Borage

This ancient cultigen and spice plant, which is common in Europe and North America, is purported to have psychoactive or hallucinogenic effects (Farnsworth 1972, 68*; Schultes and Hofmann 1980,367*). Borage contains the slightly toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids lycopsamine and intermedin, as well as their acetyl derivatives, amabiline and thesinine (Roth et al. 1994, 169*). In phytotherapy, borage is indicated for several conditions that are at least partially related to consciousness (Haas 1961): An invigorating tea of leaves and flowers is ideal for stress, depression, or following a treatment with cortisone. Borage mitigates fever, dry coughs, and skin rash. The oil of the seeds is helpful for menstrual problems, nervous intestinal complaints, high blood pressure, and hangovers" (Bremness 1995, 233*). Borage pills are sold to dehydrate and "purify the blood." Flowers harvested during the time of blossom are ingested as a folk medicinal sedative (Ratka 1992).

Literature Haas, H. 1961. Pflanzliche Heilmittel gegen Nervenund Geisteskrankheiten. Arzneimittel-Forschung 4:49-59. Ratka, Otto. 1992. Borago. In Hagers Handbuch der pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5th ed., 4:528-32. Berlin: Springer.