Mountain savory: benefits, dosage, contraindications
Scientific name(s)
Satureja montana
Family or group:
Plants
Active ingredients:
Carvacrol
Thymol
Indications
Scoring methodology
EFSA approval.
ENT infections ✪✪✪✪✪
Rich in essential oils, particularly thymol and carvacrol, savory is known for its antiseptic properties, especially effective for the respiratory tract. In herbal medicine, savory extracts other than the pure essential oil are also used to relieve the symptoms of ENT infections.
Posologie
Oral: aerial parts
essential oil, dry extract
Urinary tract infections ✪✪✪✪✪
Savory is also appreciated for its urinary antiseptic properties. Used as a complement to antibiotic therapy or to prevent recurrences, this plant supports urinary health.
Posologie
Oral: aerial parts
essential oil, dry extract
Digestive spasms, Candidiasis ✪✪✪✪✪
Savory is beneficial for the digestive system. It is particularly recommended to relieve colon disorders and digestive spasms.
Posologie
Oral: aerial parts
herbal tea
Properties
Antimicrobial
Savory essential oil, particularly that obtained from mountain savory, has remarkable antimicrobial properties. In vitro studies show that the water-soluble fraction of this volatile oil is effective against a variety of pathogens at a 25% concentration, including Pasteurella aerogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. At a 50% concentration, it becomes bactericidal against pathogens such as Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus. It also inhibits the growth of Serratia marcescens, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis, while being fungicidal against Candida albicans. These effects are attributed to the disruption of cell membrane integrity, caused notably by the carvacrol, a major constituent of the oil. The latter damages cell walls, leading to the release of lipopolysaccharides, and also disrupts ion transport across the cytoplasmic membrane.
Usages associés
Bactericidal and antioxidant effects of essential oils from Satureja montana L., Myristica fragrans H. and Cymbopogon flexuosus
Antibiotic properties of Satureja montana L. hydrolate in bacteria and fungus of clinical interest and its impact in non-target environmental microorganisms
Phytochemical profile, comparative evaluation of Satureja montana alcoholic extract for antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and molecular docking studies
Satureja montana L. and Origanum majorana L. Decoctions: Antimicrobial Activity, Mode of Action and Phenolic Characterization
Hormone metabolism
Savory is used as a traditional remedy for male sexual disorders, particularly premature ejaculation. In an animal model, savory increased testosterone levels.
Diuretic
Carvacrol, a component of mountain savory, may have diuretic effects.
Usages associés
Safe dosage
Adults aged 15 and older: 3 drops (essential oil)
Orally: 1 drop, 3 to 4 times a day. Topically: only for warts. The essential oil is rich in phenols and aldehydes, which are irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. External use should be avoided except for warts.
Child aged 7 to 15 years: 1 drop (essential oil)
Orally: 1 drop, 1 to 2 times a day. Topically: only for warts. The essential oil is rich in phenols and aldehydes, which are irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. External use should be avoided except for warts.
Precautions
Pregnant women: avoid
Breastfeeding women: avoid
