Health and Medicine
GLA is sometimes prescribed in the belief that it has anti-inflammatory properties lacking some of the common side-effects of other anti-inflammatory drugs. Herbal medicine advocates recommend GLA for autoimmune disorders, arthritis, eczema, and PMS, with noticeable results not expected for months. Research is ongoing, investigating GLA as a potential anticancer agent. GLA is unique among the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid, GLA and arachidonic acid) in its potential to suppress tumor growth and metastasis.
GLA can also form a lithium salt, increasing its solubility in water. The resulting compound is Li-GLA, also called lithium gammalinolenate. Li-GLA is currently in phase II clinical trials to determine whether it is useful in the treatment of HIV infections, since it has the ability to destroy HIV-infected T cells in vitro. It has a number of side-effects, including a reduction in hemoglobin, hematuria, gastrointestinal disturbance, fatigue, and headache.
Read more about this topic: gamma-Linolenic Acid
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