Evening Primerose plant
November 2005

Welcome to our November edition of Cosmetic Vegetable Oils Newsletter.
Evening Primrose is our oil of the month. Omega 6 is our topic of the month in the "back to school" section. And of course find a selection of the most interesting questions you sent us this month.


Monthly Oil FlashEvening Primrose
Latin: Oenothera Biennis
The well-known Evening Primrose actually originates right here in America, Central America actually probably first appearing some 70,000 years ago. The early natives were very fond of this plant and many references are found regarding their medicinal uses. The earliest remedies were made with the whole plant (stems, leaves, roots, seeds) and include conditions such as: gastrointestinal upset, asthma, hemorrhoids and female health conditions. The Native Indians also consumed evening primrose as food. In 1619 European settlers transported it back to Europe and it became known as 'king's cure-all' and formed an important part of folk medicine thereafter.

Today however most remedies are made with the oil extracted from the seeds. As a matter of fact over the past 30 years the many reported benefits of Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) have been the subject of rigorous testing in hospitals and universities all over the world.

Botany
:
The Evening Primrose belongs to the species oenothera, which is in the family of onagraces. It is hairy with a height ranging between 50 cm and 1.5 m with large toothed leaves. Its flowers of pale yellow color only open during the day. They have a soft odor and contain many seeds.

The Evening Primrose is cultivated for its seeds, its leaves, its flowers and even its reddish roots. It protrudes naturally on the slopes, the sand dunes and the open fields and can be found at altitudes as high as 2200 feet, where the climate is moderate.

The flower, at maturity, contains several hundred brown seeds of very small size. It is from these desiccated seeds that oil is extracted. This seed of the flower like that of the blackcurrant contains gamma-linoleic acid. The content of oil in the seed varies between 12 and 30 %, and of this the gamma-linoleic acid content varies between 4 and 12 %
The unrefined oil of Evening Primrose is obtained by a cold pressing and filter method.

Composition
During maturation, the linoleic and gamma-linoleic acids increase in regards to the total lipid count, and the oleic acid decreases. The biosynthesis of the gamma-linoleic and alpha-linoleic acid starts very early: 3 weeks after flowering. At this stage, the rates of these two acids are almost the same. Also the seeds contain approximately 15% protein and are unusually rich in sulphur and amino acids, 24- 25% of the composition is oil and lignin and for cellulose 43%. In addition to sulphur it contains other minerals both Macro and Trace. All the parts of the EPO also contain an abundance of mucilage, tannins and sugars.

Fatty acids
Distribution in %
Arachidonic 20:00.30
Palmitic 16:0
6.00
Gamma Linolenic 18:310.00
Oleic 18:1
11.50
Palmitoleic 16:10.10
Linoleic 18:270.6
Stearic 18:01.50


Properties:
The oil of Evening Primrose is very rich in linoleic acid C18:2 (72%) and is one of rare oils to contain Gamma Linolenic Acid C18:3 (around 9 %).

The primary benefit is that the human metabolism cannot manufacture Linoleic Acid, which is essential to hormone function and blood pressure regulation among other things, so it must thus be present in the food or the cosmetic products. As you can see from above the Evening is very rich in this essential nutrient

Beauty Care:
This is exceptional cosmetic oil due to its percentage of GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid). The GLA enables the body to restructure the phospholipid membrane and to ensure membrane fluidity. Practically this means that GLA enables every cell in the body, including you beautiful skin cells, so stay healthy, functional, and whole. When the skin cells are healthy the skin is healthy, when the skin is healthy, it looks healthy.

Evening Primrose oil also helps the skin retain water and moisture, leaving a soft supple appearance with minimal sagging. As a matter of fact many people enjoy it for its anti-wrinkle and skin regenerating qualities. Usually after one month of use wrinkles begin to decrease.

Due to its specific effects on wrinkles, moisture, and over all cellular health many people consider EPO in the category "Anti-aging"

Nutrition Care:
As mentioned previously EPO high ratio of GLA makes it an important health supplement. GLA is responsible for the production and the regulation of many hormone pre-cursors, and inflammatory regulating chemicals in the body known as prostaglandins. The GLA often decreases inflammation in the body, most commonly believed due to is relationship with the prostaglandins. Some conditions which people treat with EPO are, PMS, arthritis, diabetic nerve damage, eczema, acne, inflammation associated with Lupus, nerve inflammation, protection against MS damage, anti-aging, feminine-balance, and a wealth of others. This oil has been one of the most well researched and medicinally used oils in the last 20 years.

Regarding Multiple Sclerosis this oil has had a very positive effect on even the stabilization of symptoms, as well as protection against damage. Also many women world wide use EPO as the reach menopause, and pre-menopause for stabilization of the symptoms, incl uding bloating, hot-flashes, sleep regulation, and for stabilizing one's moods.

back to schoolOmega 6 essential fatty acid (EFA)
Omega 6 essential fatty acid (EFA) is a fatty acid that the body needs, however it cannot produce on its own. Omega 6 is the name given to one of the most prevalent groups of unsaturated fatty acids, and denotes that it has a double bond (the mark of un-saturation) in the sixth place molecularly.

Most of the omega 6 oils have a very high GLA (gamma linolenic acid) content and are associated with a number of health benefits, including:

Balancing aches and pain associated with arthritis (rheumatoid)
PMS
Endometriosis
Fibrocystic breasts
Eczema
Psoriasis
Acne
Diabetic Neuropathy
And a host of others

The power of GLA comes from the production of anti-inflammatory, hormone-like substances called eicosanoids. This powerful family of compounds includes prostaglandins, short-lived elements that regulate metabolic processes down to the cellular level.

While Omega 6 is essential, most people with a healthy diet do actually get enough. The tricky factor in fact can be balancing the amount of Omega 3, the other major essential fatty acid. An ideal ratio

Experts consider the ideal ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 to be between 1:1 – 5:1. Most unbalanced diets contain ratios between 10:1 – 20:0.

Some of the richest sources include:

Safflower oil - the richest natural source
Sunflower oil
Corn oil
Sesame oil
Hemp oil (best balance of omega 6:3)
Pumpkin oil
Soybean oil
Walnut oil
Wheat germ oil
Evening Primrose oil


Your Questions
From A.
Some of your oils are virgin and not extra virgin (like olive oil) is it as good?

Codina:
The word "Extra Virgin" is used for olive oil because an official decree has been given especially for this oil. The other oils do not benefit from such a decree.
At Codina's, "Virgin" means 1st cold press, no heating, and correspond to the "Extra Virgin" of olive oil.



From N.M
I bought your skin lightning vegetable oil (Bearberry oil). My skin is very dry and oil doesn’t seem to penetrate and stay on surface. What can I do?

Codina:
The oil shouldn’t stay on the surface of your skin. Make sure to shake your bottle of oil before use, then pour just a few drops in your hand and apply on your face with a gentle massage until the oil only leaves a thin satin film on your skin.


From K
I am so interested in your products but I don't see anything about lip balm/gloss do you carry any of this, I have the hand lotion and love it and very interested in the shea for my lips Thank-you K.

Codina:

Shea butter, especially raw, is an excellent and natural way to protect your lips when the weather is either dry or cold. Easily absorbed, the sheabutter will penetrate deeply and look like a lip gloss. As there is absolutly no chemichals, not only it is safe for you to put shea butter on your lips but also for your children.

 

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