BORAGE
OIL RESEARCH
|
Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2000 Mar-Apr;30(2):139-50. |
Effect of borage oil
consumption on fatty acid metabolism, transepidermal
water loss and skin parameters in elderly people.
Brosche T, Platt D.
Human skin is not able to biosynthesize gamma-linolenic
acid (GLA, 18:3omega6) from the precursor linoleic
acid (LA), or arachidonic acid (AA) from dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DHGLA). Dietary
supplementation with GLA-rich seed oil of borage skips the step of hepatic
6-desaturation of fatty acids (FA) and, therefore, compensates the lack of
these essential FA in conditions with impaired activity of delta 6-desaturase.
Twenty-nine healthy elderly people (mean age 68.6 years), received a daily dose
of 360 or 720 mg GLA for 2 months, using Borage oil in gelatine
capsules (Quintesal 180, manufacturer Galderma Laboratorium GmbH, Freiburg, Germany). The effects of fatty acids derived from
ingested borage oil capsules on skin barrier function were assessed by
measurement of transepidermal water loss (TEWL). The
consumption of borage oil induced a statistically significant improvement of cutaneous barrier function in the elderly people, as
reflected in a mean decrease of 10.8% in the transepidermal
water loss. Thirty-four percent of the people noted itch before borage oil
consumption and 0% afterwards. Dry skin was claimed to be reduced from 42 to
14%, but no significant alteration of skin hydration was measured. The
FA-composition of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids demonstrated an increase
of GLA (+70%) and DHGLA (+18%) and a reduction of saturated and monounsaturated
FA. There was no significant alteration in nervonic
acid or in AA content, but an increase in the DHGLA/AA ratio (+23%). Thus, the
consumption of borage oil by elderly people lead to
alteration of FA metabolism and improved skin function.
PMID: 15374040 [PubMed]
|
Biochem Soc Trans. 1997 May;25(2):343S. |
Effect of omega-6
lipid-rich borage oil feeding on immune function in healthy volunteers.
Fisher BA, Harbige LS.
Department of Immunology, United
PMID: 9191388 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
|
Ann Intern Med. 1993 Nov 1;119(9):867-73. |
Comment in:
· Ann Intern Med. 1994 Apr 15;120(8):692.
Treatment of rheumatoid
arthritis with gammalinolenic acid.
Leventhal LJ, Boyce EG, Zurier
RB.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical efficacy and side effects of gammalinolenic acid, a plant-seed-derived essential fatty
acid that suppresses inflammation and joint tissue injury in animal models.
DESIGN: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 24-week trial. SETTING:
Rheumatology clinic of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-seven patients
with rheumatoid arthritis and active synovitis.
INTERVENTION: Treatment with 1.4 g/d gammalinolenic
acid in borage seed oil or cotton seed oil (placebo). MEASUREMENTS: Physicians'
and patients' global assessment of disease activity; joint tenderness, joint
swelling, morning stiffness, grip strength, and ability to do daily activities.
RESULTS: Treatment with gammalinolenic acid resulted
in clinically important reduction in the signs and symptoms of disease activity
in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (P < 0.05). In contrast, patients given a placebo showed no change or showed
worsening of disease. Gammalinolenic acid reduced the
number of tender joints by 36%, the tender joint score by 45%, swollen joint count by 28%, and the swollen joint score by 41%, whereas
the placebo group did not show significant improvement in any measure. Overall
clinical responses (significant change in four measures) were also better in
the treatment group (P < 0.05). No patients withdrew from gammalinolenic acid treatment because of adverse reactions.
CONCLUSION: Gammalinolenic acid in doses used in this
study is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for active rheumatoid
arthritis. Gammalinolenic acid is available worldwide
as a component of evening primrose and borage seed oils. It is usually taken in
far lower doses than used in this trial. It is not approved in the
Publication Types:
· Clinical Trial
· Randomized Controlled Trial
PMID: 8214997 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
|
Kinderarztl Prax.
1992 Oct;60(7):199-202. |
[Treatment of atopic
dermatitis with borage seed oil (Glandol)--a time
series analytic study]
[Article in German]
Bahmer FA, Schafer J.
Hautklinik
der Universitat des Saarlandes.
The therapy of atopic dermatitis with highly
unsaturated fatty acids has witnessed a renaissance in the last years.
Therefore, a study was conducted with borage oil (Glandol),
rich in highly unsaturated, so-called omega fatty acids, against palm seed oil
as placebo in a total of 12 patients. Evaluation of the severity of the skin
changes was done by means of the ADASI (Atopic
Dermatitis Area and Severity Index)-score system described by us recently. The
ADASI-scores, forming a time series, were analyzed by trend analysis methods.
These methods allow an evaluation of the effectiveness of the therapy in each
case. The analysis revealed that five out of seven patients treated with borage
oil showed a favourable effect with regard to the
skin changes assessed by the ADASI-score. In contrast, only one out of the five
patients treated with placebo showed a significant improvement in skin changes.
In view of the positive effect ob borage oil in patients with atopic dermatitis, a trial therapy for a certain period
seems justified. Our study demonstrates both the value of our ADASI-scoring
system as well as the advantages that time series or trend analysis methods
might have for the evaluation of therapeutic effects in chronic skin diseases
such as atopic dermatitis.
Publication Types:
· Clinical Trial
· Randomized Controlled Trial
PMID: 1434338 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
|
Arthritis Rheum. 1990 Oct;33(10):1526-33. |
Alteration of the cellular
fatty acid profile and the production of eicosanoids
in human monocytes by gamma-linolenic
acid.
Pullman-Mooar S, Laposata
M, Lem D, Holman RT, Leventhal
LJ, DeMarco D, Zurier RB.
Department of Medicine,
We administered borage seed oil (9 capsules/day) for
12 weeks to 7 normal controls and to 7 patients with active rheumatoid
arthritis. The therapy provided 1.1 gm/day of gamma-linolenic
acid (GLA). GLA administration resulted in increased proportions of its first
metabolite, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), in
circulating mononuclear cells. The ratios of DGLA to arachidonic
acid and DGLA to stearic acid increased significantly
in these cells. Significant reductions in prostaglandin E2, leukotriene
B4, and leukotriene C4 produced by stimulated monocytes were seen after 12 weeks of GLA supplementation.
The antiinflammatory effects of GLA administration
observed in animal models, and the apparent clinical improvement experienced by
6 or 7 rheumatoid arthritis patients given borage seed oil in this open,
uncontrolled study may be due in part to reduced generation of arachidonic acid oxygenation products.
Publication Types:
· Clinical Trial
PMID: 2171540 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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J Rheumatol. 1989 Jun;16(6):729-34. |
Suppression of acute and
chronic inflammation by dietary gamma linolenic acid.
Tate G, Mandell BF, Laposata
M, Ohliger D, Baker DG, Schumacher HR, Zurier RB.
Department of Medicine,
We examined the effect of diets enriched in gamma linolenic
acid (GLA) on acute inflammation induced by monosodium urate
crystals, and on subacute and chronic inflammation
induced by complete Freund's adjuvant in the rat subcutaneous air pouch and in
rats with adjuvant induced arthritis. Diets were enriched (15% fat) with borage
seed oil (23% GLA) or safflower oil (less than 1% GLA). Diets enriched with GLA
suppressed inflammation markedly in all models, whereas the safflower oil diet
did not influence the inflammatory response. The degree of inflammation was quantified
by measuring pouch exudate cell concentration, lysosomal enzyme activity, volume, protein concentration
and prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4
concentrations. In the chronic air pouch model, the pouch lining was thickened,
invaded by mononuclear cells and exhibited proliferation of lining cells 14
days after adjuvant injection. The lesion was far less severe and usual pouch
lining architecture was maintained in animals given dietary GLA. Livers of rats
fed borage seed oil were enriched in GLA and dihomo gamma linolenic acid
(DGLA), and the DGLA/arachidonate ratio was increased
5-fold compared with animals fed safflower oil. Enrichment of diet with plant
seed oils rich in GLA may provide a way to alter generation of prostaglandins
and leukotrienes and to influence acute and chronic
inflammatory responses.
PMID: 2550629 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]