Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 3 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Evening Primrose Oil Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Health From The Sun

Softgel Capsule Category: Botanical With Nutrients
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Evening Primrose Oil is a dietary supplement by Health From The Sun with 3 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for heart health, healthy cooking fat, skin moisturizing.Based on those ingredients, 86 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Oleic Acid. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Evening Primrose Oil by Health From The Sun

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 3 of its 3 active ingredients.
  • “Organic Evening Primrose Seed Oil” is listed as a grouped ingredient — the label gives one combined amount (1,000 mg) without saying how much of each component you get.

This softgel contains three active ingredients from evening primrose seed oil: gamma-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and oleic acid. Evening primrose oil is a plant-derived blend of fatty acids.

The softgel also contains several inactive ingredients—non-GMO modified cornstarch, carrageenan, glycerin, sorbitol, water, and a vegetarian softgel capsule—that help deliver and preserve the oil.

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

This product doesn't appear to be marketed for a specific use, so we graded Oleic Acid's overall clinical evidence instead.

Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports Oleic Acid for:

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.
  • Since the label doesn't commit to one use, we graded the ingredient's overall clinical evidence instead.
  • On file: Coronary heart disease (CHD) — rated "Possibly Effective" (Natural Medicines).
  • On file: Hypercholesterolemia — rated "Possibly Effective" (Natural Medicines).

The oleic acid in this product is rated possibly effective for high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) and coronary heart disease. We don't have effectiveness data on file for the other two active ingredients, gamma-linolenic acid and linoleic acid.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Oleic Acid

How safe is it?

Some data gaps
Safety Information · database check
Some gaps

Safety data exists for these ingredients, but with some important gaps.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 0 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.

Oleic acid from food sources like olive oil is considered safe and is generally recognized as safe by regulatory standards. However, concentrated supplement doses of oleic acid haven't been well studied in pregnancy or breastfeeding.

If you're pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant, there isn't enough data to know if this product is safe at supplement doses—talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Oleic Acid

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 — Oleic Acid.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications.
  • For scale: 86 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.

If you take antidiabetes drugs (blood sugar medications), double-check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding this product—oleic acid may increase their effect and lower your blood sugar more than expected. For the other active ingredients in this product, we don't hold interaction data, so we cannot identify additional medication concerns.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence behind its ingredients' uses. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and some safety-information gaps remain.

This product may be worth considering if you're interested in supporting cholesterol and heart health through oleic acid, though the evidence is still preliminary. If you take any medication to control blood sugar, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting—the oleic acid could make those drugs work harder than intended.

For any other questions about how this fits into your routine, your pharmacist is the best resource.

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

Assessment coverage: 1 of 3 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Jun 25, 2014.

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, straight from the product label.

Brand Health From The Sun
Barcode (UPC) 010043570446
Net contents 90 Vegetarian Softgel(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jun 25, 2014
DSLD ID 34164
Product type Botanical With Nutrients
Supplement form Softgel Capsule
Dietary claims / uses Nutrient, All Other
Intended target group(s) Vegan, Vegetarian, 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 Evening Primrose Oil by Health From The Sun, 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 Vegetarian Softgel(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Vegetarian Softgel(s)
UPC/BARCODE
010043570446
IngredientAmount% DV
Calories10 {Calories}--
Calories from Fat10 {Calories}--
Total Fat1 Gram(s)2%
Gamma-Linolenic Acid100 mg--
Linoleic Acid680 mg--
Oleic Acid50 mg--
Organic Evening Primrose Seed Oil1000 mg--

Other ingredients: Non-GMO modified cornstarch, Carrageenan, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Water, (vegetarian softgel)

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.
Formula

Liquid Softgel

Discussion: With 1,000 mg of pure, organic evening primrose seed oil in each softgel, Health From The Sun(R) 100% Vegetarian Evening Primrose Oil softgels contain double the amount of oil than traditional vegetarian oil capsules.

GLA 100 MG

FDA Statement of Identity

DIETARY SUPPLEMENT

Formulation

100% VEGETARIAN

Suitable for vegans, 100% Vegetarian Evening Primrose Oil softgels are a convenient source of potent omega-6 GLA made with absolutely no animal-derived ingredients.

Suitable for vegans, 100% Vegetarian Evening Primrose Oil softgels are a convenient source of potent omega-6 GLA made with absolutely no animal-derived ingredients.

Precautions

WARNING: Do not use if safety seal is broken or missing.

Keep out of reach of children.

General Statements

Keep your licensed health care practitioner informed when using this product.

FROM ORGANIC SEEDS

Rigorously quality tested to guarantee purity, potency and truth-in-labeling.

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions: Use only as directed. Take one vegetarian softgel two to three times daily with a meal.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

Seals/Symbols

UV PROTECTED

100% Recycled Plastic

Brand IP Statement(s)

(C)2010

General

2612476 0310

See for yourself

Evening Primrose Oil by Health From The Sun label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Evening Primrose Oil by Health From The Sun

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

Serving size1 Vegetarian 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.

Organic Evening Primrose Seed Oil

1000 mg per serving
  • › Gamma-Linolenic Acid
  • › Linoleic Acid
  • Oleic Acid

Other (inactive) ingredients: Non-GMO modified cornstarch, Carrageenan, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Water, (vegetarian softgel). These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Evening Primrose Oil by Health From The Sun Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Evening Primrose Oil?

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
86Drugs
86 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Evening Primrose Oil 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.

Oleic Acid1 drug type · 86 drugs

Antidiabetes Drugs

Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs. Preliminary clinical research in patients with type 2 diabetes taking oral hypoglycemic drugs shows that eating a diet rich in oleic acid from olive oil decreases fasting blood glucose levels when compared to eating a diet rich in linoleic acid from sunflower oil. It is unknown if taking oleic acid supplements would have this effect or if this change is clinically significant. Until more is known, use caution. Dose adjustment may be necessary. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
The maker

Brand information

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

Health From The Sun

See all Health From The Sun products
Name
Nutraceutical Corp.
Web Address
www.nutraceutical.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Evening Primrose Oil by Health From The Sun: Common Questions

Does Evening Primrose Oil by Health From The Sun interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Evening Primrose Oil has a known interaction with 86 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 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.
Will this help my cholesterol or heart health?
The oleic acid in evening primrose oil is rated possibly effective for high cholesterol and coronary heart disease based on the data we hold, but that means the evidence is still preliminary. Talk with your doctor about whether it's the right fit for your situation.
Is evening primrose oil safe to take if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
We don't have enough data to know if concentrated evening primrose oil is safe at supplement doses during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Food amounts are fine, but supplement-level doses haven't been well studied. Your doctor or pharmacist can give you personalized advice based on your needs.
Can I take this if I'm on blood sugar medication?
Check with your doctor or pharmacist first. The oleic acid in this product may make your blood sugar medications work harder, which could lower your levels more than intended and may need a dose adjustment.
What's in the softgel besides the oil?
The capsule contains non-GMO modified cornstarch, carrageenan, glycerin, sorbitol, water, and a vegetarian softgel shell—these are inactive ingredients that help preserve and deliver the oil.
Does this have any fillers or unnecessary ingredients?
The inactive ingredients are standard components used to make and stabilize softgels; there are no unnecessary fillers beyond what's needed for the capsule format.

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

Not sure if Evening Primrose Oil is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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 label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Evening Primrose Oil’s Ingredients

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

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Evening Primrose Oil'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 19 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.

Oleic Acid 19 references
  1. Madigan C, Ryan M, Owens D, et al. Dietary unsaturated fatty acids in type 2 diabetes: higher levels of postprandial lipoprotein on a linoleic acid-rich sunflower oil diet compared with an oleic acid-rich olive oil diet. Diabetes Care 2000;23:1472-7. PubMed
  2. Gillingham, L. G., Gustafson, J. A., Han, S. Y., Jassal, D. S., and Jones, P. J. High-oleic rapeseed (canola) and flaxseed oils modulate serum lipids and inflammatory biomarkers in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 2011;105(3):417-427. PubMed
  3. Jones PJ, Senanayake VK, Pu S, Jenkins DJ, Connelly PW, Lamarche B, Couture P, Charest A, Baril-Gravel L, West SG, Liu X, Fleming JA, McCrea CE, Kris-Etherton PM. DHA-enriched high-oleic acid canola oil improves lipid profile and lowers predicted cardiova
  4. Cater, N. B., Heller, H. J., and Denke, M. A. Comparison of the effects of medium-chain triacylglycerols, palm oil, and high oleic acid sunflower oil on plasma triacylglycerol fatty acids and lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in humans. Am.J Clin.Nutr PubMed
  5. Mozaffarian D, Clarke R. Quantitative effects on cardiovascular risk factors and coronary heart disease risk of replacing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils with other fats and oils. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009;63(Suppl 2):S22-33. PubMed
  6. Cao Y, Hou L, Wang W. Dietary total fat and fatty acids intake, serum fatty acids and risk of breast cancer: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Int J Cancer. 2016;138(8):1894-904. doi: 10.1002/ijc.29938. PubMed
  7. FDA completes review of qualified health claim petition for oleic acid and the risk of coronary heart disease. November 2018. Available at: www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm624758.htm. Accessed January 25, 2019.
  8. Liu X, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG, et al. Effects of canola and high-oleic-acid canola oils on abdominal fat mass in individuals with central obesity. Obesity. 2016;24(11):2261-2268. PubMed
  9. Bowen KJ, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG, et al. Diets enriched with conventional or high-oleic acid canola oils lower atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins compared to a diet with a western fatty acid profile in adults with central adiposity. J Nutr. 2019;149(3 PubMed
  10. Steffen BT, Duprez D, Szklo M, Guan W, Tsai MY. Circulating oleic acid levels are related to greater risks of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. J Clin Lipidol. 2018;12(6):1404-1412. PubMed
  11. Banim PJ, Luben R, Khaw KT, Hart AR. Dietary oleic acid is inversely associated with pancreatic cancer - Data from food diaries in a cohort study. Pancreatology. 2018;18(6):655-660. PubMed
  12. Morin SJ, Gaziano JM, Djoussé L. Relation between plasma phospholipid oleic acid and risk of heart failure. Eur J Nutr. 2018;57(8):2937-2942. PubMed
  13. Samieri C, Féart C, Proust-Lima C, et al. Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid, and stroke incidence: the Three-City Study. Neurology. 2011;77(5):418-25. PubMed
  14. Compher CW, Kinosian BP, Rubesin SE, Ratcliffe SJ, Metz DC. Energy absorption is reduced with oleic acid supplements in human short bowel syndrome. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2009;33(1):102-8. PubMed
  15. Ben Fradj MK, Ouanes Y, Hadj-Taieb S, et al. Decreased oleic acid and marine n?-?3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in Tunisian patients with urothelial bladder cancer. Nutr Cancer. 2018;70(7):1043-1050.
  16. de Silva PS, Luben R, Shrestha SS, Khaw KT, Hart AR. Dietary arachidonic and oleic acid intake in ulcerative colitis etiology: a prospective cohort study using 7-day food diaries. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014;26(1):11-8. PubMed
  17. Higashi K, Shige H, Ito T, et al. Effect of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid on postprandial lipemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lipids. 2001;36(1):1-6. PubMed
  18. Lin HC, van Citters GW, Heimer F, Bonorris G. Slowing of gastrointestinal transit by oleic acid: a preliminary report of a novel, nutrient-based treatment in humans. Dig Dis Sci. 2001;46(2):223-9. PubMed
  19. Li D, Tong Y, Li Y. Associations between dietary oleic acid and linoleic acid and depressive symptoms in perimenopausal women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Nutrition. 2020 Mar;71:110602. PubMed

See these in context on the Oleic Acid 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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