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Borage oil versus Evening Primrose oil
November 21 2008 at 4:20 AM waxingmoon (Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER

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Both Borage and Evening Primrose oil provide the Omega 6 essential fatty acid (gamma linolenic acid) but there are some important differences.

Borage oil seems to provide a greater amount of this fatty acid, but it also contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are a liver toxin in its fresh leaves. It does not contain very much of this toxin and if the oil which is made from the seeds it is unlikely to have much or any of this toxin present.

Here is a website that talks about borage oil:

http://www.evitamins.com/healthnotes.asp?ContentID=2811005

This site lists drug/herb interactions from borage oil:

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?nm=Reference+Library&type=AWHN_Supplements&mod=Supplements&tier=3&title=borage+oil&id=F6E43FE434CA482FB6F13C4CF51329DC

Lately someone brought up a question about the safety of using Borage oil and Vitex together. So far I have found no reference to this other than what was listed on the NOW brand of Borage oil.

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Evening Primrose oil has been more thoroughly researched than borage oil. Although it provides less GLA than Borage oil it also has no toxicity and is well tolerated by most people.

Here is an article that promotes the use of Evening primrose oil over Borage:

http://www.udoerasmus.com/articles/udo/epo_expanded.htm

I will add more info as I find it.

Best wishes,
waxingmoon