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Borage
What is borage?
Borage is a large plant with blue, star-shaped flowers found
throughout Europe and North Africa. The plant's seeds, flowers
and leaves are used for medicinal purposes.
Borage seed oil is best known as a rich source of gammalinolenic
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.
Why do we need borage? What is it
used for?
The use of borage can be traced back to the ancient Greeks
and Romans, where it was used as a sedative. Throughout the
Middle Ages, borage leaves soaked in wine were used to relieve
the symptoms of melancholy.
Borage oil is used most commonly to treat arthritis and certain
skin conditions. One small study in 1993 showed that patients
with rheumatoid arthritis who took 1.4 grams of borage oil
daily for 24 weeks experienced significant reductions in joint
tenderness and swelling compared to those using a placebo.
Other trials have shown borage oil to reduce conditions such
as skin inflammation, lesions, dryness, scaliness and itching
without side-effects. More recently, a small study conducted
in Great Britain found that breast cancer patients taking
2.8 grams of gammalinolenic acid extracted from borage every
day in conjunction with the anti-cancer drug tamoxifen had
a much quicker and more pronounced response rate than those
taking tamoxifen alone.
How much borage should I take?
While a recommended daily allowance has yet to be determined,
the recommended adult dose of GLA from borage for rheumatoid
arthritis is 1.4 grams daily for at least two months. Other
amounts can be delivered topically or orally depending on
the severity of the condition.
What forms of borage are available?
Although the plant's flowers and leaves are sometimes used,
the most common form of borage is borage seed oil, which is
made from the seeds of the borage plant. The oil can be taken
orally, or it can be applied directly to the skin.
What can happen if I take too much
borage? Are there any interactions I should be aware of? What
precautions should I take?
To date, there are no well-known drug interactions with borage.
However, borage seeds do contain small amounts of substances
called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), which are known to be
toxic to liver cells. Patients consuming borage oil should
take a product that is PA-free and should follow the standards
set by the German Health Agency, which suggests that no more
than one microgram of PA be consumed daily. In addition, women
who are pregnant or lactating should not take borage or GLA
capsules derived from borage oil.
Other Resources :
The
More You Know About Nutrition
References
1. DeSemet P. Safety of borage seed oil. Can
Pharm J 1991;124:5.
2. Leventhal LJ, et al. Treatment of arthritis with gammalinolenic
acid. Ann Intern Med 1993;119:867-73.
3. Tolleson A, Frithz A. Borage oil. An effective new treatment
for infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol
1993;25:95.
4. Awang DV. Borage. Can Pharm J 1990;123:121-23.
5. Humble herb offers new weapon against cancer. Reuters May
10, 2000.
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