Borage

Are there any interactions with medications?

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Medications that increase the breakdown of other medications by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inducers)
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Borage is broken down by the liver. Some chemicals that form when the liver breaks down borage seed oil can be harmful. Medications that cause the liver to break down borage seed oil might enhance the toxic effects of chemicals contained in borage seed oil.

Some of these medicines include carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), rifampin, rifabutin (Mycobutin), and others.

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Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Borage seed oil might slow blood clotting. Taking borage seed oil along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

Borage seed oil contains GLA (gamma linolenic acid). GLA is the part of borage seed oil that might slow blood clotting.

Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.

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Medications used during surgery (Anesthesia)
Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

Borage seed oil might interact with medications used during surgery. Be sure to tell your doctor what natural products you are taking before having surgery. To be on the safe side, you should stop taking borage seed oil at least two weeks before surgery.

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NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
Interaction Rating: Minor Be cautious with this combination.
Talk with your health provider.

NSAIDs are anti-inflammatory medications used to decrease pain and swelling. Borage seed oil is also used as an anti-inflammatory medication. Sometimes NSAIDs and borage seed oil are used together for rheumatoid arthritis. But borage seed oil seems to work in a different way than NSAIDs. Some scientists think that taking NSAIDs along with borage seed oil might decrease the effectiveness of borage seed oil. But it is too soon to know if this is true.

Some NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, others), indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), aspirin, and others.

Dosing considerations for Borage.

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• For rheumatoid arthritis (RA): 1.1 or 1.4 grams of borage seed oil daily for up to 24 weeks.