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Never use this or any other herb without first consulting your Doctor!
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BORAGE
Broago officinalis
Boraginaceae
(Burrage)
Parts used: Leaves
Energy and Flavors: Cool,bitter,sweetish and mildly
acrid flavor
Systems Affected: Lungs, heart
Properties: Refrigerant,febrifuge,aperient,
galactagogue,pectoral.
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Biochemical Constituents: Pyrrolizidine alkaloid,
including an intermedine, and their acetyl
derivatives with amabiline and supinin,cholin.This
group of alkaloids, and certain plants ( some
species of spring-harvested comfrey, groundsel and
senecio species, coltsfoot) that contain them, are
currently suspected as possible causes of liver
toxicity and cancer. Though used by traditional
people around the world for thousands of years,
borage is not the type of nutritive tonic herb that
one would want to take regularly over a period of
months. Rather, it is more of an occasional acute
remedy for fevers and might be considered safe to
use as a sole agent for no more than 3-7 days
maximum. Other ingredients include mucilage,tannin,
traces of essential oil.
Borage is used for heart and lung congestion, fevers and to promote mothers milk. Its demulcent properties make it effective against ulcers both internally and external. The seeds, like evening primrose, have been found to be a rich source of gamma linolenic oil.
Dose: standard infusion; of the tincture, 10-15 drops.
Borage is used for: fevers,lung congestion, heart problems, increasing mothers milk.
Description: The whole plant is rough with white, stiff, prickly hairs. The round stems, about 1 1/2 feet high, are branched, hollow and succulent; the leaves alternate, they are large, wrinkled, deep green, oval and pointed, 3 inches long or more, and about 1 1/2 inch broad, the lower ones stalked, with stiff, one celled hairs on the upper surfaces and on the veins below, the margins entire, but wavy. The flowers, which terminate the cells, are bright blue and star-shaped, distinguished from those of every plant in this order by their prominent black anthers, which form a cone in the centre and have been described as their beauty spot. The fruit consists of four brownish-black nutlets.
Collection: The flowers are collected between April and September, the seeds when ripe in the autumn. The leaves should be gathered just as the plant is coming into flower, but can be harvested throughout the growing season.
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