Spreng. | Syst. Veg. 2: 697 (1825) |
| Salvia aegyptiaca var. intermedia | E.Peter | Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 39: 182. 1936 |
| Salvia aegyptiaca var. pumila | (Benth.) Asch. & Schweinf. ex I.Löw | Sitzungsber. Kaiserl. Akad. Wiss., Phil. Hist. Cl. 161(3): 28 (1909) |
| Salvia aegyptiaca var. glandulosissima | Bornm. & Kneuck. | Allg. Bot. Z. Syst. 22: 4 (1916) |
| Salvia aegyptiaca f. colorata | Maire | Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Afrique N. 23: 205 (1932) |
| Salvia aegyptiaca f. albiflora | Sauvage | Mém. Off. Nat. Anti-Acridien 2: 34 (1947) |
| Pleudia aegyptiaca | (L.) M.Will, N.Schmalz & Class.-Bockh. | Turkish J. Bot. 39: 701 (2015) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Arabic | قصعين مصري |
| Arabic | شجرة الغزال |
| Arabic | بشارى |
| Arabic | رعلة |
| Persian | مریمگلی مصری |
| Finnish | egyptinsalvia |
| French | sauge égyptienne |
| Pashto | ملنگيان |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Canary Islands
- Cape Verde
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Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Eritrea
- Somalia
- Sudan
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Libya
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Western Sahara
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West Tropical Africa
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
-
Macaronesia
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
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Arabian Peninsula
- Gulf States
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- Yemen
-
Western Asia
- Afghanistan
- Iran
- Iraq
- Palestine
- Sinai
-
Arabian Peninsula
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- India
- Pakistan
- West Himalaya
-
Indian Subcontinent
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000300188 |
| Tropicos | 17600564 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:455578-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-181899 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 626525 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 392645 |
| IPNI | 455578-1 |
| iNaturalist | 467538 |
| GBIF | 3886367 |
| Freebase | /m/0j249lg |
| EOL | 6341516 |
| USDA GRIN | 32901 |
| Wikipedia | Salvia_aegyptiaca |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Anthracenes / Anthraquinones | |||||
| 1,4-Anthracenedione, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-hydroxy-3-[(1R)-2-hydroxy-1-methylethyl]-5,5,9-trimethyl- | 389887 | Click to see | 328.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/JO00278A021 |
| 3,6,10,10-Tetramethyl-2,3,7,8,9,10-hexahydroanthra[1,2-b]furan-4,5-dione | 358230 | Click to see | 310.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/JO00278A021 |
| Agyptenone A | 366408 | Click to see CC1COC2=C1C(=O)C(=O)C3=C(C4=C(C=C32)C(CCC4)(C)C)C | 310.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/JO00278A021 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids / Colensane and clerodane diterpenoids | |||||
| [(1S,3R,5R,6aS,7R,8R,10aS)-1,3-diacetyloxy-7,8-dimethyl-7-(3-methylidenepent-4-enyl)-1,3,5,6,6a,8,9,10-octahydrobenzo[d][2]benzofuran-5-yl] (2R)-2-methylbutanoate | 162902517 | Click to see | 502.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/JO00278A021 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids / Tanshinones, isotanshinones, and derivatives | |||||
| 1,5,6,6-tetramethyl-2,7,8,9-tetrahydro-1H-naphtho[1,2-g][1]benzofuran-10,11-dione | 78385278 | Click to see | 310.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| 6-Methylcryptotanshinone | 5319568 | Click to see | 310.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (+)-Ursolic Acid | 64945 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/CHIN.200431151 |
| (4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,10S,12aS)-10-hydroxy-2,2,6a,6b,9,9,12a-heptamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12-dodecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 15226483 | Click to see | 454.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| 10-Hydroxy-2,2,6a,6b,9,9,12a-heptamethyl-1,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12-dodecahydropicene-4a-carboxylic acid | 76141271 | Click to see | 454.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| 3-Hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid | 619166 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/CHIN.200431151 |
| Oleanolic Acid | 10494 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 https://doi.org/10.1002/CHIN.200431151 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (-)-beta-Sitosterol | 222284 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| (3S,8S,9S,10R,13R,14S,17R)-17-[(E,2S,5S)-5-Ethyl-6-methylhept-3-en-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 12314479 | Click to see CCC(C=CC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 412.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| 17-(5-ethyl-6-methylhept-3-en-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 122544 | Click to see | 412.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| 17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 86821 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1002/CHIN.200431151 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| beta-Sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside | 296119 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| Sitogluside | 5742590 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| Sitoindoside I | 9832350 | Click to see | 815.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| Stigmast-5-en-3-ol | 22012 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 https://doi.org/10.1002/CHIN.200431151 |
| Stigmasterol | 5280794 | Click to see | 412.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Naphthofurans | |||||
| (3R,4'R)-4',5,6,6-tetramethylspiro[8,9-dihydro-7H-benzo[g][2]benzofuran-3,2'-oxolane]-1-one | 5319567 | Click to see CC1CC2(C3=C(C4=C(C(=C3)C)C(CCC4)(C)C)C(=O)O2)OC1 | 300.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| (3S,4'R)-4',5,6,6-tetramethylspiro[8,9-dihydro-7H-benzo[g][2]benzofuran-3,2'-oxolane]-1-one | 162966636 | Click to see | 300.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| (3S,4'S)-4',5,6,6-tetramethylspiro[8,9-dihydro-7H-benzo[g][2]benzofuran-3,2'-oxolane]-1-one | 162966637 | Click to see CC1CC2(C3=C(C4=C(C(=C3)C)C(CCC4)(C)C)C(=O)O2)OC1 | 300.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| 4',5,6,6-tetramethylspiro[8,9-dihydro-7H-benzo[g][2]benzofuran-3,2'-oxolane]-1-one | 78385277 | Click to see CC1CC2(C3=C(C4=C(C(=C3)C)C(CCC4)(C)C)C(=O)O2)OC1 | 300.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| 6-Methylcryptoacetalide | 5319566 | Click to see CC1CC2(C3=C(C4=C(C(=C3)C)C(CCC4)(C)C)C(=O)O2)OC1 | 300.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives | |||||
| Methylumbelliferone | 10748 | Click to see | 176.17 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00415-0 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides / Flavonoid 8-C-glycosides | |||||
| 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-6-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]-8-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]chromen-4-one | 162154303 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C(=C(C(=C3O2)C4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)C5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)O)O)O | 610.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(01)00415-0 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 7-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| 5,6-Dihydroxy-7,3',4'-Trimethoxyflavone | 10020367 | Click to see | 344.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
| Gonzalitosin I | 5272653 | Click to see | 328.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00283-2 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |