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Evening Primrose Oil Benefits

Evening Primrose Oil Facts

Latin Name: Oenothera biennis

Common Names: evening primrose oil, EPO, fever plant, primrose oil, sundrop, suncup, night willow herb

Family Name: Onagraceae

Evening primrose is a flowering herbaceous plant found in North and SouthAmerica as well as Europe. The flowers are generally four petalled and yellow in color and bloom in summer. Evening primrose was used as an astringent and as a healing poultice for wounds. The seeds of the flowers are used to extract evening primrose oil which contains Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) which is an essential fatty acid.

Chemical composition of Evening Primrose Oil

Evening primrose oil contains linolenic acid 65-75%, gamma linolenic acid 9-11%, Oleic Acid 7-10%, Palmitic Acid 5-8%, Stearic Acid 1-3%, Arachidic Acid 2%, Eicosenoic Acid 2%, Alpha-linolenic acid 0.5%. GLA is an essential Omega 6 fatty acid that helps in maintaining skin moisture.

Benefits of Evening Primrose Oil

• Evening Primrose Oil helps in treating eczema and psoriasis.
• Evening Primrose Oil is said to aid in fertility by increasing fertile mucus in women
• Evening Primrose Oil helps to alleviate pre-menstrual symptoms
• Evening Primrose Oil is considered useful in reducing breast pain (mastalgia) caused by menstrual symptoms and fibromyalgia
• Evening Primrose Oil is said to be helpful in treating breast cysts
• Evening Primrose Oil maintains skin moisture and helps in healing dry skin
• Evening Primrose Oil in combination with thyme is said to be effective in treating bronchitis

Evening Primrose Oil Dosage

Evening Primrose Oil is available in the form of capsules and tinctures

For adults 18 years and older for treatment of eczema or atopic dermatitis, doses of 4 to 8 grams a day are recommended (divided into several small doses). For breast pain doses of 3 grams daily is recommended.