Evening Primrose Oil

Evening primrose oil is sourced from Oenothera biennis, a plant native to North America. It contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid required by the body for growth and development.

Uses for Evening Primrose Oil
In herbal medicine, evening primrose oil is typically used to treat these health problems:

•eczema
•rheumatoid arthritis
•premenstrual syndrome
•menopausal symptoms
•diabetes

Benefits of Evening Primrose Oil
Research suggests that evening primrose oil may be of little value in the management of premenstrual syndrome or menopausal symptoms. However, other studies indicate that evening primrose oil may help with the following conditions:

1) Eczema

Evening primrose oil may help relieve the itching, crusting, redness, and swelling associated with atopic eczema, according to a meta-analysis published in 2006. Fatty acids are thought to play a role in these beneficial effects.

2) Rheumatoid Arthritis

To date, there's little research on the effectiveness of evening primrose oil in treating rheumatoid arthritis (an inflammatory condition that causes pain and swelling of the joints). However, a report published in 2001 suggests that evening primrose oil may have indirect anti-inflammatory actions and may help manage this autoimmune disease.

3) Breast Cancer

Preliminary research suggests that GLA may help destroy tumors without inducing damage to normal cells or causing harmful side effects. And in a small study published in 2000, researchers found that participants who took GLA supplements in addition to the breast cancer drug tamoxifen responded more quickly to breast cancer treatment than those who took tamoxifen alone.