Feverfew migraine & headache, health benefits

Feverfew has been used for centuries for fevers, headaches, stomach aches, toothaches, insect bites, infertility, and problems with menstruation and labour during childbirth. More recently, the health benefits of feverfew for migraine headaches and rheumatoid arthritis have been discovered.

A number of research studies such as Murphy et al (1988) and Johnson et al (1985) have demonstrated that  feverfew can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks, if taken regularly over a period of months. Further reviews such as Ernst & Pittler (2000)  which investigated six randomised double blind trials supported the use of feverfew for the prevention and treatment of migraine, tension headache and associated symptoms.

Women who are pregnant should not use feverfew because it may cause the uterus to contract, increasing the risk of miscarriage or premature delivery. People can have allergic reactions to feverfew. Those who are allergic to other members of the daisy family (which includes ragweed and chrysanthemums) are more likely to be allergic to feverfew

Research on Feverfew health benefits:

Authoritative body

National Institute of Health Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L. Schultz-Bip.). 2006).

Monographs

- ESCOP monographs, second edition, 2003, page 492-8, Tanaceti Parthenii Herba, Feverfew.

- WHO Monographs on selected medicinal plants, vol. 2, 2002, page 317-28, Herba Tanaceti Parthenii.

Textbooks

- European Pharmacopoeia 5.0, vol. 2, 2005, monograph Feverfew (01/2005:1516).

- Mills S, Bone K. The essential guide to herbal safety. 2005, Elsevier-Churchill-Livingstone, St Louis MI, pages 405-7.

Critical reviews

- CKF. Master file Herba Tanaceti Parthenii, February 2007.

- Ernst E, Pittler MH. The efficacy and safety of feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L.): an update of a systematic review. Public Health Nutrition. 2000;3(4A):509-14.

- Pittler MH, Ernst E. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004 Issue 1 (CD002286). The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Feverfew for preventing migraine.

- Vogler BK, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Feverfew as a preventative treatment for migraine: a

systematic review. Cephalagia. 1998;18:704–8.

Individual studies

- Diener HC, Pfaffenrath V, Schnitker J, Friede M, Henneicke-von Zepelin HH. Efficacy and safety of 6.25 mg t.i.d. feverfew CO2-extract (MIG-99) in migraine prevention - a randomized, double blind, multicentre placebo-controlled study. Cephalalgia.2005;25:1031-41.

- Hausen BM. Sesquiterpene lactones - Tanacetum parthenium. In: Adverse effects of herbal drugs, vol. 1. De Smet PAGM, Keller K, Hansel R, Chandler RF (eds). 1992, Springer Verlag, Berlin pages 255-60

- Johnson, E.S., Kadam, N.P., Hylands, D.M. and Hylands, P.J., Efficacy of feverfew as prophylactic treatment of migraine. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1985 Aug 31; 291(6495):569-73

- Murphy, J.J., Heptinstall, S. and Mitchell, J.R., Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of feverfew in migraine prevention. Lancet. 1988 Jul 23; 2(8604):189-92

- Silberstein SD. Preventive treatment of headaches. Curr Opinion Neurol. 2005;18:289-92.

- Unger M, Frank A. Simultaneous determination of the inhibitory potency of herbal extracts on the activity of six major cytochrome P450 enzymes using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and automated online extra

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