Evening primrose

Oenothera biennis, family Onagraceae. Part discussed: Seed oil.

Identity

Common name: Evening primrose
Botanical name: Oenothera biennis
Family: Onagraceae
Part or material: Seed oil
Classification: Botanical
Educational category: Women's Wellness

About

EMA names Oenothera biennis L. or Oenothera lamarckiana L., fatty oil from the seeds.

Forms and distinctions

Different preparations of the same material are described separately, because what is recorded for one form does not carry to another.

Oil obtained by solvent extraction or pressing of the seeds, usually in solid oral forms.

Safety considerations

Side effects include stomach and gut effects, increased temperature, hypersensitivity reactions such as skin rash, and headache, frequency not known. Probably safe for most adults taken orally and generally well tolerated, gastrointestinal effects most common; safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not conclusively established.

References

The authorities this entry draws on, named so you can weigh them yourself.

EMA HMPC Oenotherae oleum · European Medicines Agency, herbal medicine monograph
NCCIH "Evening Primrose Oil: Usefulness and Safety · US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

This entry is educational. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not a statement about any Pam Oh Herbs Collection or its contents. It carries no dosage and no claim of effect.