Safflower
Scientific names: Carthamus tinctorius
Family: Asteraceae/Compositae
Alternate names: Alazor, American Saffron, Bastard Saffron, Benibana, Cártamo, Carthame, Carthame des Teinturiers, Chardon Panaché, Dyer's Saffron, Fake Saffron, False Saffron, High Oleic Acid Safflower Oil, Hing Hua, Honghua, Huile de Carthame, Kusumbha, Kusum Phool, Safflower Nut Oil, Safflower Oil, Safflower Seed Oil, Safflower Yellow, Safran Bâtard, Safranon, Zaffer, Zafran
Actions: Anticoagulant, Antiviral, Cardiovascular, Genitourinary, Immunologic, Neurologic
Background
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is a plant that grows throughout the world. Its seed oil is a rich source of the essential fatty acid, linoleic acid.
The linoleic acid in safflower oil might help reduce the risk of heart disease. Safflower also contains chemicals that might help prevent blood clots, widen blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and stimulate the heart.
People use safflower oil for high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
The linoleic acid in safflower oil might help reduce the risk of heart disease. Safflower also contains chemicals that might help prevent blood clots, widen blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and stimulate the heart.
People use safflower oil for high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: Safflower oil is likely safe to use as part of the diet. It's usually well-tolerated.
When applied to the skin: Safflower oil is possibly safe when used for up to 8 weeks.
Breast-feeding: Safflower oil is likely safe to use as part of the diet. There isn't enough reliable information to know if safflower flower is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Children: Safflower oil is possibly safe when taken by mouth in children for up to 8 weeks. There isn't enough reliable information to know if safflower flower is safe for children.
Bleeding problems (hemorrhagic diseases, stomach or intestinal ulcers, or clotting disorders): Safflower can slow blood clotting and might increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding disorders.
Allergy to ragweed and related plants: Safflower may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to the Asteraceae/Compositae family. Members of this family include ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many others.
Diabetes: Safflower oil might increase blood sugar. This might make it harder to control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
Surgery: Safflower oil might slow blood clotting. This might increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using safflower oil at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
When applied to the skin: Safflower oil is possibly safe when used for up to 8 weeks.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy: Safflower oil is likely safe to use as part of the diet. Safflower flower is likely unsafe when used during pregnancy. It has effects that may lead to a miscarriage.Breast-feeding: Safflower oil is likely safe to use as part of the diet. There isn't enough reliable information to know if safflower flower is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Children: Safflower oil is possibly safe when taken by mouth in children for up to 8 weeks. There isn't enough reliable information to know if safflower flower is safe for children.
Bleeding problems (hemorrhagic diseases, stomach or intestinal ulcers, or clotting disorders): Safflower can slow blood clotting and might increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding disorders.
Allergy to ragweed and related plants: Safflower may cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to the Asteraceae/Compositae family. Members of this family include ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and many others.
Diabetes: Safflower oil might increase blood sugar. This might make it harder to control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
Surgery: Safflower oil might slow blood clotting. This might increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using safflower oil at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Possibly effective Effectiveness definitions
- High cholesterol. Using safflower oil in place of other oils in the diet might help lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in people with and without high cholesterol.
Dosing & administration
Safflower oil has most often been used by adults in doses of 20-30 mL by mouth daily for up to 8 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Safflower oil might increase blood sugar levels. Taking safflower oil along with diabetes medications might reduce the effects of these medications. Monitor your blood sugar closely.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Safflower oil might slow blood clotting. Taking safflower oil along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
Warfarin
Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.
Warfarin is used to slow blood clotting. Safflower oil might increase the effects of warfarin. Increasing the effects of warfarin might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly. The dose of your warfarin might need to be changed.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
Herbs and supplements that might lower blood sugar: Safflower oil might increase blood sugar. Taking it with supplements that lower blood sugar might reduce the effects of these products. Examples of supplements that lower blood sugar include aloe, bitter melon, cassia cinnamon, chromium, and prickly pear cactus.
Herbs and supplements that might slow blood clotting: Safflower oil might slow blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding. Taking it with other supplements with similar effects might increase the risk of bleeding in some people. Examples of supplements with this effect include garlic, ginger, ginkgo, nattokinase, and Panax ginseng.
Herbs and supplements that might slow blood clotting: Safflower oil might slow blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding. Taking it with other supplements with similar effects might increase the risk of bleeding in some people. Examples of supplements with this effect include garlic, ginger, ginkgo, nattokinase, and Panax ginseng.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
Products
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Per capsule:
- Carthamus tinctorius (Hong Hua) ext. 28.14 mg
- Rehmannia glutinosa ext. 74.94 mg
- Angelica polymorpha ext. 37.47 mg
- Paeonia lactiflora ext. 37.47 mg
- Paeonia veitchii ext. 37.47 mg
- Cyperus rotundus ext. 28.23 mg
- Ligusticum striatum ext. 28.14 mg
- Prunus persica ext. 28.14 mg
Practitioner product
Per capsule:
- Carthamus tinctorius (Hong Hua) ext. 22.2 mg
- Paeonia veitchii ext. 22.2 mg
- Rehmannia glutinosa ext. 22.2 mg
- Cyathula officinalis ext. 22.2 mg
- Poria cocos ext. 22.2 mg
- Ligusticum striatum ext. 22.2 mg
- Atractylodes lancea ext. 22.2 mg
- Citrus aurantium ext. 22.2 mg
- Gentiana macrophylla ext. 22.2 mg
- Glycyrrhiza uralensis ext. 11.4 mg
- Angelica polymorpha ext. 22.2 mg
- Corydalis turtschaninovii ext. 22.2 mg
- Loranthus parasiticus ext. 22.2 mg
Practitioner product
Per capsule:
- Carthamus tinctorius (Hong Hua) ext. 21.6 mg
- Rehmannia glutinosa ext. 36 mg
- Salvia miltiorrhiza ext. 36 mg
- Achyranthes bidentata ext. 28.8 mg
- Paeonia lactiflora ext. 21.6 mg
- Paeonia obovata ext. 21.6 mg
- Prunus persica ext. 21.6 mg
- Ligusticum striatum ext. 21.6 mg
- Bupleurum falcatum ext. 21.6 mg
- Citrus aurantium ext. 21.6 mg
- Platycodon grandiflorus ext. 14.4 mg
- Glycyrrhiza uralensis ext. 12 mg
- Angelica polymorpha ext. 21.6 mg
Practitioner product
Per capsule:
- Carthamus tinctorius (Hong Hua) ext. 11.31 mg
- Paeonia lactiflora ext. 18.84 mg
- Angelica polymorpha ext. 18.84 mg
- Daemonorops draco ext. 11.31 mg
- Drynaria fortunei ext. 11.31 mg
- Dipsacus asper ext. 11.31 mg
- Prunus persica ext. 11.31 mg
- Boswellia carterii ext. 11.31 mg
- Commiphora myrrha ext. 11.31 mg
- Sparganium stoloniferum ext. 11.31 mg
- Curcuma zedoaria ext. 11.31 mg
- Paeonia suffruticosa ext. 11.31 mg
- Saposhnikovia divaricata ext. 11.31 mg
- Citrus aurantium ext. 11.31 mg
- Curcuma longa ext. 11.31 mg
- Platycodon grandiflorus ext. 11.31 mg
- Panax notoginseng ext. 7.53 mg
- Glycyrrhiza uralensis ext. 6.27 mg
- Corydalis turtschaninovii ext. 18.84 mg
- Cyathula officinalis ext. 15.06 mg
- Paeonia veitchii ext. 18.84 mg
- Salvia miltiorrhiza ext. 18.84 mg
- Siphonestegia chinesis ext. 11.31 mg
Practitioner product
RRP: $59.95$50.96Save: 15%
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Per 2.5 mL:
- Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) (seed) oil
- Cannabis sativa (seed) oil
- Punica granatum (seed) oil
- Rosmarinus officinalis oil
- Curcuma longa oil
- Citrus limon essential oil (Lemon)
- Natural lemon myrtle flavour
- Natural rivermint flavour
RRP: $29.95$25.47Save: 15%
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This monograph was last reviewed on 12/04/2024 10:00:00 and last updated on 15/03/2018 19:02:36. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
