Borago officinalis (Bourach) : medicinal properties in alcoholic extraction

Borago officinalis (Bourach) — family Boraginacées.

Recognised external sources linked to this monograph: French Pharmacopoeia.

This database documents alcoholic (ethanol) extractions of active substances. Our monograph currently lists 9 indications in alcoholic extraction for this species. The monograph draws on 62 scientific references recorded for the species.

Therapeutic indications in alcoholic extraction:

Note: scientific reference excerpts are kept in their original language (most often English), without translation, to respect the source text of publications.

1. Arthritis, osteoarthritis, oedema, rheumatism : Plant part used: Sheet. Documented pharmacological profile: Indometacine-like.
   According to CONFORTI P (2008): All the extracts showed an anti-inflammatory effect: 300 μg/cm2 provoked oedema reductions ranging from 21 to 27%. Five hydroalcoholic extracts of edible plants from Calabria region (Italy) used in local traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases were evaluated for their in vivo topical anti-inflammatory activity (inhibition of croton oïl-induced ear oedema in mice) and in vitro antioxidant and antiradical properties (inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation and bovine brain liposomes peroxidation, DPPH radical scavenging). According to Wauquier F (2012): Wauquier F et al, Borage and fish oils lifelong supplementation decreases inflammation & improves bone Health in a murine model of senile osteoporosis.
2. Convulsion, epilepsy : Plant part used: Whole plant. Documented pharmacological profile: Diazépam-like.
   According to Selman M (2017): The aims of this research are to evaluate the effects of the ethanolic extract of the Borago officinalis on the convulsion in mice. The duration of convulsion significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the group 2 as compared to group 1, group 3, group 4, & group 5.
3. Hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver : Plant part used: Aerial_parts. Documented pharmacological profile: Silymarine-like.
   According to HAMED AN (2015): The present study aims to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of Borago officinalis aerial ethanolic extract (BAEE) against CCl4-induced liver damage in comparison to silymarin, a Classical antioxidant liver medicine. The hepatoprotective potential of BAEE in rats was evaluated following oral administration of CCl4, which enhanced hepatic lipid peroxidation & notably depleted reduced glutathione.

Further indications (including other extraction modes where applicable), dosages, precautions for use and full scientific references are available in the complete monograph.

Photo credit : Photo by Peter O’connor without modification (CC BY-SA 2.0). License : CC BY-SA 2.0.