The Benefits of Evening primrose

by Mike August 16, 2011

More than 30 human studies report the benefits of Evening primrose oil for eczema and dermatitis.

Botanical: Cenothera biennis

Family: N.O. Onagraceae

Oenothera is a genus of about 125 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbaceous flowering plants, native to North and South America. It is the type genus of the family Onagraceae, the Evening Primrose Family. Common names include evening-primrose, suncups, and sundrops

The species vary in size from small alpine plants 10 cm tall (e.g. O. acaulis from Chile), to vigorous lowland species growing to 3 m (e.g. O. stubbei from Mexico). The leaves form a basal rosette at ground level and spiral up to the flowering stems; the leaves are dentate or deeply lobed (pinnatifid). The flowers open in the evening, hence the name "evening-primrose", and are yellow in most species but white, purple, pink or red in a few. Most native desert species are white. The fragrant tufted evening-primrose Oenothera caespitosa, a Southwestern species, first blooms white but turns pink or light magenta.

One of the most distinctive features of the flower is the stigma with four branches, forming an X shape Pollination is by Lepidoptera (moths) and bees; like many members of the Onagraceae, however, the pollen grains are loosely held together by viscin threads (see photo below), meaning that only bees that are morphologically specialized to gather this pollen can effectively pollinate the flowers (it cannot be held effectively in a typical bee scopa). Furthermore, the flowers are open at a time when most bee species are inactive, so the bees which visit Oenothera are also compelled to be vespertine temporal specialists. The seeds ripen from late summer to fall.

Oenothera species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia felicitata and Schinia Florida, both of which feed exclusively on the genus, the former exclusively on O. deltoides.

In the wild, evening-primrose acts as a primary colonizer, quickly appearing wherever a patch of bare ground may be found. It tends to germinate in disturbed soil, meaning that it tends to be found in poorer environments such as dunes, roadsides, railway embankments and wasteland. It often occurs as a casual, eventually being out-competed by other species.

Habitat:

The Evening or Tree Primrose, though originally a native of North America, 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.

Description:

The root is biennial, fusiform and fibrous, yellowish on the outside and white within. The first year, many obtuse leaves are produced, which spread flat on the ground. From among these in the second year, the more or less hairy stems arise and grow to a height of 3 or 4 feet. The later leaves are 3 to 5 inches long, 1 inch or more wide, pointed, with nearly entire margins and covered with short hairs. The flowers are produced all along the stalks, on axillary branches and in a terminating spike, often leafy at the base. The uppermost flowers come out first in June. The stalks keep continually advancing in height, and there is a constant succession of flowers till late in the autumn, making this one of the showiest of our hardy garden plants, if placed in large masses. The flowers are of a fine, yellow color, large and delicately fragrant, and usually open between six and seven o'clock in the evening, hence the name of Evening Primrose. From a horticultural point of view, the variety grandiflora or Lamarkiana should always be preferred to the ordinary kind, as the flowers are larger and of a finer color, having a fine effect in large masses, and being well suited for the wild garden.

The generic name is derived from oinos (wine) and thera (a hunt), and is an old Greek name given by Theophrastus to some plant, probably an Epilobium, the roots of which were eaten to provoke a relish for wine, as olives are now; others say it dispelled the effects of wine.

The large, bright yellow, fragrant flowers are mostly fertilized by twilight-flying insects, especially in the early season. Later the plants keep 'open house' practically all day. In America it is considered a troublesome pest; in England it is not formidable.

The roots of the Evening Primrose are eaten in some countries in the spring, and the French often use it for garnishing salads.

Cultivation:

The Evening Primrose will thrive in almost any soil or situation, being perfectly hardy. It flourishes best in fairly good sandy soil and in a warm sunny position.

Sow the seeds an inch deep in a shady position out-doors in April, transplanting the seedlings when 1 inch high, 3 inches apart each way in sunny borders. Keep them free from weeds, and in September or the following March, transplant them again into the flowering positions. As the roots strike deep into the ground, care should be taken not to break them in removing.

Seeds may also be sown in cold frames in autumn for blooming the following year.

If the plants are once introduced and the seeds permitted to scatter, there will be a supply of plants without any special care.

Parts Used:

Bark, leaves and seeds (oil). The bark is peeled from the flower-stems and dried in the same manner as the leaves, which are collected in the second year, when the flowerstalk has made its appearance.

Medicinal Action and Uses:

Astringent and sedative. The drug extracted from this plant, though not in very general use, has been tested in various directions, and has been employed with success in the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders of a functional origin, asthma and whooping cough.

It has proved of service in dyspepsia, torpor of the liver, and in certain female complaints, such as pelvic fullness.

Evening primrose oil:

Oil is extracted from the seeds and prepared as medicine using a chemical called hexane. The seeds contain up to 25% essential fatty acids including linoleic acid (LA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Both LA and GLA belong to the omega-6 family of fatty acids. The vast majority of North Americans get too much omega-6 fatty acid in their diet. However, there are different types of omega-6 fatty acids. Some are health promoting, such as those found in evening primrose oil (EPO), while others can be more harmful, such as those typically found in the standard American diet. The body needs a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to function normally. Omega-3 oils can be found in cold water fish such as salmon, as well as some plant sources, or in dietary supplements.

Other sources of GLA include spirulina (blue - green algae), borage, hemp, and black currant oils.

Medicinal Uses and Indications:

Evening primrose oil is used primarily to relieve the itchiness associated with certain skin conditions (such as eczema and dermatitis) and to ease breast tenderness from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or other causes. Some of the uses for Evening primrose oil include:

Allergies:

Evening primrose oil has been reported effective for rashes, particularly skin rash or hives (itching).

Eczema:

Eczema symptoms include redness and scaling in addition to itching.  A study of 1,207 patients reported that Evening primrose oil was beneficial for skin conditions, including itching, crusting, edema (fluid, swelling), and redness. Evening primrose oil can be used in children and adults with skin conditions.

PMS:

Evening primrose oil can help with symptoms of PMS, including mood swings, bloating, and breast tenderness.

Arthritis:

Clinical trials of Evening primrose oil for arthritis began in the early 1980s. Available research has not demonstrated consistent support for arthritis, and currently there is not adequate evidence to recommend for or against this use of Evening primrose oil.

Diabetic Neuropathy:

Diabetic neuropathy is a nerve condition caused by diabetes. Patients experience numbness, tingling, pain, burning, or lack of sensation in the feet and legs. Evening primrose oil may be beneficial in reducing these symptoms.

Breast Pain:

Evening primrose oil is officially licensed for the treatment of breast pain (mastalgia) in the United Kingdom and considered first-line therapy in several European countries. Evening primrose oil was found effective at decreasing breast pain in several clinical studies, however, other studies show no benefit.

Menopausal symptoms:

Although Evening primrose oil has gained some popularity for treating hot flashes, the research to date has not confirmed that GLA or Evening primrose oil is beneficial for these symptoms.

Other uses:

Breast cancer and breast cysts - Multiple sclerosis - Heart disease - Raynaud's disease - Chronic fatigue syndrome - Pregnancy-induced hypertension (pre-eclampsia) - Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - Asthma.

It is the balance of omega-6 (such as GLA) and omega-3 (such as fish oil) that promotes health. Taking an omega-3 fatty acid supplement along with Evening primrose oil may be more beneficial for health than Evening primrose oil alone in these and other conditions.

The main active ingredient in Evening primrose oil is an omega-6 fatty acid known as gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).

Skin Care:

Organic certified Anise Extract is a natural products for skin care, used for is anti oxidant and anti aging properties in skin care products. As a natural component of organic skin care, anti wrinkle, natural anti aging, miracle lift. Also sometime found as a fragrance material in organic and natural skin care.

Evening primrose oil may alter the effects of some prescription and nonprescription medications. If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use Evening primrose oil without first talking to your health care provider.

Phenothizines:

Individuals taking a class of medications called phenothiazines (such as chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, perphenazine, promazine, and thioridazine) to treat schizophrenia should not take Evening primrose oil because it may interact with these medications and increase the risk of seizures.

Other Possible Interactions:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines and herbs with blood-thinning effects.

More Information:

http://theskinsociety.com/Home/Miracle-Lift/PSORIASIS-TREATMENT.html