Plant Comparison
Motherwort vs Sage
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Motherwort and Sage: both belong to the Lamiaceae family; they share 1 indicated use (inflammation (general)).
Evidence face-off — shared uses
| Condition | Motherwort | Sage | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammation (general) | 1/10 | 1/10 | Comparable evidence |
Evidence scores (1–10) are computed from the tier of each cited source. “Comparable” means the two scores are within one point. Follow a score to its detailed sources.
Key Constituents
Leonurine and related iridoid/alkaloid-type constituents are considered the principal cardioactive and uterotonic compounds.
Antioxidant constituents contributing to the plant's anti-inflammatory activity.
Bitter diterpenes, shared with related Lamiaceae bitters, contributing to the traditional digestive and cardiac reputation.
Aromatic constituents; thujone is the safety-limiting compound.
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory constituents associated with the cognitive effects.
Pharmacological Actions
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from sedative action
inferred from antispasmodic action
Memory and cognitive-function support (enhances cognition in healthy subjects and people with dementia)
Reduces excessive sweating, including menopausal hot flushes and night sweats
Carminative for mild dyspeptic complaints (indigestion)
Gargle/rinse for sore throat and inflammation of the mouth and throat
Memory and cognitive-function support (enhances cognition in healthy subjects and people with dementia)
Gargle/rinse for sore throat and inflammation of the mouth and throat
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
Contraindicated in pregnancy (uterine stimulant). Avoid in heavy menstrual bleeding. May enhance anticoagulant and antihypertensive drug effects. Avoid in thyroid disorders. Generally well tolerated in normal doses for short-term use.
Duke (2002) rates motherwort as ++ and notes hypotensive, cardiotonic (negative chronotropic), anti-aggregant, and sedative activities at the experimental level (score 1). The plant is traditionally used for heart palpitations, hypertension, and menstrual regulation in European herbalism. Duke emphasizes strong safety caution: motherwort has documented oxytocic (uterine-stimulating) activity and is strictly contraindicated in pregnancy. It may also enhance the effects of cardiac medications and sedatives (Duke, 2002).
The essential oil contains thujone, which is neurotoxic and can trigger seizures in high doses - do not exceed recommended doses and do not take the pure essential oil internally; avoid medicinal doses in epilepsy.
Avoid medicinal and essential-oil doses in pregnancy and breastfeeding (thujone; sage may also reduce milk supply). Culinary amounts are safe.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Tall, upright perennial herb with deeply palmately lobed lower leaves (giving a lion's-paw appearance, the source of the genus name) and progressively less-divided upper leaves. Small, pink to pale purple, spiny-toothed, two-lipped flowers are borne in dense whorls up the square stem.[1]
Evergreen, woody-based perennial subshrub (Lamiaceae), 30-70 cm tall, with square, downy, greyish stems. Leaves are opposite, oblong, wrinkled, grey-green and softly velvety, with a strong camphoraceous aroma. Violet-blue, two-lipped flowers are borne in whorled spikes.[11]
Habitat
Grows on waste ground, roadsides, hedgerows and near old dwellings; native to Central Asia and southeastern Europe and long naturalised across Europe and North America.[1]
Native to the northern Mediterranean coast (particularly the Balkans and Italy), widely cultivated as a culinary and medicinal herb in gardens worldwide, preferring sunny, well-drained, often calcareous soils.[11]
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts (leaf, stem and flower) are cut in summer as the plant comes into flower, and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place.[1]
Leaves are harvested throughout the growing season, ideally just before flowering, when essential-oil content is highest, and dried quickly in a warm, shaded place.[11]
Traditional Uses
Motherwort has a long European and Asian herbal tradition, reflected in its name, as a gynaecological and cardiac tonic, traditionally used for heart palpitations and nervous cardiac complaints, menstrual irregularities and cramps, and as a calming nervine for anxiety and to ease childbirth and postpartum recovery.[1, 6]
Sage has an ancient reputation - its Latin name 'salvia' derives from 'salvere', to be saved or healed - as a digestive, antiseptic and cognitive tonic. It has official European herbal-monograph use for dyspeptic complaints and excessive sweating, and as a gargle for inflammation of the mouth and throat; modern clinical trials support cognitive-enhancing effects in both healthy adults and people with dementia.[11, 12]
Preparations
Dosage
The EU herbal monograph gives a single dose of 1.5-4.5 g of the comminuted herb for tea preparation, for a daily dose of 3-10 g, in adults and elderly; a 1:5 tincture in 45% V/V ethanol at 2-6 mL three times daily and a liquid extract at 2-4 mL three times daily are also listed. If symptoms persist longer than 4 weeks a healthcare practitioner should be consulted. Not recommended under 18 years. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
EMA herbal-monograph guidance suggests about 1-3 g dried leaf per cup as an infusion, up to three times daily for digestive complaints, or a stronger preparation used as a gargle. Avoid prolonged or high-dose (essential-oil) use given the neurotoxic thujone content, especially in pregnancy and epilepsy. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
References
Drug Class Interactions
Not documented
Lookalikes Review
References & Sources
- Fierascu, R.C., Fierascu, I., Ortan, A., Fierascu, I.C. and others (2019) 'Leonurus cardiaca L. as a Source of Bioactive Compounds: An Update of the European Medicines Agency Assessment Report (2010)', BioMed Research International, 2019, pp. 4303215. doi:10.1155/2019/4303215 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4303215 - Wojtyniak, K., Szymanski, M. and Matlawska, I (2013) 'Leonurus cardiaca L. (motherwort): a review of its phytochemistry and pharmacology', Phytotherapy Research, 27(8), pp. 1115-1120. doi:10.1002/ptr.4850 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.4850 - Kuchta, K., Volk, R.B. and Rauwald, H.W (2013) 'Stachydrine in Leonurus cardiaca, Leonurus japonicus, Leonotis leonurus: detection and quantification by instrumental HPTLC and 1H-qNMR analyses', Pharmazie, 68(7), pp. 534-540. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23923634/ Preclinical
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23923634/ - Kuchta, K., Volk, R.B. and Rauwald, H.W (2012) 'Leonurus japonicus, Leonurus cardiaca, Leonotis leonurus: a novel HPLC study on the occurrence and content of the pharmacologically active guanidino derivative leonurine', Pharmazie, 67(12), pp. 973-979. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23346757/ Preclinical
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23346757/ - Koshovyi, O., Raal, A., Kireyev, I., Tryshchuk, N. and others (2021) 'Phytochemical and Psychotropic Research of Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca L.) Modified Dry Extracts', Plants (Basel), 10(2), pp. 230. doi:10.3390/plants10020230 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020230 - Angeloni, S., Spinozzi, E., Maggi, F., Sagratini, G. and others (2021) 'Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activities of Crude and Purified Leonurus cardiaca Extracts', Plants (Basel), 10(2), pp. 195. doi:10.3390/plants10020195 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020195 - Sadowska, B., Wieckowska-Szakiel, M., Paszkiewicz, M. and Rozalska, B (2019) 'Molecular Mechanisms of Leonurus cardiaca L. Extract Activity in Prevention of Staphylococcal Endocarditis - Study on in Vitro and ex Vivo Models', Molecules, 24(18), pp. 3318. doi:10.3390/molecules24183318 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24183318 - Kuchta, K., Hladikova, J., Thomsen, M., Nguyen, A.D. and others (2025) 'Phenolic and Iridoid Glycosides from Leonurus cardiaca L. and Their Effects on the alpha, delta, and gamma Subtypes of the PPAR System', Molecules, 30(2), pp. 419. doi:10.3390/molecules30020419 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30020419 - Pereira, O.R., Catarino, M.D., Afonso, A.F., Silva, A.M.S. and Cardoso, S.M (2019) 'Hepatoprotection of Leonurus cardiaca L., Leonurus japonicus Houtt. and Leonurus sibiricus L', Antioxidants (Basel), 8(8), pp. 267. doi:10.3390/antiox8080267 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8080267 - Kuchta, K., Ortwein, J. and Rauwald, H.W (2014) '1H-qNMR for direct quantification of stachydrine in Leonurus japonicus and L. cardiaca', Fitoterapia, 96, pp. 8-17. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2014.03.023 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2014.03.023 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (2010) 'Community herbal monograph on Leonurus cardiaca L., herba'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-leonurus-cardiaca-l-herba_en.pdf Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-leonurus-cardiaca-l-herba_en.pdf - Kowalchik, C. and Hylton, W (1998) 'Rodale'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Rodale - Prajapati, N.D., Purohit, S.S., Sharma, A.K. and Kumar, T (2003) 'A Handbook of Medicinal Plants'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A%20Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Plants - Shang, X. et al (2014) 'The genus Leonurus: traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology', pp. 43--63. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=The%20genus%20Leonurus%3A%20traditional%20uses%2C%20phytochemistry%20and%20pharmacology - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition - Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar, M. and Hosseinzadeh, H (2024) 'Therapeutic potential of hypnotic herbal medicines: A comprehensive review', Phytotherapy Research, 38(6), pp. 3037-3059. doi:10.1002/ptr.8201 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.8201 - Block, K.I., Gyllenhaal, C. and Mead, M.N (2004) 'Safety and efficacy of herbal sedatives in cancer care', Integrative Cancer Therapies, 3(2), pp. 128-148. doi:10.1177/1534735404265003 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735404265003
- Ghorbani, A. and Esmaeilizadeh, M (2017) 'Pharmacological properties of Salvia officinalis and its components', Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 7(4), pp. 433-440. doi:10.1016/j.jtcme.2016.12.014 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2016.12.014 - Dinel, A.L., Lucas, C., Guillemet, D., Laye, S. and others (2020) 'Chronic Supplementation with a Mix of Salvia officinalis and Salvia lavandulaefolia Improves Morris Water Maze Learning in Normal Adult C57Bl/6J Mice', Nutrients, 12(6), pp. 1777. doi:10.3390/nu12061777 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061777 - Al-Gholam, M.A., Hathout, H.M.R., Safwat, M.M. and Essawy, A.S (2024) 'Sage (Salvia officinalis) alleviates trazodone induced rat cardiotoxicity mediated via modulation of autophagy and oxidative stress', Anatomy & Cell Biology, 57(2), pp. 256-270. doi:10.5115/acb.23.247 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.5115/acb.23.247 - Sabry, M.M., Abdel-Rahman, R.F., El-Shenawy, S.M., Hassan, A.M. and others (2021) 'Estrogenic activity of Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) aerial parts and its isolated ferulic acid in immature ovariectomized female rats', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 282, pp. 114579. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114579 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2021.114579 - Mohammed, H.A., Eldeeb, H.M., Khan, R.A., Al-Omar, M.S. and others (2021) 'Sage, Salvia officinalis L., Constituents, Hepatoprotective Activity, and Cytotoxicity Evaluations of the Essential Oils Obtained from Fresh and Differently Timed Dried Herbs', Molecules, 26(19), pp. 5757. doi:10.3390/molecules26195757 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26195757 - Ghowsi, M., Yousofvand, N. and Moradi, S (2020) 'Effects of Salvia officinalis L. (common sage) leaves tea on insulin resistance, lipid profile, and oxidative stress in rats with polycystic ovary: An experimental study', Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 10(3), pp. 263-272. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Effects%20of%20Salvia%20officinalis%20L.%20%28common%20sage%29%20leaves%20tea%20on%20insulin%20resistance%2C%20lipid%20profile%2C%20and%20oxidative%20stress%20in%20rats%20with%20polycystic%20ovary%3A%20An%20experimental%20study - Lopresti, A.L (2017) 'Salvia (Sage): A Review of its Potential Cognitive-Enhancing and Protective Effects', Drugs in R&D, 17(1), pp. 53-64. doi:10.1007/s40268-016-0157-5 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40268-016-0157-5 - Jakovljevic, M., Jokic, S., Molnar, M., Jasic, M. and others (2019) 'Bioactive Profile of Various Salvia officinalis L. Preparations', Plants, 8(3), pp. 55. doi:10.3390/plants8030055 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants8030055 - Hrebien-Filisinska, A.M. and Bartkowiak, A (2021) 'Antioxidative Effect of Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) Macerate as 'Green Extract' in Inhibiting the Oxidation of Fish Oil', Antioxidants, 11(1), pp. 100. doi:10.3390/antiox11010100 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11010100 - Kenjeric, D., Mandic, M.L., Primorac, L. and Cacic, F (2008) 'Flavonoid pattern of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) unifloral honey', Food Chemistry, 110(1), pp. 187-192. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.01.031 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.01.031 - European Medicines Agency (HMPC) (n.d.) 'European Union herbal monograph on Salvia officinalis L., folium (Salviae officinalis folium)'. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/salviae-officinalis-folium Traditional / reference
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/herbal/salviae-officinalis-folium - Miroddi, M., Navarra, M., Quattropani, M.C., Calapai, F., Gangemi, S. and Calapai, G (2014) 'Systematic review of clinical trials assessing pharmacological properties of Salvia species on memory, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease', CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics. doi:10.1111/cns.12270 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1111/cns.12270 - Perry, E. and Howes, M.J.R (2010) 'Medicinal plants and dementia therapy: herbal hopes for brain aging?', CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics. doi:10.1111/j.1755-5949.2010.00202.x Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-5949.2010.00202.x
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.