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Borage

Borage is a plant whose flowers and leaves, as well as the oil extracted from the seeds, are used medicinally. Borage seed oil is used for skin conditions including eczema, seborrheic dermatitis and neurodermatitis. It is also used for rheumatoid arthritis, stress, premenstrual syndrome, diabetes, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), acute respiratory distress syndrome, alcoholism, inflammatory pain and swelling, and to prevent heart disease and stroke. Borage leaves and flowers are used to treat fever, coughs and depression. Borage is also used for a hormonal problem known as adrenal insufficiency, to "purify the blood", to increase urine flow, to prevent inflammation of the lungs, as a sedative and to promote sweating.

Borage is also used to increase milk production in breastfeeding women and to treat bronchitis and colds. Borage is applied to the skin of children with seborrheic dermatitis and is also used in products to soften the skin. Borage is used as a food ingredient in salads and soups. In industrial production, borage is used as an ingredient in skin care products.

How does borage work?

Borage seed oil contains a fatty acid known as gamma linolenic acid (GLA). GLA appears to have anti-inflammatory properties. The borage flower may also have antioxidant effects.

How effective is borage?

Borage may be effective in the following applications:

  • Relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis when used in combination with anti-inflammatory medications, which can reduce pain and swelling: There is evidence that taking borage seed oil in combination with conventional painkillers or anti-inflammatory medications may help reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis after six weeks of treatment. This improvement in the condition appears to last for up to 24 weeks.
  • Improvement in lung function in critically ill patients. There is evidence that borage seed oil in combination with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may reduce the number of days patients have to spend in intensive care and the length of time patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome require artificial ventilation.
  • Improving the growth and development of premature babies. A supplement containing fatty acids from borage oil and fish oil appears to improve growth and nervous system development in prematurely born infants, especially boys.

Borage may be ineffective in the following applications:

  • Treatment of eczema

There is insufficient scientific information to assess the effectiveness of borage for the following conditions:

  • Skin conditions in young children: There is evidence that borage seed oil applied to the skin may be helpful for seborrheic dermatitis in young children. It appears to heal this skin condition within one to three weeks.

There is also not enough scientific data to make a definitive statement about the effectiveness of borage for diabetes, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), alcoholism, heart disease, stroke, fever, cough, depression, dry skin, arthritis, inflamed veins, premenstrual syndrome, symptoms of menopause and water retention, as well as for relieving pain. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of borage for these conditions.

Safety and side effects

Borage seed oil is potentially safe and harmless for most adults and children as long as it is free of dangerous chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Parts of the borage plant including leaves, flowers and seeds may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids can damage the liver and cause cancer, especially when high doses are used over a long period of time. For this reason, you should only use products that have been tested for pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: It is important to avoid borage products that may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids pose a risk to expectant mothers as they can cause serious liver disease and cancer. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids also pose a risk to unborn children as they can cause birth defects. In addition, pyrrolizidine alkaloids can pass into breast milk. Scientists are not even sure if products certified as free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids are safe and harmless during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For these reasons, it is advisable for pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid borage products altogether for safety reasons.

Bleeding disorders: There are concerns that borage seed oil may delay blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding and bruising. For this reason, people who suffer from a bleeding disorder should use borage with caution. Liver disorders: Borage products containing hepatoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids may aggravate liver disorders.

Surgeries: Borage could increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. For this reason, the use of borage should be discontinued at least 2 weeks before upcoming operations.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining borage with the following medications:

Drugs that increase the breakdown of other drugs by the liver (cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) stimulators).

Borage is broken down by the liver. Some chemicals that form in the liver when borage seed oil is broken down can be harmful. Drugs that stimulate the liver to break down borage seed oil may increase the toxic effects of these chemicals.

Medications that slow down blood clotting

Borage seedoil could slow down blood clotting. Taking borage seed oil in conjunction with medications that also slow blood clotting could increase the risk of bleeding and the tendency to bruise. Borage seed oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). GLA is the component of borage seed oil that may be responsible for slowing down blood clotting. Medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, diclofenac (Voltaren), ibuprofen, naproxen and heparin.

Medications used during surgery (anesthetics)

Borage seed oil could interact with medications used during surgery. To be on the safe side, you should tell your doctor which natural products you are using before surgery. To be on the safe side, you should stop using borage seed oil at least 2 weeks before an operation.

Care should be taken when combining borage with the following medications:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are drugs that reduce pain and swelling. Borage seed oil is also used as an anti-inflammatory. Sometimes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used together with borage seed oil in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. However, borage seed oil appears to work in a different way to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Some scientists believe that taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in combination with borage seed oil could reduce the effectiveness of borage seed oil. However, it is still too early to say whether this is actually the case.

Dosage

The following dosages have been investigated in scientific studies:

Oral:

  • For rheumatoid arthritis: 1.1 or 1.4 grams of borage seed oil per day for up to 24 weeks.

References

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