Usha di Thanks for sharing a useful and important plant. The name of the family comes from this plant I suppose.
On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 9:47 AM, ushadi Micromini <[email protected]>wrote: > *Boraginaceae Week :: UD001 Borago officinalis Herbal medicine* > > > ** > > > > This an annual in the northern climes, end of season in the fall seeds are > set, oil from which is very high in polyunsaturated oils even more so than > the evening primrose oil... but Borage oil never got acceptance as wide as > it deserved because of PYRROLIZIDINE ALKALOIDS in the plants roots and > leaves . These alkaloids are toxic to mammals livestocks and man.. > leading hepatic cellular damage and venous occlusion and related > disorders... ( comfrey is more toxic than borage but association seems to > have stuck in the 20th century)...OIL is safe, yet...... > > > *BORAGE *was celebrated in ancient times , as far back as Pliny the elder > who wrote that it brings joy... > > add afew flowers to tankards of beer and see..I guess. > > > Originating in the north africa around the Mediterranean including > Morocco the arab traders carried it to Europe and they in turn brought it > to European countries and the Americas, now its known to grow in all over > the world, garden escapes are said to be seen in some dry arid patches.. > > > I love borage for its heavenly blue flowers and it gladdens me just to > look at it... > > modern enthusiasts who use flowers for culinary purposes use it for its > beauty in ice cubes, in ice cream, sugar it to preserve and decorate cakes, > and best... float them in teas... > > > These pictures are from a demonstration garden of herbs in the american > Southwest.. > > > * *- Usha di > =========== > > -- Dr Satish Phadke
