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Evening
Primrose (Oenothffa
bionnis)
 Family:
Onagraceae
---Synonyms---Evening
Primrose, common evening primrose, fever plant, field primrose, king's
cureall, night willow-herb, scabish, scurvish, tree primrose, primrose
Parts Used:
The plant
Active Compounds: Evening
primrose oil (EPO), black currant seed oil, and borage oil contain gamma
linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid that the body converts to a hormone-like
substance called prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). PGE1 has anti-inflammatory
properties and may also act as a blood thinner and blood vessel dilator.
Linoleic acid, a common fatty acid found in nuts, seeds, and most vegetable
oils (including EPO), should theoretically convert to PGE1. But many things
can interfere with this conversion, including disease, the aging process,
saturated fat, hydrogenated oils, blood sugar problems, and inadequate
vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. Supplements that provide GLA
circumvent these conversion problems, leading to more predictable formation
of PGE1. Those with premenstrual syndrome, diabetes, and eczema can have a
metabolic block that interferes with the body’s ability to make GLA. Many
people in Western societies may be at least partially GLA deficient as a
result of aging, glucose intolerance, dietary fat intake, and other
problems. Individuals with deficiencies benefit from supplemental GLA intake
from evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil, or borage oil.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---
Astringent, mucilaginous.
Traditionally evening
primrose had been used as a soothing remedy for coughs associated with
colds. It has also been used for mental depression, its effectiveness
perhaps due to a stimulating effect on the liver, spleen, and digestive
apparatus. It can also be made into an ointment useful for rashes and other
skin irritations. The entire plant is edible.
Evening Primrose Oil is
useful for the treatment of:
Atherosclerosis
Attention Deficit Disorder
Diabetes
Eczema
Fibrocystic Breast Disease
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Raynaud’s Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Schizophrenia
High Blood Pressure
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