New treatment approaches are needed to prevent cognitive decline and dementia in the growing elderly population. Several traditionally used medicinal plants have been reported to enhance cognitive function and improve brain health through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Among those plants are sage (Salvia officinalis, Lamiaceae), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, Lamiaceae), and Melissa (lemon balm; Melissa officinalis, Lamiaceae). Although study findings support the traditional use of these plants individually for cognitive function, no study has examined the clinical effects of a combination of sage, rosemary, and Melissa (SRM) on memory. These authors conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial to evaluate the effects of an SRM combination on verbal recall in healthy participants.

The study was conducted at Dilston Physic Garden Centre and BodyWorks Therapy Center in Northumberland, United Kingdom (the dates of the study are not given) and included healthy participants who were aged…