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Dietary supplement

Borage 4:1 Extract Powder Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by TerraVita Premium Collection

Powder Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Borage 4:1 Extract Powder is a dietary supplement by TerraVita Premium Collection with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for eczema and dry skin, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation.Based on those ingredients, 226 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Borage Extract, Powder. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Borage 4:1 Extract Powder by TerraVita Premium Collection

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: borage extract powder in a 4:1 concentration, which means the extract is four times more potent than the raw plant material. Borage extract is derived from the borage plant and contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid.

The product has no inactive ingredients listed.

Does it work?

Couldn't assess
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not assessable

This is a single-ingredient Borage product and its label doesn't state a use — see Borage's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.

The evidence for borage extract is mixed and limited. For atopic dermatitis (eczema)—one of its most studied uses—the data suggests it's possibly ineffective.

For other conditions like ADHD, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and alcoholism, there isn't enough reliable evidence yet to rate whether it works. We don't hold effectiveness data showing this product addresses any condition with confidence.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Borage

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Borage seed oil is generally well tolerated and the most common side effects are mild: belching, bloating, diarrhea, and soft stools. However, borage poses a serious safety concern during pregnancy—the safety data advises against it because of possible liver-toxic alkaloids and theoretical risk to the uterus.

If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this. Additionally, borage plant parts (leaf, flower, seed) can contain hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids that damage the liver, especially with long-term use.

This product is seed oil, which contains little to no alkaloids, but confirm the source and purity with the label, and ask your pharmacist if you have liver concerns.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Borage

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Borage.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs.
  • For scale: 227 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking this product, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take any blood thinners (anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs), antipsychotics called phenothiazines, or medications that speed up liver processing (CYP3A4 inducers). These are the medication types with documented moderate-severity interactions with borage.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no assessable stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Borage extract might appeal to someone looking for a source of GLA, but the evidence for its effectiveness in common conditions is weak or absent. If you take blood thinners, antipsychotic drugs, or medications that affect liver processing, you'll want to check your exact medications before starting.

Pregnant or breastfeeding people should avoid it. Talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist to see if this fits your health picture.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Apr 21, 2023.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Borage 4:1 Extract Powder, straight from the product label.

Brand TerraVita Premium Collection
Barcode (UPC) 064435193058
Net contents 4 Ounce(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Apr 21, 2023
DSLD ID 289364
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Powder
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years)
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Borage 4:1 Extract Powder by TerraVita Premium Collection, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
0.25 Teaspoon(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
0.25 Teaspoon(s)
Servings per container
113
UPC/BARCODE
064435193058
IngredientAmount% DV
Borage Extract, Powder1000 mg--

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
FDA Statement of Identity

A Dietary Supplement

Brand IP Statement(s)

Copyright 2017 TerraVita - Distributed by ZooScape LLC, All Rights Reserved.

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions Stir 1/4 of a teaspoon into a glass of water and consume 3 times daily, with meals.

General Statements

TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium natural products that use the finest, purest and most potent ingredients in the world. TerraVita's hallmarks are the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All products are prepared with the greatest quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, right up to the moment your product is sealed for freshness and shipped to you.

Please recycle!

FDA Disclaimer Statement

Statements not evaluated by FDA. Product not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

See for yourself

Borage 4:1 Extract Powder by TerraVita Premium Collection label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Borage 4:1 Extract Powder by TerraVita Premium Collection

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size0.25 Teaspoon(s) Dosage formPowder Servings per container113 Amounts shown are per serving.

Borage Extract, Powder

Interacts with
226 drugs
1000 mg per serving

Borage is a Mediterranean herb whose seed oil is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid studied mostly for skin conditions and arth...

Borage Extract, Powder monograph & interactions
Interaction report

Borage 4:1 Extract Powder by TerraVita Premium Collection Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Borage 4:1 Extract Powder?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
226Drugs
226 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Borage 4:1 Extract Powder with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Borage Extract, Powder3 drug types · 226 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, borage seed oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
In healthy individuals, borage seed oil supplementation does not seem to affect platelet aggregation. However, gamma-linolenic acid, a constituent of borage seed oil, seems to decrease platelet aggregation by 45% and increase the risk of bleeding by 40% in animal and clinical research.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
Cytochrome P450 3A4 (Cyp3A4) Inducers

Theoretically, taking borage with drugs that induce CYP3A4 might increase levels of pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) toxic metabolites.
Although borage seed oil contains little to no PAs, some borage plant parts, such as the leaf, flower, and seed, can contain hepatotoxic PAs. Hepatotoxic PAs are substrates of CYP3A4, which converts these chemicals into toxic metabolites. Tell patients to avoid borage preparations that are not certified and labeled as hepatotoxic PA-free.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Phenothiazines

Theoretically, taking borage sed oil with phenothiazines might increase the risk of seizures.
Borage seed oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). There is concern that taking supplements containing GLA might cause seizures, or lower the seizure threshold, when taken with phenothiazines. This is based on limited data from two reports published in the 1980s. In one report, three patients with schizophrenia who had received phenothiazines developed EEG changes suggestive of temporal lobe epilepsy after starting treatment with evening primrose, another source of GLA. However, none experienced an actual seizure. In the other report, two patients with schizophrenia who were stabilized on phenothiazines developed seizures when evening primrose 4 grams daily was added. One of these patients had a prior history of seizures. It is unclear whether evening primrose had any additive epileptogenic effects with the phenothiazines, but there is no evidence that taking GLA-containing supplements alone can cause seizures.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Borage 4:1 Extract Powder, from the product label.

TerraVita Premium Collection

See all TerraVita Premium Collection products
Name
TerraVita Fine Whole Herbs
City
Brampton
State
Ontario
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Borage 4:1 Extract Powder by TerraVita Premium Collection: Common Questions

Does Borage 4:1 Extract Powder by TerraVita Premium Collection interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Borage 4:1 Extract Powder has a known interaction with 226 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Borage 4:1 Extract Powder contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
What is borage extract, and where does it come from?
Borage extract comes from the borage plant and is concentrated 4:1, meaning it's four times stronger than the raw plant. This product's extract is seed oil, which is the most tolerated form. Other borage plant parts—like leaf and flower—can contain harmful alkaloid compounds, so seed oil is the safer choice.
What are the most common side effects I might experience?
The most common side effects are mild digestive ones: belching, bloating, diarrhea, and soft stools. Borage seed oil is generally well tolerated, but these GI effects occur in some people.
Is borage safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
No. The safety data advises against borage during pregnancy because of possible liver-toxic alkaloids and theoretical risk to the uterus. There isn't enough safety data for breastfeeding either. If you're pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before considering this product.
Can borage harm my liver?
Borage seed oil itself contains little to no liver-toxic alkaloids, but borage plant parts like leaf and flower do. This extract powder is seed oil, so the risk is lower—but always confirm the label and check with your pharmacist if you have liver disease or concerns, especially if you take medications that affect how your liver processes drugs.
Does borage actually work for eczema or ADHD?
For eczema, the evidence suggests it's possibly ineffective. For ADHD and other conditions, there isn't enough reliable evidence yet to say whether it works. This isn't a well-proven treatment for common conditions based on the data we hold.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Borage 4:1 Extract Powder label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Borage 4:1 Extract Powder’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Borage 4:1 Extract Powder's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 11 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Borage 11 references
  1. Guivernau M, Meza N, Barja P, Roman O. Clinical and experimental study on the long-term effect of dietary gamma-linolenic acid on plasma lipids, platelet aggregation, thromboxane formation, and prostacyclin production. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty A PubMed
  2. WHO working group. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Environmental Health Criteria, 80. WHO: Geneva, 1988.
  3. Fan YY, Chapkin RS. Importance of dietary gamma-linolenic acid in human health and nutrition. J Nutr 1998;128:1411-4.
  4. Takwale A, Tan E, Agarwal S, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of borage oil in adults and children with atopic eczema: randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel group trial. BMJ 2003;327:1385. PubMed
  5. Chojkier M. Hepatic sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome: toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. J Hepatol 2003;39:437-46. PubMed
  6. Roeder E. Medicinal plants in Europe containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pharmazie 1995;50:83-98.
  7. Wang YP, Yan J, Fu PP, Chou MW. Human liver microsomal reduction of pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxides to form the corresponding carcinogenic parent alkaloid. Toxicol Lett 2005;155:411-20. PubMed
  8. Holman CP and Bell AF. A trial of evening primrose oil in the treatment of chronic schizophrenia. J Orhtomolecular Psych 1983;12:302-304.
  9. Vaddadi KS. The use of gamma-linolenic acid and linoleic acid to differentiate between temporal lobe epilepsy and schizophrenia. Prostaglandins Med 1981;6(4):375-379. PubMed
  10. Bard, J. M., Luc, G., Jude, B., Bordet, J. C., Lacroix, B., Bonte, J. P., Parra, H. J., and Duriez, P. A therapeutic dosage (3 g/day) of borage oil supplementation has no effect on platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Fundam.Clin.Pharmacol. 1997;1
  11. Puri BK. The safety of evening primrose oil in epilepsy. Prostaglandins Leukotrienes Essential Fatty Acids 2007;77:101-3. PubMed

See these in context on the Borage monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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