Chemical and biological investigations of Salvia species growing in Turkey

This chapter focuses on Salvia species that have been used as folk medicine since ancient times to cure tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, coronary heart diseases, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, skin diseases, such as psoriasis and eczema, and have oestrogenic activity. Although sesquiterpenoids are rather rare in Salvia species, three sesquiterpene lactones—an eremophilanolide and two eudesmanolides—as well as caryophyllene oxide and (-)-glechomafiiran have been isolated from S. palaefolia. Turkish Salvia species contain mainly abietane type diterpenoids, while the majority of Salvia from the American continent has clerodane type diterpenoids. A new abietane diterpene heldrichinic acid has been isolated from S. heldreichiana Boiss. Sclareol is an important bioactive diterpene having different pharmacological and microbiological effects. Ferruginol, taxodione, horminone, and their derivatives are very common diterpenes of Salvia species, which have also been also isolated from numerous Turkish Salvia species possessing antimicrobial and antitumour activities.