Borage ( or ; Borago officinalis), also known as starflower, is an annual herb in the flowering plant family Boraginaceae native to the Mediterranean region. Although the plant contains small amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, some parts are edible and its seeds provide oil.
thumb|Borage stem
Description
thumb|B. officinalis flower
B. officinalis grows to a height of , and is bristly or hairy all over the stems and leaves; the leaves are alternate, simple, and long.
The flowers are complete, perfect with five narrow, triangular-pointed petals.
The flowers arise along scorpioid cymes to form large floral displays with multiple flowers blooming simultaneously, suggesting that borage has a high degree of geitonogamy (intraplant pollination). The oil also contains the fatty acids palmitic acid (10–11%), stearic acid (3.5–4.5%), oleic acid (16–20%), linoleic acid (35–38%), eicosenoic acid (3.5–5.5%), erucic acid (1.5–3.5%), and nervonic acid (1.5%). Healthy adults typically produce ample GLA from dietary linoleic acid, but borage seed oil is often marketed as a GLA supplement, under the names "starflower oil" or "borage oil".
The leaves contain small amounts (2–10 ppm in the dried herb) of the liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) intermedine, lycopsamine, amabiline, and supinine and the nontoxic saturated PA thesinine. PAs are also present in borage seed oil, but may be removed by processing.
Distribution and habitat
Borage is native to the Mediterranean region, though it has become naturalized in many other locales. It grows satisfactorily in gardens in most of Europe, such as Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Although an annual, it will persist in the garden from year to year through ready self-seeding.
Toxicity
In addition to the liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) found in the leaves and seed oil, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has advised that honey from borage contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, transferred to the honey through pollen collected from the flowers, and recommends that commercial honey production select for raw honey with limited PA content to prevent contamination.
Uses
thumb|right|A white-flower [[cultivar]]
thumb|Two blossoms: the younger one is pink, the older blue.
Traditionally, borage was cultivated for culinary and medicinal uses, although today, commercial cultivation is mainly as an oilseed.
Borage is used as either a fresh vegetable or a dried herb. As fresh borage has a cucumber-like taste, it is often used in salads or as a garnish.
The flower has a sweet, honey-like taste and may be used to decorate desserts and cocktails,
Vegetable use of borage is common in Germany, in the Spanish regions of Aragón and Navarre, on the Greek island of Crete, and in the northern Italian region of Liguria.
Borage is used to flavour pickled gherkins in Poland and Russia.
The flowers produce copious nectar which is used by honeybees to make a light and delicate honey.
thumb|upright=1.2|In [[Aragonese cuisine, borage boiled and sautéed with garlic is served with potatoes.]]
Beverage
Borage was a traditional garnish in the Pimms Cup cocktail,
In Persian cuisine, borage tea (using the dried purple flowers) is called گل گاوزبان : gol gâvzabân, "cow's-tongue-flower".
Herbal medicine
Traditionally, Borago officinalis has been used to treat hyperactive gastrointestinal, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, such as gastrointestinal (colic, cramps, diarrhea), airways (asthma, bronchitis), cardiovascular, (cardiotonic, antihypertensive and blood purifier), urinary (diuretic and kidney/bladder disorders).
There has been a single reported case of status epilepticus associated with borage oil ingestion.
A methanol extract of borage has shown strong amoebicidal activity in vitro. The 50% inhibitory concentration () of the extract against Entamoeba histolytica was 33 μg/mLl.
Companion planting
Borage is used in companion planting. It is said to protect or nurse legumes, spinach, brassicas, and strawberries. It is also employed as a trap crop for tomatoes as it confuses female tomato hornworm and manduca moths during egg-laying. Claims that borage improves tomato growth and taste
King Henry VIII's last wife, Catherine Parr, used borage in a concoction to treat melancholy.
Francis Bacon thought that borage had "an excellent spirit to repress the fuliginous vapour of dusky melancholie".