What about pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs)?

Some Boraginaceae plants contain PAs, which can stress the liver in large or prolonged doses. Choose certified PA-free borage products, keep daily use modest (1–2 cups for a few weeks), and avoid in pregnancy and liver conditions.

What does borage tea taste like?

Soft, slightly sweet, and faintly cucumber-like, with a pink hue once nabāt is added. The aroma is gentler than chamomile and beloved by people who find chamomile too bitter.

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Borage

The Essentials

Gol-e gāv-zabān is the Persian mood-and-heart tea, pink-tinted and lightly sweetened with nabāt. Most of what is sold in Iran is Echium amoenum rather than true European borage.

Take it in cycles of two to three weeks rather than continuously. Its alkaloids (strong plant compounds that act on the body even in small amounts) load the liver.

Anyone drinking it daily should stick to certified PA-free flowers.