The benefits of Salvia sclarea L. ethanolic extracts on gastrointestinal and respiratory spasms

Abstract

Aromatic herbal drugs have been widely used in the treatment of many respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases as part of traditional medicine. Many recent studies have shown that plant species of the Lamiaceae family and their products express relaxant effects on the contractions of the isolated ileal and tracheal smooth muscle of experimental animals. There is no study reporting the spasmolytic effects of the Salvia sclarea L. (clary sage, family Lamiaceae) extracts, therefore, the aim of the study was to examine their effects on spontaneous, KCl-, acethylcholine-, histamine-, BaCl2- and CaCl2- induced rats ileal contractions, and carbachol- and KCl- induced tracheal smooth muscle contractions. Two extracts were prepared from the aerial parts of the herb using concentrate (96%) or 80% ethanol in an ultrasonic bath. In addition to determining the spasmolytic effect of the extracts, the chemical composition and antimicrobial effects against six Gram (+) and six Gram (-) bacteria and one yeast (microdilution assay) were also investigated. The extracts were rich in polyphenolics wherein rosmarinic acid was the predominant compound. Higher concentrations of phenolic acids and flavonoid heterosides were found in the extract prepared with 80% ethanol while flavonoid aglycones were more represented in the extract prepared with concentrated ethanol. The S. sclarea extracts significantly inhibited the rats ileum and tracheal contractions in a concentration dependent regime. The extract prepared with concentrated ethanol was a better relaxant agent of ileum smooth muscles in spontaneous, KCl- and CaCl2- induced contractions, and the extract prepared with 80% ethanol was superior in other series of experiments. Gram (+) bacteria, especially Staphylococcus aureus, were more sensitive to the action of the S. sclarea extracts in comparison to Gram (-). The extracts were not effective in the anticandidal part of the microdilution assay. Based on these results, S. sclarea could find an appropriate place in modern phytotherapy as a potential treatment agent of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases associated with spasms.