Materia Medica

Sage (Salvia officinalis) — Garden Sage, Common Sage
A guide to Salvia officinalis covering sage culinary use, menopause and cognition research, thujone, essential-oil seizure risk and folklore. Read more...
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) — Sabal, American Dwarf Palm
A guide to Serenoa repens covering saw palmetto berry tradition, large BPH trials, urinary red flags, product variability and safety. Read more...
Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) — Five-Flavor Berry, Wu Wei Zi
A guide to Schisandra chinensis covering five-flavor berry tradition, lignan research, CYP3A/P-glycoprotein interactions, pregnancy caution and safety. Read more...
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) — Mad-Dog Skullcap, Blue Skullcap
A guide to Scutellaria lateriflora covering American skullcap's calming tradition, limited research, germander adulteration, sedation and liver-safety context. Read more...
Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) — Red Elm, Indian Elm
A guide to Ulmus rubra covering slippery elm inner bark, mucilage, traditional throat and digestive use, medication spacing and sustainable sourcing. Read more...
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) — False Saffron, Dyer's Saffron
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) supplies both colorful flowers and an edible seed oil, but the two materials are not interchangeable. This evidence-aware guide covers Hong Hua tradition, human research on safflower oil and specialized extracts, pregnancy and bleeding cautions, and practical safety. Read more...
Saffron (Crocus sativus) — True Saffron, Za'faran
True saffron is the dried stigma of Crocus sativus, not safflower or turmeric. This evidence-aware guide reviews human research on mood, PMS and cognition; explains crocin, picrocrocin and safranal; covers adulteration and quality standards; and separates ordinary culinary use from concentrated medicinal use and pregnancy safety. Read more...
Sandalwood (Santalum album) — Indian Sandalwood, White Sandalwood
Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) is prized for aromatic heartwood and an essential oil rich in α- and β-santalol. This evidence-aware guide separates S. album from Australian sandalwood, red sandalwood, and Amyris; reviews traditional and modern research; and covers adulteration, traceable sourcing, topical safety, and why essential oil is not a casual oral remedy. Read more...
Sarsaparilla (Smilax spp.) — Wild Sarsaparilla, Honduran Sarsaparilla
Sarsaparilla is a herbal trade name applied to the roots and rhizomes of several Smilax species rather than one universally defined botanical. This evidence-aware guide explains the species problem, steroidal saponins, historical uses, limited human evidence, common marketing myths, safety, and how to buy accurately labeled root. Read more...
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) — Ague Tree, Cinnamon Wood
Sassafras is an aromatic eastern North American tree with a long food, cultural, and herbal history. This guide separates traditional uses from modern evidence and explains the crucial distinction between safrole-containing root bark and oil versus regulated safrole-free food flavorings. Read more...
Savory (Satureja hortensis & Satureja montana) — Summer Savory, Winter Savory
Savory is not one single plant. Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) and winter savory (Satureja montana) are closely related culinary and traditional medicinal herbs with different growth habits, flavor profiles, and chemistry. This guide separates food use from concentrated extracts and essential-oil research, and reviews what human evidence actually exists. Read more...
Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris) — Heal-All, Carpenter's Herb, All-Heal
Self-heal, also called heal-all, all-heal and Xia Ku Cao, is a widespread perennial mint-family herb with a centuries-long wound, throat, food and traditional medicine history. This guide separates folklore from current human evidence, including a recent randomized trial, while keeping antiviral and anticancer laboratory findings in their proper context. Read more...