Evening Primrose Oil On this page: This fact sheet provides
basic information about evening primrose oil—common names, what
the science says, potential side effects and cautions, and
resources for more information. Evening primrose is a plant
native to North America, but it grows in Europe and parts of the
Southern hemisphere as well. It has yellow flowers that bloom in
the evening. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid
(GLA), an essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acids are
required by the body for growth and development, and must be
obtained from the diet. Evening primrose oil has been used since
the 1930s as a folk or traditional remedy for eczema (a
condition in which the skin becomes inflamed, itchy, or scaly
because of allergies or other irritation). More recent folk uses
include other conditions involving inflammation, such as
rheumatoid arthritis; conditions affecting women’s health, such
as breast pain associated with the menstrual cycle, menopausal
symptoms, and premenstrual syndrome