Summary
Salvia sclarea (clary sage) is a herb in the mint family that is traditionally used as a relaxing agent and aromatic, and a fair amount of literature suggests that it is used in menopausal women.
There is a lack of large-scale studies to support the usage of clary sage as an aromatic, but the evidence that exists currently is supportive. One study in rodents (in which the rodents were essentially hot boxed with clary sage) noted antidepressive effects after a single exposure, and one study in women noted a reduction in systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate 60 minutes after inhalation (the study was placebo controlled and blinded, as to omit the possibility of the placebo effect).
Two studies used a combination therapy of clary sage, lavender, and another herb (one study used rose oil, the other marjoram) and confirmed that this herbal aromatic therapy appears to be more effective than placebo in relieving menstrual pain in participants who self reported that they have more menstrual pain than average (on a scale of 1-10, the participants had to rate a 5 or higher to be included in the study).
There are some immunological interactions that may be important to anticancer effects, but currently, studies are investigating the activity of the bioactive known as (-)-sclareol, which is unlikely to be located in the aroma. The anticancer effects, although interesting, are currently preliminary and not associated with aromatherapy.
Dosage Information
If using clary sage for aromatherapy, enough should be lit (if using incense) to confer a pleasant aroma. The 2 studies that used combination therapy noted that a cream containing 1 concentration drop of clary sage to 2 drops of lavender in 5cc of volume was rubbed on the abdomen (the scent would remain on the body for a while).
Because the exact bioactives are not known, quantifying the right dose for aromatherapy is difficult.
There is insufficient evidence to suggest an optimal oral dose of clary sage for any purpose.
