Facts and Clinical Observations about Evening Pimrose Oil (EP Oil):

CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS:

ARTERIOSCLEROSIS AND CORONARY HEART DISEASE:

We had proved that PGE, can effectively inhibit experimentally induced atheromatosis formation in rabbits.  Mr. Matinow reported that EFAs not only inhibit atheromatosis formation, decrease blood pressure, but also induce the reverse processes.  During the past ten years, mortality of Americans caused by coronary heart disease have decreased by 20 to 25% due to the increased proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids in diet.  Meanwhile, the proportion of GLA in [at tissues of Americans has increased. Oral administration of 3g of EP oil could increase plasma DGLA content by 6 to 9 times.  Our observation on 228 patients with hyperlipemia showed that after 4 to 6 weeks administration of 1.8-2.4g EP oil daily, their serum cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein decreased undoubtedly, high density lipoprotein increased definitely, and their platelet aggregation ability decreased evidently.  The mean value of decrease was 55.3%.

PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE:

EP Oil can improve exercise tolerance in a group of individuals with intermittent claudication because of vascular obstruction.  PGE, is a potent vasodilator, producing dramatic improvement in patients with vascular spasm due to Raynaud's syndrome and relieve angina pectoris in humans. These were observed in our polyclinics.

DIABETES MELLITUS:

In animals with diabetes mellitus, delta-6-desaturase activity is inhibited.  Furthermore, PGE, has insulin-like action, and and can potentate insulin effects.  Therefore, diabetes could lead to a functional EFA deficiency. Recently low level of PGE, in platelet has been found in diabetic human.  The cases of development of retinopatliy and cardiovascular complications in EFA supplemented group was less than half of the group fed with normal diet.  Our observation showed that administration of EP oil could lower blood sugar level in patients with high blood sugar.

OBESITY:

EP oil supplement in psychiatric patients and some normal individuals was found to be associated with weight loss, especially if the obesity is due to metabolic abnormalities.These results were also probed by our observations.  Recently, a lot of Japanese actresses praised EP oil for making their skin younger, decreasing their body weight and giving them beauty and happiness.

PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME:

Results of study on 68 women with severe premenstrual syndrome in St. Thomas Medical School showed that EP oil caused two thirds of them to exhibit complete remission of all symptoms and another 22% having a partial response. 26 out of 36 women with cyclic premenstrual breast pain experienced complete relief

ATOPIC ECZEMA:

Patients taking part in two large studies of 12 weeks treatment of eczema produced a highly significant response to EP oil compared to placebo. Eczema often develops in children switching from breast feeding to bottle feeding because breast milk contains GL-A. It may be possible that some eczema patients are inefficient in converting linoleic acid to GLA.

PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS:

SCHIZOPHRENIA:

Abdulla and Hamadah from Gay's Hospital in London reported that platelets from schizophrenics are deficient in one series of Prostaglandin's formed from DGL-A.  Treatment of schizophrenics with EP oil may improve symptoms of flat emotion and social withdrawal, and produces an expression of emotion and social interaction.

ALCOHOLISM:

Alcohol enhances the conversion of DGLA to PGEI.  PGEI level is elevated in mania condition which resembles acute alcoholism into excitation.  The effect of alcohol in stimulating PGEI synthesis will tend to deplete DGLA stores.  Alcohol also blocks delta-6-desaturase, thus preventing conversion of linoleic acid to GLA. So, withdrawal of alcohol would lead to catastrophic fall in PGEI level, Therefore, either addition of PGEI or replenishment of DGLA stores by administration should reduce the severity of withdrawal syndrome.

Injection of PGEI is able to prevent liver degeneration in alcohol treated animals and fetal damage, both in animals and human.