evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis)

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