Salvia fruticosa is a medicinal plant to which antidiabetic properties have been attributed. One of the features of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an increase on Na+-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1) expression on the brush-border membrane (BBM) of the enterocyte [Dyer J., et al., 2002, Am. J. Physiol., 282: G241-G248]. We evaluated the effect of sage tea on the expression of this glucose transporter in intestine of rats submitted to dietary manipulation. Rats were fed a low carbohydrate diet for 4 days to produce suppression of SGLT1 expression. The normal high carbohydrate diet was then reintroduced to recover basal transporter expression and the effects of the tea on this process evaluated. BBM SGLT1 expression was evaluated by Western Blot and immunohistochemistry (antibody provided by Dr. H. Koepsell, Univ. Würzburg, Germany). Our results show that sage tea significantly decreases the expression of SGLT1 on BBM of enterocytes in response to dietary carbohydrate. This effect on SGLT1 expression could be of benefit in T2DM patients, where the intestinal glucose transport capacity increases. The effects of sage extracts and individual compounds on a-amylase activity were also assessed (in vitro). No inhibitory effects were found which suggests that sage has no effects on carbohydrate digestion.