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evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis)
common name
Entire Monograph
Reported Uses
- NOTE: see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table
- acne [Insufficient Evidence]
- ADHD [Insufficient Evidence]
- Alzheimer dz [Insufficient Evidence]
- asthma [Possibly Ineffective]
- atopic dermatitis (eczema) [Insufficient Evidence]
- biliary disorders [Insufficient Evidence]
- chronic fatigue syndrome [Insufficient Evidence]
- coronary heart dz [Insufficient Evidence]
- developmental coordination disorder [Insufficient Evidence]
- diabetic neuropathy [Insufficient Evidence]
- dry eye dz [Insufficient Evidence]
- dry skin [Insufficient Evidence]
- dyslexia [Insufficient Evidence]
- endometriosis [Insufficient Evidence]
- gestational diabetes [Insufficient Evidence]
- hepatitis B [Insufficient Evidence]
- hyperlipidemia [Insufficient Evidence]
- hysteroscopy [Insufficient Evidence]
- IBS [Insufficient Evidence]
- ichthyosis vulgaris [Insufficient Evidence]
- infant development [Insufficient Evidence]
- intermittent claudication [Insufficient Evidence]
- liver CA [Insufficient Evidence]
- mastalgia [Likely Ineffective]
- menopausal sx [Insufficient Evidence]
- molluscum contagiosum [Insufficient Evidence]
- multiple sclerosis [Insufficient Evidence]
- obesity [Insufficient Evidence]
- osteopenia [Insufficient Evidence]
- osteoporosis [Insufficient Evidence]
- parturition [Insufficient Evidence]
- peptic ulcer [Insufficient Evidence]
- plaque psoriasis [Insufficient Evidence]
- polycystic ovary syndrome [Insufficient Evidence]
- postop pain [Insufficient Evidence]
- pre-eclampsia [Insufficient Evidence]
- premenstrual syndrome [Insufficient Evidence]
- psoriatic arthritis [Insufficient Evidence]
- Raynaud phenomenon [Insufficient Evidence]
- rheumatoid arthritis [Insufficient Evidence]
- schizophrenia [Insufficient Evidence]
- Sjogren syndrome [Insufficient Evidence]
- tardive dyskinesia [Insufficient Evidence]
- ulcerative colitis [Insufficient Evidence]
Reported Doses
Safety/efficacy may not be established; reported doses may be derived from limited or potentially inadequate studies w/ variable regimens, multi-ingredient products, or where concentration of active ingredients may vary widely
Special Note
- [formulation clarification]
- Info: products contain varying amounts of gamma-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, other essential fatty acids
Effectiveness Ratings
- [see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table]
ADHD, peds pts
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 300 mg PO bid; Info: used w/ fish oil
atopic dermatitis (eczema), adult pts
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 2-3 g PO bid
atopic dermatitis (eczema), peds pts
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 0.5-6 g PO qd
biliary disorders
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 2 g PO bid
chronic fatigue syndrome
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 72 mg gamma-linolenic acid and 510 mg linoleic acid PO qid; Info: used w/ fish oil
developmental coordination disorder, peds pts
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 96 mg gamma-linolenic acid PO qd; Info: for pts 5-12 yo; used w/ fish oil
diabetic neuropathy
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 360-480 mg gamma-linolenic acid PO qd
dry eye dz
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 3 g PO qd
dry skin
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 510 mg PO qd
dyslexia, peds pts
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 96 mg gamma-linolenic acid PO qd; Info: used w/ fish oil
gestational diabetes
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 1 g PO qd; Info: used w/ vitamin D
hyperlipidemia
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 1.5-2 g PO bid; Alt: 250 mg PO bid
hysteroscopy
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 1-2 g PV x1; Start: 2-6h before procedure
menopausal sx
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 440-880 mg PO qd; Alt: 1-2 g PO qd
molluscum contagiosum, peds pts
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: apply oil topically bid; Info: for pts 2-10 yo
multiple sclerosis
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 600-700 mg PO tid
parturition
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 1 g PV x1; Info: may repeat dose q6h prn for up to 4 doses
polycystic ovary syndrome
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 1 g PO qd; Info: used w/ vitamin D
postop pain
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 1 g PO q30min x3 doses; Info: for postop pain after appendectomy
premenstrual syndrome
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 4 g PO qd; Alt: 3 g PO qd starting day 15 of menstrual cycle until end of cycle
Raynaud phenomenon
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 6 g PO qd
rheumatoid arthritis
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 6 g PO qd; Alt: 2.6 g PO qd
schizophrenia
- [Insufficient Evidence]
- Dose: 6 g PO qd
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