Evening Primrose: Powerfully Support Your Hormonal Health at Any Age
Evening Primrose has become a common household name, recognized for healing properties for hormonal health, PMS, hot flashes, menopause, and a source of GLAs. But, is there any truth to these claims?
Evening Primrose has become a common household name, recognized for healing properties for hormonal health, PMS, hot flashes, menopause, and a source of gamma-linoleic acid (GLAs). But, is there any truth to these claims? I take a deep dive into the herbal medicine research on Evening Primrose from both modern science and traditional cultural wisdom. Let’s take a closer look!
Nomenclature
i. Oenothera biennis
ii. Authoritative name: Oenothera biennis L.
iii. Family name: Onagraceae
iv. Common name: Evening primrose, common primrose, enotera, enothera, evening star, fever-plant, german rampion, herbe-aux-anes, hierba del asno, king’s cureall, la belle de nuit, mematsuyoigusa, nattljus, night willow herb, onagra, aceite de onagra, scabish, tree primrose, teunisbloem, yue jian cao, onagre bisannuelle, sun drop
Part(s) Used
Oil from the seed, roots and leaves less frequently (Williamson, 2003); seed, seed oil, oleum (Royal Botanic Gardens, n.d.-f); fixed oil from seed
Taste/Odor
Astringent (Garrett, 2003); sweet, slightly bitter, slightly spicy (Hardin, 2020)
Energetics
Oily, mucilaginous stem and leaf juices (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 2021-b); moist, neutral temperature (Hardin, 2020); oily, damp, warming (MUIH course materials)
Actions
Anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, hypotensive, corrects omega-6 EFA deficiency, nutritive (Bone & Mills, 2013; Williamson, 2003); rheumatic, dermatological aid (Williamson, 2003)
Traditional Uses
A traditional Cherokee plant medicine of the North, evening primrose is historically used for treating coughs, colds, and mild depression. Into more modern times, it’s additionally used for regulating hormonal activity and calming hyperactive children (Garrett, 2003).
Seeds recommended as a coffee substitute in wartime. (Bone & Mills, 2013)
Cherokee: infusion as a dietary aid; Cherokee and Iroquois: hemorrhoid remedy; Iroquois: dermatological aid for boils, stimulant for laziness, oil applied topically as a muscle strengthener for athletes; Ojibwa: whole plant, soaked poultice applied to bruises (Moerman, 2009).
Phytotherapy Indications, Uses
PMS, diabetic neuropathy, atopic dermatitis, mastalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, Raynaud’s phenomenon, ulcerative colitis, dry eye, cardiovascular risk reduction, cancer palliation, correct essential fatty acid status, inflammatory disorders, alcohol withdrawal (Bone & Mills, 2013; Williamson, 2003); menopause (Mahboubi, 2019); atopic eczema, especially in infants (Williamson, 2003)
Preparations and Doses
Evening primrose oil (EPO): very variable
For eczema, up to 6 g per day
For mastalgia and premenstrual syndrome, usually 2-4 g daily (Williamson, 2003)
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For mastalgia, 2.6 – 5.2 g / day
As a lactation aid, four 500 mg capsules, twice daily every 12 hours taken with food, milk, or liquid (Mahboubi, 2019)
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Low to medium dosage for conditions such as atopic dermatitis and mastalgia: 250 to 500 mg GLA per day (approximately 2.6 – 5.2 g/day of EPO)
Medium to high doses for conditions such as diabetes, alcoholism, inflammatory disorders including arthritis and ulcerative colitis, and cardiovascular disorders: 0.4 to 2 g GLA per day (approximately 4.2 to 21 g / day of EPO)
For rheumatoid arthritis: 500 to 600 mg GLA per day (approximately 5.2 to 6.3 g / day of EPO) (Bone & Mills, 2013)
Scientific Section
Bone & Mills (2013) cite evening primrose oil (EPO) treatment in clinical trials for prevention or reversing reduced nerve perfusion, an important aetiology factor in diabetic neuropathy and alleviation of premenstrual syndrome, mastalgia and depression. EPO is also indicated in killing human breast, lung, and prostate tumor cells in vitro.
Mahboubi (2019) reviews the clinical literature on evening primrose for women’s health ailments. Major clinical studies confirm its efficacy in treating women’s health conditions such as PMS, hot flash, mastalgia, gestational diabetes, cervical ripening, and dilation when taken regularly over up to a 4 to 6 month time period, not immediate results, most especially for its two types of essential Omega-6-fatty-acids.
References
Bone, K., & Mills, S. (2013). Principles and practice of phytotherapy. Elsevier Ltd.
Braun, L., & Cohen, M. (2015). Herbs and natural supplements: An evidence-based guide volume 2. Elsevier Australia.
Easley, T., & Horne, S. (2016). The modern herbal dispensatory: A medicine making guide. North Atlantic Books.
Freeman, Camille. (2020). Pregnancy-friendly herbs. Bloom and Grow Nutrition, LLC. https://www.camillefreeman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Nursing-Pregnancy Cheat-Sheet-v3.pdf
Garrett, J. T. (2003). The Cherokee herbal: Native plant medicine from the four directions. Bear & Company.
Hardin, K. R. (2020). Evening primrose, illuminated: Night blooming. The Enchanter’s Green. https://enchantersgreen.com/evening-primrose
Hobbs, C. (2016). Herbal action categories. https://www.christopherhobbs.com/webdocs/class handouts/keville-hobbs-2016/Herbal-Actions.pdf
Hoffman, D. (2003). Medical herbalism: The science and practice of herbal medicine. Healing Arts Press.
Joksic, G., Radak, D., Sudar-Milovanovic, E., Obradovic, M., Radovanovic, J., Isenovic, E. R. (2020 May 29). Effects of Gentiana lutea root on vascular diseases. Curr Vasc Pharmacol.
Mahboubi, M. (2019). Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) oil in management of female ailments. J Menopausal Med 25(2), 74-82. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31497576/
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. (2021-a). Evening primrose oil. Retrieved from https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/evening-primrose-oil
Moerman, D. E. (2009). Native American medicinal plants: An ethnobotanical dictionary. Timber Press.
Reid, D. (1995). The complete book of Chinese health and healing: Guarding the three treasures. Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Royal Botanic Gardens. (n.d.-f) Retrieved from https://mpns.science.kew.org/mpns portal/plantDetail?plantId=399189&query=evening+primrose&filter=&fuzzy=false&nmeType=all&dbs=wcsCmp
Vickery, N. (2012). Re-engaging our senses: Taste. The Family Herbalist. https://thefamilyherbalist.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/herbal-taste-chart.pdf
Williamson, E. M. (2003). Potter’s herbal cyclopaedia. The C. W. Daniel Company Limited.
