Evening Primrose Oil

Evening Primrose is a wild flower that grows in eastern & central North America. It is one of the genus oenothera biennis. The flowers open in evening thus name evening primrose, one of the most distinctive features of flowers is the stigma, which has four branches in X shape. Oenothera flowers are pollinated by insects such as moth & bees. In the wild, evening primroses act as primary colonizers. They germinate in disturbed soils & can be found in habitat such as dunes, roadsides and waste areas. It was earlier used by native Americans to heal wounds & was traditionally eaten and used as leafy vegetables. Now evening primrose oil is mainly used for production of its oil which has many therapeutic benefits.
Extraction:
Evening primrose oil is obtained from seeds of evening primrose plant.
Properties:
It is Pale yellow to golden yellow liquid with characteristic odor.
Composition:
Evening primrose seed oil contains essential fatty acids, substances that, such as vitamins, minerals, etc., these are manufactured by the body but are necessary for good health.
Uses:

• It reduces the pains associated with premenstrual stress syndrome like breast pain.omega-
• Evening primrose oil is used to treat symptoms of skin conditions like eczema & dermatitis.
• It can help in hot flashes, heart disease, high cholesterol, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
• It can help in preventing chronic fatigue syndrome.
• It has high level of essential fatty acids GLA also called as omega-6, which in our body turns into prostaglandins hormones which are necessary for a no. of important functions in our body.
• It is used to treat inflammation.