Annual plant, 15-35 cm tall. The root is spindle-shaped, the stems are several. The leaves are arranged alternately, inverted lanceolate. A plant with inexpressive greenish-yellow flowers arranged in a complex shield-shaped inflorescence. The fruit is a three-part box. Blooms in July-August.

In our nature, we often find sun evening primrose (Euphorbia helioscopia) and rickshaw evening primrose (Euphorbia virgata), less often the already protected marsh evening primrose (Euphorbia palustris). Rickshaw's evening primrose is used in medicine in the same way as sun evening primrose. Looking at the pictures of the plants, they are easily distinguishable from each other.

The plant is found everywhere - it grows in gardens on the countryside, roadsides, ditches and elsewhere. The root of the plant, the white sap and the surface part of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. There are resins in the root of evening primrose, euphorbon in the sapwood, and saponins in the surface part.

All parts of the plant contain milky juice, in which alkaloids, saponins, tannins, mucilages, gums, bitters, euphorbine, citric acid, malic acid and other compounds have been found. Active substances that are extracted from evening primrose are also used in pharmacology.

Medicinal significance

Evening primrose preparations are used as wound healing agents. Evening primrose has antipyretic, diuretic, emetic, diaphoretic, diarrheic, anthelmintic properties.

Evening primrose is used for medicinal purposes:

The leaves and stems can be used as a temperature-reducing and anthelmintic agent. The root has an equivalent effect.

Milk juice is used to treat all types of rheumatic pain.

Evening primrose seeds and powder from its root are used as a laxative.

Evening primrose milk is used externally to treat various skin rashes and warts. Milk is applied to the skin affected by scabies.

A decoction of evening primrose is used for applications, for the treatment of boils.

A decoction of evening primrose is drunk in case of cystitis and diarrhea.

Children are bathed in the infusion and decoction of evening primrose to treat skin diseases, and their feet are soaked in gout and fungal diseases.

Chamomile root helps with headaches, as well as testicular diseases.

The sap of the plant is useful for the treatment of diarrhea and hemorrhoids. It is a powerful emetic.

Not recommended for use

Both plants used in the treatment - evening primrose and evening primrose are poisonous, so they should be used with caution when taken orally.

Evening primrose milk is toxic when taken orally, it is irritating when in contact with the skin. The sap of this plant causes skin photosensitivity and severe inflammation, especially if it comes into contact with eyes or open wounds.

Symptoms that appear when poisoned with evening primrose: indigestion, stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, heart failure.

It is important to know that even a dried plant remains highly toxic. Also, long-term use of this plant's milk is not recommended because it has a carcinogenic effect.