Uses, Benefits and Dosage for Safflower Information

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Uses, Benefits and Dosage for Safflower Information

5 October 2007

Written by: steve Posted under Herbal Medicines

Taxonomic class

Asteraceae

Common Trade Names

Multi-ingredient preparations: Safflower Oil, Saffron

Common Forms

Available as capsules (390 mg), extracts, liquid (8.5 oz), oil (12 oz, 16 oz), and tea.

Source

Carthamus tinctorius is indigenous to the Middle East but cultivated throughout Europe and the United States for its edible oil, which is obtained from the seeds.

Chemical Components

The oil consists of unsaturated fatty acids, including linoleic acid (75%), oleic acid (13%), palmitic acid (6%), stearic acid (3%), and a mixture of saturated fatty acids. The flowers of the plant contain a dye, carthamin. Seven antioxidant compounds have been isolated from C. tinctorius.

Actions

Safflower oil, considered a long-chain triglyceride, may exert an effect on the reticuloendothelial system. The linoleic acid portions of the oil (polyunsaturated fatty acids) are converted into immunosuppressants, prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin I2 within the prostaglandin pathway .

Rats that were fed a diet high in safflower oil appeared to become insulin-resistant .

Reported Uses

Safflower is used to treat constipation and fever. The oil has been compounded with glycerin, rose oil, polysorbate 80, benzyl alcohol, and water to produce an external massage lotion. The topical administration of safflower oil in patients with essential fatty acid deficiency failed to show improvement in critically ill patients, but previous studies have supported this use in stable outpatients and chronically ill patientsA diet high in safflower oil has been shown to reduce total cholesterol and LDL levels in some cases .

In Chinese herbal medicine, safflower has been used to treat menstrual disorders.

A 6-month study designed to determine the clinical benefit, if any, of dietary intervention with omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil capsules + canola oil and margarine) or omega-6 fatty acids (safflower oil capsules + sunflower oil and margarine) on asthma severity in 39 children failed to identify a significant difference between the two types of dietary interventions. Notably, no placebo group was included in the study .

Dosage

Dried flower: 2 to 3 g P.O. t.i.d.

Extract: 3 g of dried flower in 15 ml of alcohol and 15 ml of water P.O. t.i.d.

Fresh flower: 1 or 2 tbsp P.O. t.i.d.

Adverse Reactions

None reported.

Interactions

Immunosuppressants (azathioprine, cyclosporine, tacrolimus): Safflower oil may enhance the immunosuppressive effects of these drugs. Monitor the patient closely if administered together.

Vaccines: May cause immunosuppressive effects. Avoid concurrent use.

Contraindications and Precautions

Use safflower cautiously in immunosuppressed patients, especially burn or septic patients and transplant recipients. Avoid excessive consumption of safflower in pregnant or breast-feeding patients. Murine models have shown safflower to be a uterine stimulant . Dietary intake of fatty acids in the form of safflower oil has been shown to rapidly increase (within hours) fatty acid concentrations in human breast milk . The significance of this effect is unknown.

Special Considerations

Do not administer vaccines to patients who are using safflower because of its potential immunosuppressive effects.
Inform the patient that with the exception of cholesterol reduction, most studies have failed to support therapeutic applications for safflower oil.
Counsel the patient using safflower oil for its lipid-lowering effects to change to other, more effective and universally proven cholesterolÂlowering therapies.

Points of Interest

Safflower oil or linoleic acid may be a component of commercially available lipid emulsions.
Safflower (C. tinctorius) should not be confused with true saffron ( Crocus sativus).

Commentary

Safflower is used primarily as a source of edible polyunsaturated oil. It has been used in teas to reduce fever by inducing sweating and as a laxative, but there is no supporting evidence for these uses. Although a diet rich in safflower oil has been shown to lower cholesterol levels, it has not been proven to reduce the incidence of CV mortality; therefore, safflower oil remains an adjunct to other, proven therapies.