Abstract

In this experiment, the ability of sage, Salvia miltiorrhiza on memory retention and the organism population was assessed. Sage shows effects by aromatherapy, with active chemical properties to improve cognitive and neurological performance. This experiment used planarians as a neurological template to show the effects of the properties of sage. The planarians were separated into groups A, B, C, D, and E, each with ten individuals. Group A was the control, B was 0.001g/mL, C was 0.002g/mL, D was 0.003g/mL, and E was 0.004g/mL. It was predicted that the higher the concentration, the better the memory retention performance. This experiment compared the after-treatment results of the memory retention examination and to the before-treatment values through Excel, ANOVA with Tukey HSD, and t-tests. Results from trial 1 demonstrated that the sage solution improved the planarians' ability to retain information. Groups B and C performed better when compared to control group A and pre-treatment values. In trial 2, almost all the experimental groups outperformed the control group equally. After trial 3, group E showed the most significant results after treatment. In conclusion, sage was able to improve the memory retention of the planarians. Group A has the least change in memory retention; groups C and D showed effect after two days from treatment; groups B and E showed the most immediate effect. However, future research should be conducted to address more specific patterns between sage solution concentrations and memory retention of the planarians.