What exactly is evening primrose and what is evening primrose oil?

The evening primrose is also known as yellow nightshade or night rose. The plant got its name because it opens its bright yellow flowers even at dusk to attract moths for pollination. In the 17th century, the perennial was introduced to Europe from North America, where it quickly spread among the flora.

Evening primrose oil gets its special properties from its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, which u.a. strengthen the immune system and support cell renewal. Evening primrose oil is one of the few oils that contains high concentrations of gamma-linolenic acid. This triple unsaturated fatty acid regulates hormone levels and supports skin healing. Due to this valuable combination of ingredients, evening primrose oil is often recommended for the treatment of skin damaged by eczema or atopic dermatitis.

What exactly is borage and what is borage oil?

Borage originates from Asia and is now cultivated throughout most of Europe and North America. Borage is also known as cucumber herb, kukumer herb, love-eye, blue-sky star, salad herb, starflower, heart's joy, or comfort flower. This globally cultivated culinary herb is indispensable in one dish: Frankfurt Green Sauce.

Borage oil is a natural compound with a high content of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This fatty acid is found only in certain plant oils and has strong anti-inflammatory properties.

Most people only consume very small amounts of GLA through their diet.

GLA is an essential omega-6 fatty acid that the body cannot produce itself. Our bodies are able to convert other omega-6 fatty acids (such as linoleic acid from nuts or seeds) into GLA to a certain extent. However, it is more effective to consume GLA directly and supply it to our bodies.

Since borage oil is highly perishable, it is recommended to take it in capsule form.

Borage as a fresh herb contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). These are secondary plant substances that the plant produces as protection against predators and can be harmful to humans. Although borage is contained in, for example, the typical Frankfurt Green Sauce and teas, the Federal Institute for Nutrition advises against its consumption. PAs are, however, only found in fresh Contains borage. Pressed borage oil and capsules for dietary supplements no longer contain PAs and can therefore be used without hesitation.

The ingredients of evening primrose oil & borage oil

The health-promoting effects of both oils are based on their high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids. Evening primrose oil contains 60-80% linoleic acid. It is an important component of cell walls and is responsible for building a healthy skin barrier that protects against external influences while regulating moisture levels. Linoleic acid belongs to the group of essential fatty acids. The body cannot produce these itself; they must be obtained through food.

Both oils also contain the omega-3 fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Borage oil has a particularly high GLA content of approximately 23%, whereas evening primrose oil—second only to blackcurrant oil in terms of GLA content—contains approximately 9% GLA.

Also included are u.a.:

• Saponins
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• tannins
• Silica
• Mucilages
• resin
• potassium nitrate

Typical applications for evening primrose and borage oil (Sources: s.u.):

• Itchy skin prone to neurodermatitis and eczema:
• Recent research indicates that some atopic dermatitis patients lack an enzyme called delta-6 desaturase. This enzyme converts dietary linoleic acid into gamma-linolenic acid, which is necessary for anti-inflammatory processes. Patients with this enzyme deficiency may benefit from taking evening primrose and borage oil, as this route directly delivers gamma-linolenic acid to the body.
• In a study with people suffering from skin inflammation, it was demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory substances leukotriene B4 and C4 as well as prostaglandin E were inhibited.

• Dry skin: With dry skin, the skin barrier no longer functions, resulting in water loss. If dry skin cannot produce enough protective oils, this leads to dysregulation of the immune system. This can cause increased inflammation, and the immune system responds to the deficiency in the form of eczema. Some studies showed a significant improvement in the skin barrier after subjects used up to 720 mg of GLA daily for a period of two months.

• Rheumatoid arthritisAs a polyunsaturated fatty acid, gamma-linolenic acid in evening primrose and borage oil may have a positive effect on inflammation by controlling the release of neurotransmitters such as prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and cytokines, which are responsible for the body's inflammatory responses. Studies show that some patients experience a reduction in joint pain, swelling, and tenderness in affected joints after just six weeks of use.
• Gamma-linolenic acid naturally lowers blood pressure and can have a positive effect on a slightly increased cholesterolvalue in the blood.
• The oil is said to have a balancing effect on the hormonal balance and is therefore often used in hormonal fluctuations during menstruation (d.h. PMS symptoms such as breast pain or tender breasts, anxiety and skin reactions) as well as Menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats.
• Evening primrose and borage oil is said to be like a natural antihistamine act and u.a. relieve the symptoms of hay fever.

dosage

In most cases, the dose for healthy adults is between 500 mg and 3 g per day.

For users seeking to relieve acute inflammation and pain due to rheumatoid arthritis with borage and evening primrose oil, higher doses of up to 3 grams are recommended in the literature. For rheumatoid arthritis, for example, approximately 7 grams daily is recommended.

Important: These are food supplements, not medicines. Rather than treating symptoms, the goal is to replenish micronutrient stores until homeostasis is achieved. An effect therefore arises i.d.R. only after several weeks or months. Some users report that the pain-relieving effect only becomes noticeable after about six months.

Interactions and side effects

In general, evening primrose and borage oil are considered safe when used both internally and externally.

Some people report digestive disturbances, especially after taking large doses of borage oil. These include loose stools, diarrhea, belching, and flatulence.

Pregnant women should not take evening primrose and borage oil as it can induce premature labor.

If you are taking certain medications, you should consult your doctor before taking borage oil:

• Anticoagulants: Blood clotting inhibitors (z.B. Warfarin), which may lead to an increased tendency to bleed
• Anticonvulsants: drugs for epilepsy

Sources:

Bühring, U.: Practical Textbook of Medicinal Plant Science, Georg Thieme Verlag, Edition, 2014

Federal Institute for Risk Assessment: "Questions and answers on pyrrolizidine alkaloids in food", www.bfr.bund.de (Accessed: March 25, 2022)

Kötter, E.: The large GU practice handbook of herbs, Gräfe and Unzer Verlag 2009, 1st edition

Mayer, J.G. et al.: Handbook of Monastic Medicine, Zabert Sandmann Verlag, 2006

Van Wyk, B.-E. et al.: Handbook of Medicinal Plants: An Illustrated Guide, Scientific Publishing Company, 2nd edition, 2004

Werner, M.: Mind-Maps® Aromatherapy, Haug Verlag, 2nd edition, 2012

Brosche T., Platt D. (2000). Effect of borage oil consumption on fatty acid metabolism, transepidermal water loss and skin parameters in elderly people. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 30(2):139-150. doi:10.1016/s0167-4943(00)00046-7

Henz BM, Jablonska S, van de Kerkhof PC, et al. (1999) Double-blind, multicenter analysis of the efficacy of borage oil in patients with atopic eczema. Br J Dermatol. 140(4):685-688. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2133.1999.02771.x

Kapoor R., Huang Y.S.(2006). Gamma linolenic acid: an anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 7(6):531-534. doi:10.2174/138920106779116874

Caste R.E. (2001). Boarge oil reduction of rheumatoid arthritis activity may be mediated by increased cAMP that suppresses tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Int Immunopharmacol.1:2197-9. View abstract.

Takahashi Y., Ide T., Fujita H. (2000). Dietary gamma-linolenic acid in the form of borage oil causes less body fat accumulation accompanying an increase in uncoupling protein 1 mRNA level in brown adipose tissue. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 127(2):213-222. doi:10.1016/s0305-0491(00)00254-6

Takwale A, Tan E, Agarwal S, et al. (2003). Efficacy and tolerability of borage oil in adults and children with atopic eczema: randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel group trial. BMJ. 2003;327(7428):1385. doi:10.1136/bmj.327.74.138528

Tasset-Cuevas I, Fernández-Bedmar Z, Lozano-Baena M.D., Campos-Sánchez J., de Haro-Bailón A., et al. (2013) Protective Effect of Borage Seed Oil and Gamma Linolenic Acid on DNA: In Vivo and In Vitro Studies. PLOS ONE 8(2): e56986. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056986

Tso P, Caldwell J, Lee D, Boivin PG, DeMichele JS (2012). Comparison of growth, serum biochemistries and n–6 fatty acid metabolism in rats fed diets supplemented with high-gamma-linolenic acid safflower oil or borage oil for 90 days.Food Chem Toxicol. 2012 Jun; 50(6): 1911–1919.

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