Evening primrose is derived from the annual or biennial herb evening primrose (OenotherabiennisL.) of the Willowherb family, and is used in medicine as dried seeds. Commonly known as mountain sesame, nightshade. China is mainly distributed in the northeast and Huanghuai area, northwest and north China have artificial cultivation. Treatment of gastric disorders, liver disease, etc., belongs to the small third class of herbs, in traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine, the dosage is small.

Evening primrose has been used in foreign countries for more than 100 years, not only as a medicinal herb, but also as a natural nutritious food. Seed oil content of 20% to 23%, the oil contains about 7% linolenic acid and 7% to 14% of γ-linolenic acid, are precursors for the human body to synthesize prostaglandins. Recent studies have shown that γ-linolenic acid has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-thrombotic, hypoglycemic, weight loss and other effects on diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and other significant therapeutic effects. Therefore, evening primrose oil is used more in the pharmaceutical industry, is one of the advanced vegetable oil. In addition, γ-linolenic acid seed oil has also been developed into nutritional supplements other than pharmaceuticals and fine cosmetics and so on. China's evening primrose mainly from wild resources, the current artificial planting technology research more, belonging to the just emerging planting of one of the varieties of medicinal herbs, planting better prospects.