Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Esmond Natural

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg label
See full label image
Softgel Capsule Category: Botanical With Nutrients
Most serious interaction: Moderate
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 23, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg is a dietary supplement by Esmond Natural with 3 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for eczema and dry skin, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation.Based on those ingredients, 409 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Evening Primrose Oil, Borage Oil, Chasteberry concentrated powder. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

Jump to a section

Check Your Meds Against Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural

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

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Jul 23, 2026

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 3 of its 3 active ingredients.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains 3 active ingredients. Borage oil and evening primrose oil are both plant-derived oils rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid that may help support skin health and reduce inflammation.

Chasteberry concentrated powder (also called vitex) comes from the fruit of the Vitex agnus-castus plant and has been traditionally used to support hormonal balance, particularly for premenstrual symptoms. The softgel capsules also contain gelatin and vegetable glycerin as inactive ingredients to hold the formulation together.

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
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
Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports this product's ingredients for its stated purpose, but it isn't conclusive.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: women's health and PMS support.
  • We looked for evidence on: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Mastalgia, Menopausal symptoms, Dysmenorrhea, cyclical breast pain, hormonal balance — and 1 related terms.
  • The strongest evidence on file: Vitex Agnus-castus is rated "Possibly Effective" for Mastalgia (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Vitex Agnus-castus is rated "Possibly Effective" for Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
  • Also on file: Evening Primrose is rated "Likely Ineffective" for Mastalgia.

Evidence for this product's benefits is mixed. Chasteberry shows some promise for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and breast pain (mastalgia), rated as possibly effective.

Evening primrose oil, by contrast, appears possibly ineffective for asthma and likely ineffective for mastalgia—despite its traditional use. Borage oil has been studied for atopic dermatitis (eczema) but is rated possibly ineffective.

For other uses like ADHD, acute respiratory distress, and alcoholism, the evidence in our data is insufficient to say whether these ingredients help. Talk with your doctor about what you're hoping to address to see if this product is the right fit.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Borage Evening Primrose Vitex Agnus-castus

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 3 of the 3 matched ingredients.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 3 of 3.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 3 of 3.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Borage oil and evening primrose oil are generally well tolerated short-term, with the most common side effects being gastrointestinal—belching, bloating, diarrhea, and soft stools. Evening primrose oil may also cause abdominal pain, nausea, or rarely dizziness and headache.

Chasteberry is similarly well tolerated orally but may cause diarrhea, fatigue, headache, nausea, irregular menstruation, or skin irritation. A significant safety concern exists with borage plant parts (leaf, flower, seed) that contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs)—compounds that can damage the liver over time.

This product is borage seed oil, which contains little to no PAs, but quality certification matters. Borage is rated unsafe in pregnancy due to possible liver-toxic alkaloids and theoretical uterine effects.

Evening primrose oil is rated possibly safe in pregnancy and lactation, but safety data are limited. Chasteberry is rated possibly unsafe in pregnancy and should be avoided while breastfeeding due to possible hormonal effects on milk.

Because this product combines ingredients with different pregnancy/lactation ratings, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking it if you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Borage Evening Primrose Vitex Agnus-castus

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?
  • 3 of the 3 matched ingredients can interact with medications — Borage, Vitex Agnus-castus, Evening Primrose.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs; lithium.
  • For scale: 410 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.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product if you use blood thinners (anticoagulants) or antiplatelet drugs like aspirin or warfarin, lithium, phenothiazines or other antipsychotics, metoclopramide, birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, or dopamine agonists. These are Moderate-severity interactions backed by case reports or theoretical concern.

Additionally, if you take drugs processed through the liver enzyme CYP2C9, evening primrose oil may increase their levels.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence for its stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

This product blends borage oil, evening primrose oil, and chasteberry—three botanicals with modest evidence for hormone balance and skin support, but notable interactions with blood thinners, psychiatric medications, birth control, and lithium. If you take any prescription medications, run them through the checker below before starting.

Pregnant or breastfeeding women should discuss this product with their doctor or pharmacist first, since the three ingredients have different safety profiles during these periods.

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

Assessment coverage: 3 of 3 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Jul 23, 2020.

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 Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand Esmond Natural
Barcode (UPC) 641399083313
Net contents 60 Softgel(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jul 23, 2020
DSLD ID 230930
Product type Botanical With Nutrients
Supplement form Softgel Capsule
Dietary claims / uses Nutrient, All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult Female (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free
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 Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural, 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:
1 Softgel(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Softgel(s)
UPC/BARCODE
641399083313
IngredientAmount% DV
Borage Oil100 mg--
Evening Primrose Oil1000 mg--
Chasteberry concentrated powder100 mg--

Other ingredients: Gelatin, Vegetable Glycerin

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.
General Statements

Body integrated health Naturally driven for long lasting health.

Body

Formula

Evening primose is a natural source of the unsaturated fatty acid, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), that promotes women's health and helps provide nutritional support for PMS.

Standardized GLA 9% Providing 90 mg GLA(9%)

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Formulation

No artificial color, flavor or sweetener, no preservatives, no sugar, no starch, no milk, no lactose, no soy, no gluten, no wheat, no yeast, no fish. Sodium free.

Promotes women's health Natural support for women with PMS

Made in USA

Discontinue use and consult your doctor if any adverse reactions occur.

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions: For adults, take one (1) softgel daily, preferably with a meal.

Precautions

Warning: If your are pregnant, nursing, taking any medications or planning any medical procedure, consult your doctor before use.

Keep out of reach of children.

Tamper resistant: Do not use if imprinted seal under cap is broken or missing.

Storage

Store in a dry place and avoid excessive heat.

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural label

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

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural

These are the 3 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Softgel(s) Dosage formSoftgel Capsule Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Borage Oil

Interacts with
226 drugs
100 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 Oil monograph & interactions

Evening Primrose Oil

Interacts with
233 drugs
1000 mg per serving Form: Gamma-Linolenic Acid, Cold-Pressed

Evening primrose oil is a seed oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid, that is popularly used for skin conditions, PMS, and bre...

Evening Primrose Oil monograph & interactions

Chasteberry concentrated powder

Interacts with
121 drugs
100 mg per serving

Vitex (chasteberry) is an herbal remedy most often used for PMS and menstrual cycle problems, and the strongest evidence is for easing some PMS sympto...

Chasteberry concentrated powder monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Gelatin, Vegetable Glycerin. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg?

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
409Drugs
337 Moderate 72 Minor

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Evening Primrose Oil 233
Borage Oil 226
Chasteberry concentrated powder 121

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg interact with 409 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

3 of the 3 ingredients in Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Evening Primrose Oil Borage Oil Chasteberry concentrated powder

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg with known interactions, here are the types of medications they can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Evening Primrose Oil5 drug types · 233 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Evening primrose oil contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA). There is preliminary clinical evidence that GLA can reduce platelet aggregation and prolong bleeding time.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Lithium

Theoretically, concomitant use of lithium with evening primrose oil might decrease lithium levels and effects.
In a case report, a patient on a stable dose of lithium for 10 years experienced a reduction in lithium levels after taking evening primrose oil 500 mg daily. Baseline levels were 0.69 mmol/L, which decreased to 0.37 mmol/L after 2 months and 0.23 mmol/L after 3 months of use. Lithium levels increased within 6 weeks of discontinuing evening primrose oil, to 0.73 mmol/L; no clinical effects were noted.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Lopinavir/Ritonavir (Kaletra)

Theoretically, evening primrose oil might increase the levels and effects of lopinavir.
In a case report, an HIV patient who took evening primrose oil (Efamol) along with lopinavir/ritonavir experienced an increase in serum levels of lopinavir to 15.2 mg/L. Six weeks after discontinuing evening primrose oil, levels of lopinavir returned to the normal range of 5-10 mg/L. When re-challenged with evening primrose oil for a week, the patient's lopinavir levels increased from 6.69 to 8.11 mg/L. It is suspected that evening primrose oil increases levels of lopinavir by inhibiting cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), which metabolizes lopinavir. However, this effect has not been reported in other research.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Phenothiazines

Theoretically, taking evening primrose oil with phenothiazines might increase the risk of convulsions.
Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). There is some concern that taking supplements containing GLA might cause seizures, or lower the seizure threshold, when taken with phenothiazines. In one report, three patients with schizophrenia who had received phenothiazines developed EEG changes suggestive of temporal lobe epilepsy after starting treatment with GLA, although none experienced an actual seizure. In another report, two patients with schizophrenia who were stabilized on phenothiazines developed seizures when evening primrose oil 4 grams daily was added. One of these patients had a prior history of seizures. It is unclear whether evening primrose oil had any additive epileptogenic effects with the phenothiazines; there is no evidence that taking evening primrose oil alone causes seizures.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Cytochrome P450 2C9 (Cyp2C9) Substrates

Theoretically, evening primrose may increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2C9 substrates.
In vitro research shows that linoleic acid, a constituent of evening primrose oil, inhibits CYP2C9.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Evening Primrose Oil full monograph & interactions

Borage Oil3 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
Borage Oil full monograph & interactions

Chasteberry concentrated powder5 drug types · 121 drugs

Antipsychotic Drugs

Theoretically, vitex agnus-castus could interfere with the activity of antipsychotic drugs.
Vitex agnus-castus might interfere with the action of dopamine antagonists such as antipsychotic drugs due to its dopamine agonist effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Contraceptive Drugs

Theoretically, vitex agnus-castus could interfere with oral contraceptives.
Vitex agnus-castus might interfere with the efficacy of oral contraceptives due to possible hormone modulating activity.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
Dopamine Agonists

Theoretically, vitex agnus-castus could interfere with dopamine agonists.
Vitex agnus-castus might potentiate the actions of dopaminergic agonists due to possible dopaminergic effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Estrogens

Theoretically, vitex agnus-castus could interfere with the activity of estrogens.
Vitex agnus-castus has hormone modulating activity that can interfere with the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Metoclopramide (Reglan)

Theoretically, dopaminergic effects of vitex agnus-castus could interfere with metoclopramide.
Vitex agnus-castus might interfere with the action of dopamine antagonists such as metoclopramide due to its possible dopaminergic effects.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Chasteberry concentrated powder full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg, from the product label.

Esmond Natural

See all Esmond Natural products
Name
Esmond Natural Inc.
City
Irwindale
State
CA
ZipCode
91706
Phone Number
1-800-814-6866
Web Address
www.esmondnatural.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural: Common Questions

Does Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg by Esmond Natural interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg has a known interaction with 409 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg contains 3 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is 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.
Can I take this if I'm on birth control?
The chasteberry in this product may theoretically interfere with oral contraceptive effectiveness through hormone-modulating activity. This is listed as a Moderate interaction. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether this product is safe to use alongside your birth control before you start it.
Is borage oil safe in this product, or does it have those toxic alkaloids?
This product contains borage seed oil, which naturally contains little to no pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs)—the liver-toxic compounds found in borage leaf, flower, and whole seed. Borage seed oil is generally better tolerated than other borage plant parts. That said, quality matters: look for products certified as PA-free, and avoid if you have liver disease.
Can I take this while breastfeeding?
Evening primrose oil is rated possibly safe during lactation with limited data. Chasteberry, however, is rated possibly unsafe and should be avoided while breastfeeding because it may affect milk-related hormones. Since this product contains both, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using it if you're nursing.
What's chasteberry actually for?
Chasteberry (vitex) has been traditionally used to support hormone balance. Our data show it's rated possibly effective for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and breast pain (mastalgia). It may also have dopamine-related activity, which is why it can interact with antipsychotic and dopamine-blocking medications.
Will this help my eczema?
Borage oil in this product has been studied for atopic dermatitis (eczema) but is rated possibly ineffective based on current evidence. Evening primrose oil is also studied for skin but shows limited benefit. If you're treating eczema, talk with your doctor about whether this product is likely to help your situation.
What are the most common side effects?
The most frequent side effects are gastrointestinal: belching, bloating, diarrhea, soft stools, and sometimes nausea or abdominal pain. Chasteberry may also cause headache, fatigue, or irregular menstruation. These are generally mild, but if they persist or worsen, let your doctor or pharmacist know.

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.

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg’s Ingredients

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

Herb & supplement monograph

Borage

Interacts with 226 drugs

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 arthritis with mixed results. The plant's le...

Read the full Borage monograph → Herb & supplement monograph

Evening Primrose

Interacts with 233 drugs

Evening primrose oil is a seed oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid, that is popularly used for skin conditions, PMS, and breast pain. The evidence behind most of th...

Read the full Evening Primrose monograph → Herb & supplement monograph

Vitex Agnus-castus

Interacts with 121 drugs

Vitex (chasteberry) is an herbal remedy most often used for PMS and menstrual cycle problems, and the strongest evidence is for easing some PMS symptoms. It is generally well tolerated by ma...

Read the full Vitex Agnus-castus monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Evening Primrose Oil 1000 mg'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 67 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 →

Evening Primrose 33 references
  1. Shaw D, Leon C, Kolev S, Murray V. Traditional remedies and food supplements: a 5-year toxicological study (1991-1995). Drug Saf 1997;17:342-56.
  2. Laivuori H, Hovatta O, Viinikka L, et al. Dietary supplementation with primrose oil or fish oil does not change urinary excretion of prostacyclin and thromboxane metabolites in pre-eclamptic women. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1993;49:691-4. PubMed
  3. Dove D, Johnson P. Oral evening primrose oil: its effect on length of pregnancy and selected intrapartum outcomes in low-risk nulliparous women (abstract). J Nurse Midwifery 1999;44:320-4. PubMed
  4. 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
  5. Cant A, Shay J, Horrobin DF. The effect of maternal supplementation with linoleic and gamma- linolenic acids on the fat composition and content of human milk: a placebo-controlled trial. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 1991;37:573-9. PubMed
  6. Keen H, Payan J, Allawi J, et al. Treatment of diabetic neuropathy with gamma-linolenic acid. The gamma-Linolenic Acid Multicenter Trial Group. Diabetes Care 1993;16:8-15.
  7. Blommers J, de Lange-De Klerk ES, Kuik DJ, et al. Evening primrose oil and fish oil for severe chronic mastalgia: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1389-94.. DOI
  8. Cheung KL. Management of cyclical mastalgia in oriental women: pioneer experience of using gamolenic acid (Efamast) in Asia. Aust N Z J Surg 1999;69:492-4..
  9. Das UN. The lipids that matter from infant nutrition to insulin resistance. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2002;67:1-12. PubMed
  10. Wedig KE, Whitsett JA. Down the primrose path: petechiae in a neonate exposed to herbal remedy for parturition. J Pediatr 2008;152:140, 140.e1. PubMed
  11. Ty-Torredes KA. The effect of oral evening primrose oil on bishop score and cervical length amongst term gravidas. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006;195(6 Suppl 1):S30.
  12. Moodley J and Norman RJ. Attempts at dietary alteration of prostaglandin pathways in the management of pre-eclampsia. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1989;37(3):145-147. PubMed
  13. Tong M. [Treatment of hyperlipemia with evening primrose oil capsules]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1988;8:469-71, 452-3.
  14. Holman CP and Bell AF. A trial of evening primrose oil in the treatment of chronic schizophrenia. J Orhtomolecular Psych 1983;12:302-304.
  15. 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
  16. Zou L, Harkey MR, and Henderson GL. Effects of herbal components on cDNA-expressed cytochrome P450 enzyme catalytic activity. Life Sci 8-16-2002;71(13):1579-1589. PubMed
  17. Yoon, S., Lee, J., and Lee, S. The therapeutic effect of evening primrose oil in atopic dermatitis patients with dry scaly skin lesions is associated with the normalization of serum gamma-interferon levels. Skin Pharmacol Appl.Skin Physiol 2002;15(1):20- PubMed
  18. Bamford, J. T., Gibson, R. W., and Renier, C. M. Atopic eczema unresponsive to evening primrose oil (linoleic and gamma- linolenic acids). J Am.Acad.Dermatol. 1985;13(6):959-965.
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Vitex Agnus-castus 23 references
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  16. Dinç T, Coskun F. Comparison of fructus agni casti and flurbiprofen in the treatment of cyclic mastalgia in premenopausal women. Ulus Cerrahi Derg. 2014 Mar 1;30(1):34-8 PubMed
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