Evening Primrose Oil's Use In Herbal Remedies
Other Common Names: Fever Plant, King's Cureall, Night Willow-herb, Scabish, Scurvish, Sun Drop, Oenothera biennis
Range: Eastern N. America - Labrador, south to Florida and Texas.
Habitat: Dunes, roadsides, railway banks and waste places, often in sandy soils.
The Evening or Tree Primrose, though originally a native of North
Arnerica, was imported first into Italy and has been carried all over
Europe, being often naturalized on river-banks and other sandy places
in Western Europe.
The bark and the leaves are astringent and sedative. They have a
proved of use in the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders of a
functionl origin, whooping cough and asthma. A syrup made from the
flowers is also an effective treatment for whooping cough. The bark is
stripped from the flowering stem and dried for later use, the leaves
are also harvested and dried at this time.
Evening primrose oil has become a well-known food supplement since
the 1980's. Research suggests that the oil is potentially very valuable
in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, pre-menstrual tension,
hyperactivity etc. It is also taken internally in the treatment of
eczema, acne, brittle nails, rheumatoid arthritis and alcohol-related
liver damage. Regular consumption of the oil helps to reduce blood
cholesterol levels and lower the blood pressure. The seed is a good
source of gamma-linolenic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid which assists
the production of hormone-like substances. This process is commonly
blocked in the body, causing disorders that affect the uterine muscles,
nervous system and metabolism.
The poulticed root is applied to piles and bruises.
A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of obesity and bowel pains.
The seed contains 28% of a drying oil. It is edible and a very good
source of gamma-linoleinc acid, an essential fatty acid that is not
found in many plant sources and has numerous vital functions in the
body. The seed, however, is very small and difficult to harvest, it has
to be done by hand. Overall yields are low, making the oil very
expensive to produce.
Other Common Names: Fever Plant, King's Cureall, Night Willow-herb, Scabish, Scurvish, Sun Drop, Oenothera biennis
Range: Eastern N. America - Labrador, south to Florida and Texas.
Habitat: Dunes, roadsides, railway banks and waste places, often in sandy soils.
The Evening or Tree Primrose, though originally a native of North
Arnerica, was imported first into Italy and has been carried all over
Europe, being often naturalized on river-banks and other sandy places
in Western Europe.
The bark and the leaves are astringent and sedative. They have a
proved of use in the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders of a
functionl origin, whooping cough and asthma. A syrup made from the
flowers is also an effective treatment for whooping cough. The bark is
stripped from the flowering stem and dried for later use, the leaves
are also harvested and dried at this time.
Evening primrose oil has become a well-known food supplement since
the 1980's. Research suggests that the oil is potentially very valuable
in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, pre-menstrual tension,
hyperactivity etc. It is also taken internally in the treatment of
eczema, acne, brittle nails, rheumatoid arthritis and alcohol-related
liver damage. Regular consumption of the oil helps to reduce blood
cholesterol levels and lower the blood pressure. The seed is a good
source of gamma-linolenic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid which assists
the production of hormone-like substances. This process is commonly
blocked in the body, causing disorders that affect the uterine muscles,
nervous system and metabolism.
The poulticed root is applied to piles and bruises.
A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of obesity and bowel pains.
The seed contains 28% of a drying oil. It is edible and a very good
source of gamma-linoleinc acid, an essential fatty acid that is not
found in many plant sources and has numerous vital functions in the
body. The seed, however, is very small and difficult to harvest, it has
to be done by hand. Overall yields are low, making the oil very
expensive to produce.
- Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
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