Scharlei of muskaatsalie is een forse, tweejarige plant met grote wollige bladeren, de violette schutbladen om de lichtblauwe bloemen zorgen voor een opvallend geheel. De plant behoort tot de lipbloemenfamilie (Labiatae) en komt van nature vooral in het Zuidoosten van Europa voor. Scharlei groeit het liefst op een zonnige plek in de tuin, op een goed doorlatende grond.
Scharlei is een geneeskrachtige plant die onder meer helpt bij ontstekingen en vaak aan tandpasta wordt toegevoegd. Ook is het een goede combinatie-, bijen- en vlinderplant voor in de moestuin, wanneer de planten naast de koolgewassen worden geplant blijven de koolwitjes op afstand van de kool.
Je kan zaaien van mei tot juli in de volle grond en op een zonnige plek, na opkomst verspenen, een plantafstand van 40 centimeter aanhouden.
De plant was bekend bij en werd al gebruikt door de Ouden en is inheems in Syrië, Italië, Frankrijk en Zwitserland. Hij wordt in Frankrijk en Rusland verbouwd voor de productie van etherische olie. Mevrouw Grieve vermeldt dat hij in 1562 in Engeland werd geïntroduceerd. In de middeleeuwen werd hij in Europa gebruikt, maar in latere jaren is het gebruik voor medicinale doeleinden afgenomen en ten slotte verdwenen. In dit opzicht is hij verdrongen door de echte salie, Salvia officinalis.
In Duitsland staat scharlei bekend als ‘muskatelter Salbei’. Kennelijk werd hij oorspronkelijk door Duitse wijnmakers gebruikt om echte muskaatlwijn te imiteren of te vervalsen. Scharlei-olie voor massage gebruikt, kan een euforisch gevoel veroorzaken. Verwijzingen naar dat effect vinden we ook terug bij Waller (1822) die schrijft dat muskaatsalie gebruikt wordt ter vervanging van hop in het bier, waardoor het bier een zeer bittere smaak en giftige eigenschappen krijgt, wat een effect van krankzinnige vrolijkheid veroorzaakt, gevolgd door zware hoofdpijn.
Lobelius zegt: ‘Sommige brouwers van Engels en ander bier doen hem in hun producten om de drank koppiger te maken, om dronkaards tegemoet te komen die daarbij, afhankelijk van hun diverse stadia van voorbereiding, laveloos, vrolijk dronken of
stomdronken werden.’
Culpeper over scharlei
En ook Nicholas Culpeper schrijft: ‘.[I].. De zaden of bladeren in wijn ingenomen stemmen tot zinnelijk genot.[/I]’ Verder vermeldt hij wel vele medicinale kwaliteiten: 'De bladeren toegepast met azijn waarin al of niet een beetje honing helpt bij steenpuisten, fijt en de hete ontstekingen. Het is van groot nut voor mannen zowel als vrouwen die een zwakke rug bezitten en helpt de nieren te
versterken. . . Het sap van dit kruid in Engels of ander bier gedronken bevordert de bevalling en drijft de nageboorte uit.' Klinkt wel wat gevaarlijk en verwijst ook naar de hormonale werking van muskaatsalie, te vergelijken met het oestrogeeneffect van de echte salie.
Dodoens en anderen over scharlei
Ook Dodoens vermeldt de mogelijk hormonale, oestrogene en lustopwekkende werking: 'Scharleye met spijse ghegheten oft ghesoden ende ghedroncken doet den vrouwen huer natuerlijcke cranckheyt comen/ ende maeckt lust tot byslapen.’
Volgens recentere maar toch oudere wetenschappelijke onderzoeken van Caujolle (1945)veroorzaakt de etherische olie een verhoging van de bloeddruk bij honden. Mogelijk door stimulering van adrenaline, het effect werd wel verkregen door intraveneuze inspuitingen, wel nogal extreem als je het mij vraagt. Gattefossé (1973), de uitvinder van de naam aromatherapie, vond juist een lichte bloeddrukverlagende werking.
In de moderne aromatherapie
*bij overspanning en vermoeidheid: 5 druppels scharlei, 5 druppels citroen, 5 druppel sinaasappel mengen met wat melk, room of een lepeltje honing. Toevoegen aan een warm bad en 15 minuten baden.
*bij menstruatiepijnen: 5 druppels salvia sclarea, 5 druppels cipres en 5 druppels sinaasappel mengen met een beetje melk, room of een lepeltje honing. Dit toevoegen aan een warm bad en 15 minuten baden.
*bij menstruatiepijnen: 3 druppels scharlei, 5 druppels cipres en 2 druppels sinaas-appel mengen met 10 ml. jojoba olie en hiermee de buik masseren.
*bij cellulitis: voor een goed resultaat moet minstens 2 keer per week een bad en 3 keer per week een massage genomen worden. Meng 10 druppels scharlei, 5 druppels ceder, 5 druppels salie, 5 druppels lemongrass, 5 druppels cipres en 15 druppels sinaasappel met 50 ml notenolie. Dit mengsel in de huid masseren minstens 3 keer per week.
Salvia sclarea (of the family Lamiaceae; the Mint family), more commonly referred to as Clary Sage, is an aromatic herb. It is used highly in the perfume industry as the main bioactive, (-)-Sclareol, can be synthesized into Ambrox (an aromatic found from naturally in Ambergris, but is rare from its natural source).[3]
It is sometimes drunk as a tea in Turkey, where it is known as misk sage tea.[4]
Clary sage also has usage as an insect repellant.[5]
1.1. Composition
The labdane type diterpene (-)-Sclareol, at 0.002-0.026% essential oil but can be up to 1.5% with solid/liquid extraction.[6] The isomer 13-episclareol also exists, with both being biosynthesized from geranylgeranyl diphosphate.[3][7] Sclareol oxide has also been detected[8]
Manool and 13-epimanool (as well as the latter's oxide), structurally similar to Sclareol[8]
Salviatrienes A and B at 4.5% and 1% of the folded essential oil[8]
E,E-α-farnesene[8]
Salvipisone[9]
Aethiopinone[9]
α-eudesmol, δ-cadinene, and δ-amorphene (aromatics)[8]
The seeds of Clary sage have a 17.66+/-0.11% protein content and 27.24+/-1.32% essential oil content with 5.23+/-0.04% ash content.[4] The fatty acid composition is mostly α-linoleic acid (C18:3 n3) at 52.1+/-0.04% of fatty acids and oleic acid (C18:1 n9) at 22.05+/-0.01%.[4]
2Neurology
2.1. Neuroprotection
The antioxidant potential of Clary Sage in vitro is thought to exert neuroprotective effects, although it underperformed relative to other species of Salvia in protecting neuronal cells from DNA damage.[10]
2.2. Depression
The essential oil of Clary Sage, following either intraperitoneal injection (0.05-0.2mL essential oil per kg bodyweight) or inhalation (1mL essential oil in warm water to release the aroma) to rats, showed anti-depressant actions in a Forced Swim Test model with a potency greater than that of Anthemis nobilis (Chamomile), Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary), and Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) and comparable to the active controls of Imipramine (30mg/kg) and fluoxetine (1.8mg/kg); this anti-depressant effect was blocked with dopamine antagonists and buspirone, a serotonin receptor (5-HT1A) antagonist.[11] When serum corticosteroids were measured (to assess the stress response), there was no significant effect of Clary Sage.[11]
Appears to have anti-depressant effects in rats, and this has been noted with the aroma of Clary Sage
2.3. Pain
In 61 college-aged females with higher than average menstrual pain (6-10 on a VAS rating scale), an abdominal massage with 2 drops of Lavandula officinalis (Lavender) to one drop Clary Sage and one drop Rosa centifolia (Rose Essential Oil) was compared to placebo aromatherapy (almond oil, same method of appplication and volume of 5cc) and control (no aromatherapy). It was noted that aromatherapy was associated with an average reduction in pain from 7 (0-10 rating scale) down to 5 and then 3 on days 1 and 2, respectively; control failed to reduce pain, and placebo aromatherapy appears to work in some persons to a lesser extent than combination therapy (herb intervention still significantly greater than the placebo group).[1] The authors noted that although heavier flows appears to be correlated with greater pain,[12] that there were no significant difference between groups.[1] A similar application method with a similar aromatherapy (Rose switched for Origanum majorana; Marjoram) noted that in persons with diagnosed primary dysmenorrhea given aromatherapy (placebo given synthestic scents; different molecules) that the herbal aromatherapy group experienced significantly greater pain relief associated with menstrual symptoms.[2]
The latter study noted that the majority or aromatics were five molecules; linalyl acetate (36.84%), linalool (22.53%), eucalyptol (17.21%), β-caryophyllene (2.69%), and α‐terpineol (3.29%). It is thought that these aromatics are likely to mediated the anaglesic effects noted.[2]
Combination therapy with at least Clary Sage and Lavender appears to be effective in reducing menstrual pain (no indiciation if this extends to pain in general or just menstrual pain), but currently no studies use Clary Sage in isolation and thus its efficacy in isolation cannot be determined
3Cardiovascular Health
3.1. Blood Pressure
One study using Salvia Sclarea essential oil vapors (aromatherapy) in females with urinary incontinence undergoing urodynamic assessment noted that inhalation of Salvia Sclarea for 60 minutes was associated with a drop in systolic blood pressure relative to plcebo (almond oil), a drop in diastolic relative to Lavender scent but not placebo, and a decrease in respiratory rate relative to placebo.[13] The drop in diastolic, which was not statistically significant relative to placebo, was because Lavender trended to increase blood pressure slightly.[13]
At least one study to support Clary Sage reducing blood pressure via aromatherapy
4Interactions with Cancer Metabolism
4.1. Immunological Interactions
CD4+CD25+ T-cells are produced in the thymus[14] or in the periphery via conversion from other T-cells[15] and express Foxp3+ to positively influence development and function.[16] CD4+CD25+ may accumulate at the site of tumors[17] where they suppress the activity of cytotoxic T-cells[18]
In mice bearing breast tumors who were then given an injection of isolated Sclareol (7.85mcg daily) directly into the tumor noted that the tumor did not grow in volume, while control experienced a standard growth rate; this was associated with an increase in IFN-γ with a concomitant decrease in IL-4 and reduced levels of the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg (T regulatory) immune cell.[19] The suppression of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cell concentration is thought to preserve T-cell mediated cytotoxicity towards tumor cells, and was as effective as the active control of Cyclophosphamide.[19]
May have mechanisms to preserve T-cell cytotoxicity towards tumor cells via reducing the levels of a suppressive T-cell
4.2. Colon
HCT116 tumor-bearing mice appear to have reduced tumor size in response to injections of Sclareol (following liposomal incorporation, 1100mg/kg over 5 days with 50% dosing decrements),[20] and suppression of HCT116 tumors has been noted elsewhere in immunodeficient mice.[21]
4.3. Leukemia
Sclareol has been noted to induce apoptosis in B and T lymphocytic tumor cells with an IC50 below 20µg/mL via apoptotic means.[22] This general cytotoxcity appears to extend to most cancer cell lines testes, and one study using CCRF-CEM leukemic cells as well as normal immune cells (resting and PMA activated PMBCs) noted that free sclareol did not show any therapeutic index (GI50 between 33.1-35µM) while liposomal sclaerol had a GI50 of less than 15µM on leukemic cells and over 100µM on normal cells.[20]
Scientific Support & Reference Citations
References
Han SH, et al Effect of aromatherapy on symptoms of dysmenorrhea in college students: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial . J Altern Complement Med. (2006)
Ou MC, et al Pain relief assessment by aromatic essential oil massage on outpatients with primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial . J Obstet Gynaecol Res. (2012)
Günnewich N, et al A diterpene synthase from the clary sage Salvia sclarea catalyzes the cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to (8R)-hydroxy-copalyl diphosphate . Phytochemistry. (2012)
Yalcin H, et al Effect of γ-irradiation on bioactivity, fatty acid compositions and volatile compounds of clary sage seed (Salvia sclarea L.) . J Food Sci. (2011)
Conti B, et al Repellent effect of Salvia dorisiana, S. longifolia, and S. sclarea (Lamiaceae) essential oils against the mosquito Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae) . Parasitol Res. (2012)
Caissard JC, et al Extracellular localization of the diterpene sclareol in clary sage (Salvia sclarea L., Lamiaceae) . PLoS One. (2012)
Caniard A, et al Discovery and functional characterization of two diterpene synthases for sclareol biosynthesis in Salvia sclarea (L.) and their relevance for perfume manufacture . BMC Plant Biol. (2012)
Laville R, et al Amphilectane diterpenes from Salvia sclarea: biosynthetic considerations . J Nat Prod. (2012)
Walencka E, et al Salvipisone and aethiopinone from Salvia sclarea hairy roots modulate staphylococcal antibiotic resistance and express anti-biofilm activity . Planta Med. (2007)
Asadi S, et al In vitro antioxidant activities and an investigation of neuroprotection by six Salvia species from Iran: a comparative study . Food Chem Toxicol. (2010)
Seol GH, et al Antidepressant-like effect of Salvia sclarea is explained by modulation of dopamine activities in rats . J Ethnopharmacol. (2010)
Sundell G, Milsom I, Andersch B Factors influencing the prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhoea in young women . Br J Obstet Gynaecol. (1990)
Seol GH, et al Randomized Controlled Trial for Salvia sclarea or Lavandula angustifolia: Differential Effects on Blood Pressure in Female Patients with Urinary Incontinence Undergoing Urodynamic Examination . J Altern Complement Med. (2013)
Mahvi DM, et al Intratumoral injection of IL-12 plasmid DNA--results of a phase I/IB clinical trial . Cancer Gene Ther. (2007)
Sakaguchi S, et al 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 . J Immunol. (1995)
Hori S, Nomura T, Sakaguchi S Control of regulatory T cell development by the transcription factor Foxp3 . Science. (2003)
Fukaura H, et al 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 . J Clin Invest. (1996)
Woo EY, et al Regulatory CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells in tumors from patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer and late-stage ovarian cancer . Cancer Res. (2001)
Noori S, et al Sclareol modulates the Treg intra-tumoral infiltrated cell and inhibits tumor growth in vivo . Cell Immunol. (2010)
Hatziantoniou S, et al Cytotoxic and antitumor activity of liposome-incorporated sclareol against cancer cell lines and human colon cancer xenografts . Pharmacol Res. (2006)
Dimas K, et al Sclareol induces apoptosis in human HCT116 colon cancer cells in vitro and suppression of HCT116 tumor growth in immunodeficient mice . Apoptosis. (2007)
Dimas K, et al The effect of sclareol on growth and cell cycle progression of human leukemic cell lines . Leuk Res. (1999