title: Evening primrose oil in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and side-effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
abstract: Forty patients with rheumatoid arthritis and upper gastrointestinal lesions due to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs entered a prospective 6-month double-blind placebo controlled study of dietary supplementation with gamma-linolenic acid 540 mg/day. Nineteen patients received active therapy (as evening primrose oil 6 g/day) and 21 received placebo (olive oil 6 g/day). No patient stopped non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy but three patients in each group reduced their dose. Other results showed a significant reduction in morning stiffness with gamma-linolenic acid at 3 months and reduction in pain and articular index at 6 months with olive oil. Whilst gamma-linolenic acid may produce mild improvement in rheumatoid arthritis, olive oil may itself have hitherto unrecognized benefits.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Medicine, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brzeski
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Madhok
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Capell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D031665:Oenothera biennis; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; C028498:evening primrose oil; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid