evening primrose oil

evening primrose oil
oil pressed from the seeds of the evening primrose plant (Oenothera biennis), which has been used medicinally for centuries. The oil is rich in the polyunsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid (see essential fatty acid), which is also found abundantly in other foodstuffs. It also contains gamma-linolenic acid, which the body is actually capable of synthesizing from linoleic acid. It is often this latter component that is thought to be the active ingredient of the oil but this is not proven, despite many claims for the benefits of taking it. Symptom relief has been reported for rheumatoid arthritis, breast pain, premenstrual syndrome, eczema, diabetic neuropathy, cancer, hypercholesterolaemia, and heart disease.

The new mediacal dictionary. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • evening primrose oil — noun An essential oil obtained from the seeds of this plant • • • Main Entry: ↑even …   Useful english dictionary

  • Evening primrose oil — A natural source of essential fatty acids (EFOs). Evening primrose oil contains a higher level of arachnoidic acid than some other EFO sources, so people with seizure disorders may wish to avoid its use. * * * oil produced by cold extraction from …   Medical dictionary

  • evening primrose oil — noun oil, extracted from the seeds of the evening primrose, used as a complementary medicine (for example, to relieve premenstrual stress) …   Wiktionary

  • evening primrose — ► NOUN ▪ a plant with pale yellow flowers that open in the evening, used for a medicinal oil …   English terms dictionary

  • evening primrose — UK / US noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms evening primrose : singular evening primrose plural evening primroses biology a plant with yellow flowers that open in the evening. An oil used in herbal medicine is obtained from its seeds …   English dictionary

  • evening primrose — noun Evening primrose is used before these nouns: ↑oil …   Collocations dictionary

  • evening primrose — noun a plant with pale yellow flowers that open in the evening, whose seeds are used for a medicinal oil. [Genus Oenothera: numerous species.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • evening primrose — 1. Oenothera biennis. 2. a preparation of the oil from the seeds of O. biennis; see under oil …   Medical dictionary

  • oil — noun 1 used as fuel/to make machines work smoothly ADJECTIVE ▪ heavy ▪ light ▪ crude ▪ refined ▪ offshore ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • Borage seed oil — is derived from the seeds of the Borago officinalis (borage). It is used medicinally as an anti inflammatory, for treating arthritis, as well as certain skin conditions (e.g. atopic dermatitis) and respiratory inflammation. [cite… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”