Herbs and plantsBorage — the flower once thought to calm the nerves and heart?
- Henryk Różański — Herba Boraginis – ziele ogórecznika lekarskiego w fitoterapii
- Complementary medicine, self-help, and lifestyle interventions for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and the OCD spectrum: a systematic review. · J Affect Disord 2012
- Bactericidal and anti-adhesive properties of culinary and medicinal plants against Helicobacter pylori. · World J Gastroenterol 2005
- Photoimmunological properties of borage in bovine neutrophil in vitro model. · J Photochem Photobiol B 2015
- Antimicrobial Activity of Catechol-Containing Biopolymer Poly[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)glyceric Acid] from Different Medicinal Plants of Boraginaceae Family. · Antibiotics (Basel) 2023
- Herbal adjuvant therapy with a combination of Green Tea, Persian Borage, and Purslane to reduce antipsychotic-induced weight gain in Schizophrenia: A randomized controlled trial. · Avicenna J Phytomed 2026
In the 19th century, borage was considered a calming remedy used for hysteria, hypochondria, and palpitations.
What the authors write
An infusion and decoction of the herb are said to have diuretic, detoxifying, bile-stimulating, and nourishing effects.
A decoction of the herb was given for tuberculosis, pneumonia, weakened blood vessels, and peptic ulcers.
The herb was given for catarrh of the respiratory tract, for which a decoction was recommended.
In the 19th century, borage was considered a calming remedy and was given for hysteria, hypochondria, and palpitations.
Borage juice is said to relieve inflammation and promote the regeneration of the epidermis.
A poultice made from the herb was used to speed the healing of wounds, burns, eczema, and bedsores.
Compresses made with an infusion, crushed herb, or juice are said to reduce swelling after physical injuries.
Research from PubMed · Europe PMC
We selected 5 studies with the best, positive results. This is a selection, not a full review of all research.
Total number of studies on this topic in PubMed: 53.
A review noted positive results from studies of borage for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, although the evidence was limited.
Aim of the study: In Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) current standard pharmacotherapies may be of limited efficacy. Non-conventional interventions such as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), self-help techniques, and lifestyle interventions are commonly used by sufferers of OCD, however to date no systematic review of this specific area exists.
Results: The literature search revealed 14 studies that met inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of nutraceutical studies (nutrients and herbal medicines) were rated as high (mean 8.6/10), whereas mind-body or self-help studies were poorer (mean 6.1/10). In OCD, tentative evidentiary support from methodologically weak studies was found for mindfulness meditation (d=0.63), electroacupuncture (d=1.16), and kundalini yoga (d=1.61). Better designed studies using the nutrient glycine (d=1.10), and traditional herbal medicines milk thistle (insufficient data for calculating d) and borage (d=1.67) also revealed positive results. A rigorous study showed that N-acetylcysteine (d=1.31) was effective in TTM, while self-help technique "movement decoupling" also demonstrated efficacy (d=0.94). Mixed evidence was found for myo-inositol (mean d=0.98). Controlled studies suggest that St John's wort, EPA, and meridian-tapping are ineffective in treating OCD.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
A laboratory study found that borage extract inhibited the growth of H. pylori and its adhesion to stomach tissue sections.
Aim of the study: To investigate the bactericidal and anti-adhesive properties of 25 plants against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).
Results: Of all the plants tested, eight plants, including Bengal quince, nightshade, garlic, dill, black pepper, coriander, fenugreek and black tea, were found to have no bactericidal effect on any of the isolates. Columbo weed, long pepper, parsley, tarragon, nutmeg, yellow-berried nightshade, threadstem carpetweed, sage and cinnamon had bactericidal activities against H. pylori, but total inhibition of growth was not achieved in this study. Among the plants that killed H. pylori, turmeric was the most efficient, followed by cumin, ginger, chilli, borage, black caraway, oregano and liquorice. Moreover, extracts of turmeric, borage and parsley were able to inhibit the adhesion of H. pylori strains to the stomach sections. Several plants that were tested in our study had bactericidal and/or anti-adhesive effects on H. pylori. Ingestion of the plants with anti-adhesive properties could therefore provide a potent alternative therapy for H.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
In a laboratory study, borage extract increased neutrophil activity and their ability to engulf and kill bacteria, but also increased their necrosis.
Aim of the study: Borage (Echium amoenum fisch) is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants, and has long been used as a traditional herbal medicine for many (non)infectious diseases in Iran. Study on photoredox and photoimmunology of borage is little.
Results: Phagocytosis and killing of both E. coli and S. aureus by PMN treated with BE was substantially higher than that by control PMN. The increased photoimmunobiological events especially intracellular CL, intracellular H2O2 formation, and phagocytic capacity of BE-treated PMN support the potential immunotherapeutic implications of borage and its components for particularly immunocompromised animals and humans.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
Biopolymers obtained from borage stems showed antifungal activity in laboratory studies.
Aim of the study: This study reports the antimicrobial activities of the biopolymers poly[3-(3,4-dihydoxyphenyl)glyceric acid] (PDHPGA) and poly[2-methoxycarbonyl-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)oxirane] (PMDHPO), extracted from the six plants of Boraginaceae family: Symphytum asperum (SA), S. caucasicum (SC), S.
Results: Biopolymers from all plant materials except for CO stems showed higher potency than ketoconazole against T. viride. For the first time, it was shown that all plant materials exhibited better activity against C. albicans, one of the most dreadful fungal species.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
A mixture containing Persian borage along with other extracts lowered BMI and several metabolic markers in people taking antipsychotic medication, but the study does not allow these effects to be attributed to borage alone.
Aim of the study: Second-generation antipsychotics can lead to metabolic problems. This study investigated whether an herbal compound with green tea, Persian borage, and purslane extracts could help in antipsychotic-induced weight management in schizophrenia patients.
Results: The herbal compound significantly reduced BMI (p<0.001), WHR (p<0.001), HbA1c (p=0.042), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration (p=0.009), and systolic blood pressure (p=0.015) compared to the placebo. No significant differences were observed in FBS or lipid profile (except LDL) between the two groups. The intervention group had significantly lower appetite levels than the placebo group at weeks four and eight (p=0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score at any time. Participants reported no serious adverse effects. Adding herbal compound to antipsychotics significantly lowered BMI, WHR, HbA1c, LDL levels, systolic blood pressure, and appetite in schizophrenia patients.
“Not stated” does not mean nobody paid — the database does not always record it.
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