Medicinal Qualities of Borage Oil

Borago officinalis is in the hot seat for its medicinal uses as well as concerns about its long term use. More needs to be known about borage and there are many studies underway. Every part of the plant is used: the leaves are tossed in salads and the flowers used as garnishes or candied to decorate cakes. The oil pressed from the seeds has the richest ingredients and is the most useful medicinally.

Identification

• In the garden, borage has a dainty appearance with its many blue-nodding star-shaped flowers and large, crisp, light green leaves. An occasional pink flower may mix in and some varieties produce white flowers. The mature plant stands about two to three feet tall and colonizes quickly. Borage originated in the Middle East, spread to the Mediterranean region and has naturalized in Europe and North America. This is an annual plant that dies back completely each year but reseeds and returns on its own the following year. The small brown-black seeds ripen late in the season and are dispersed so quickly you may miss them completely.

Benefits

• The gamma linoleic acid, GLA is the component responsible for most of the medicinal benefits of borage oil. In fact, borage oil contains the highest amounts of this fatty acid in the natural world. There are many conditions treated with borage oil but it is applauded most for improving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. It also has a positive effect on other rheumatic and arthritic conditions. It helps by reducing prostaglandins responsible for the pain and swelling in major joints. Borage oil has long been known for its positive effects on the female reproductive system by balancing hormones. It especially affects progesterone so it helps alleviate the symptoms of PMS, menopause and endometriosis. Borage oil is used topically for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis but there seems to be more controversy over whether it simply soothes as an oil or actually works medicinally.

Warning

• The borage plant also contains a negative alkaloid pyrrolizidine. Fortunately the seeds and oil contain less than the fresh flower or leaf. The flowers and leaves are edible but should be eaten in limited quantities. Although the alkaloid is found in very low numbers in the oil the concern is over long-term use. Too much of this component can become toxic to the liver. Most authorities feel that the oil is safe taken at 1,000 milligrams a day but no long-term studies have been done. For the best effect against rheumatic diseases borage oil is used in higher therapeutic doses so it should be used under a doctor's supervision. The safest borage oil to use will have UPA or pyrrolizidine free on the label. Pregnant women should never use borage oil, since it can cause premature labor. The effect of borage oil is diminished use with NSAID's or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen. Take borage oil with food since it can cause indigestion, bloating and nausea in some people.

Potential

• Although concerns for borage oil may loom, interest in its use continues to rise. Research is being done to determine its effect on a number of medical conditions. One important area is the oil's effect on nerve impulses in the human body. There is hope that borage oil may eventually aid patients with multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. There are also unproven claims that borage oil can help treat diabetes, stroke, and circulatory disease, as well as asthma and other forms of respiratory distress. The biggest obstacle is still the possible toxicity in the liver but more is being done to counteract this side effect.

Harvest and Storage

• The process of manufacturing a bottle of borage oil is a tedious process. Each flower develops four seeds that quickly disperse when they dry. Mechanical means must be in place to catch the seeds before they disappear into the soil. The seeds are small so that it takes a lot to produce an ounce of oil. The seeds must be cold-pressed and never heated in order to retain the medicinal qualities. The finished oil should be stored in a dark glass bottle in a cool dark place.