| After the study was published in 1985, feverfew emerged from the obscurity of the garden and into the limelight of botanical healing.
"I use it 100 percent of the time with my patients for migraines because it usually works," says Jennifer Brett, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Stratford, Connecticut. "It's a good alternative for people who have tried everything else."
An Herb for the Head
The modern view of this herb is fairly close to that of sixteenth-century herbalist John Gerard. |
| Chewing fresh leaves may cause mouth sores; take capsules containing powdered leaves instead.
"Feverfew has a pronounced regulatory effect on these vascular muscles," she explains. "It seems to calm them down."
The herb may also inhibit the release of two inflammatory substances that cause the vessels to go into spasm in the first placeserotonin from blood platelets and prostaglandin from white blood cells. |
| You can't just take a feverfew pill when you feel a migraine coming on. It won't do any good," she explains. "You have to take it over a long period."
You'll find capsules of powdered leaves in health food stores and drugstores. Make sure there's an expiration date on the bottle, and always store the herb in the refrigerator, says Dr. Dentali, since some of the plant's chemical constituents are sensitive to warm temperatures.
Look for a product with a parthenolide concentration of 0.2 percent or higher, says Dr. Dentali. |
Dr. Julian Whitaker
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| You go into a store and find, say, six different brands of feverfew. Some may be tablets, some may be capsules, and the potency of each may vary, but all of the products appear to be pretty much the same. How do you know which brand to choose? You may decide, all things appearing equal, to purchase the least expensive. Or you may be of the "you get what you pay for" school of thought and select the most expensive brand. Perhaps you're an old hand at herbs, and you have a favorite brand that you know is effective. Great, but you're in the minority. |
David Brownstein
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 Research has also shown the herb feverfew to be effective in improving the symptoms of arthritis.10
Final Thoughts
Nutritional supplements are important elements that provide the body with essential nutrients to promote healing of injured areas. They also provide the basic building blocks to promote the health of the individual.
As previously mentioned, due to our poor food supply, it is nearly impossible to obtain from our diet all of the nutrients we need to maintain health. I encourage readers to do their own research about which supplements might be beneficial to their health. |
Zorba Paster, M.D. and Susan Meltsner
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 I think that if the label says feverfew, ginkgo, or milk thistle, it should have that in it. If it says 10 mg, it should have 10 mg. Sadly, that is not the case. Know thy supplier.
Read about the treatment you're considering adopting. Study after study shows that those who use complementary medicine are usually more knowledgeable about all forms of healing.
I believe more research is definitely needed on alternative cures. Western medicine clearly does not have all the answers; some issues are not dealt with satisfactorily and are answered better by alternative views. |
Leo Galland
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 Controlled studies have found that vitamins or minerals may be useful for chronic pain management, and the herb feverfew can help to prevent migraine headaches:
G. Schweiger, H. Karl, and E. Schohaber, Relapse prevention of painful vertebral syndromes in follow-up treatment with a combination of vitamins B], B6, B]2, Annals of the New York Academy of Science, Vol. 585 (1990), pp. 540-42. Vitamin B[ (thiamine 100 mg), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine 200 mg), and vitamin Bu (cyanocobalamin 0.2 mg) given three times a day for six months improved mood, mobility, and pain when compared with placebo.
I. |
| Feverfew (formerly Chrysanthemum parthe-nium, now classified as Tanacetum parthenium), 25 mg twice a day, produced migraine relief without side effects. The mechanism of action differed from that of NSAIDs. The study was done at the London Migraine Clinic.
Natural Products for Acute Pain
1. Bromelain, a mixture of enzymes from pineapple stem.
G. Tassman, J. Zafran, and G. Zayon, Evaluation of a plant proteolytic enzyme for the control of inflammation and pain, Journal of Dental Medicine, Vol. 19 (1964), pp. 73-77.
G. Tassman, J. Zafran, and G. |
Rudolph M. Ballentine, M.D.
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 Biofeedback: temp, trainer; Hmp: for acute headache, right-sided, with nausea: Sang 200C; explosive, < bending over, Glonoine 30C; flushed, Bell 30C, also Iris v 30C; miasmatic: often Syphilinum 1M; elim coffee, meat, and sugar, also aspartame, nitrates/ites, red wine, cheese, and chocolate; feverfew as herb or FE, also FE Green Rose; try Magnesium 200-400 mg a day, fish oil.
Heartburn: Fear. |
Barrie R Cassileth, Ph.D.
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 Warm baths, feverfew, extract of the herb black cohosh, raspberry leaf tea, yoga positions. motion sickness/nausea Ginger (tea, capsules, candy), press acupoint at center of inside wrist, an inch above wrist crease. muscle aches Volatile mustard oil, winter-green oil, capsicum cream, massage, hydrotherapy. osteoporosis Walking and other weight-bearing exercises, calcium-rich diet or supplements can help prevent or slow progression. pain, chronic Acupuncture, massage and other body work, biofeedback, hypnotherapy. |
Dr. Gary Null
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 Other natural treatments that have been the focus of research include a combination of vitamin D and calcium; magnesium supplementation; riboflavin; pyridoxine, used to combat medication-induced migraines; lithium, which raises choline levels (low in cluster-headache sufferers); omega-3 fatty acids; and feverfew.
Research has borne out many patients' claims that red wine, coffee, cow's milk, and chocolate are indeed migraine triggers. The effectiveness of an elimination diet, commonly avoiding preserved foods, dairy foods, and citrus, among others, has been shown in several studies. |
| After starting them on feverfew and magnesium, they get a significant reduction in the number of headaches and the severity of pain. Even when they have headaches, they tend to be less frequent and less painful. In my experience, this combination will work for more than 70 percent of migraine sufferers.
"Some people find that they need to add the nutrient niacin. Niacin causes flushing in many people, and it is exactly this flushing that stops the migraine headache. By taking the blood out of the head and into the skin in the form of a flush, the migraine can be aborted before it even starts. |
Gale Maleskey
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 These are the criteria recommended by the Canadian government, which has recently allowed manufacturers to specifically label feverfew as a treatment for migraines. s^^^^ im ^^^^^^ jiii^isiijk ^^^^^
II ?III Twills?Iif^
Think about what you ate yesterday. How many high-fiber foods did ( you have? If you're like most Americans, probably not enough. Our typical 1 diets include only about 10 to 15 grams of dietary fiber a day, but the Daily Value is 25 grams. For many of us, that means doubling our current intakes. |
James Green
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 Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Mints (Mentha spp.)
Parsley (Petroselinum spp.)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Sage (Salvia spp.) Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Wdd plants to encourage in your garden and around the house
Blackberry (Rubus fructicosus) (Keep an eye on this one and maintain control!)
Burdock (Arctium lappa)
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Cleaver (Galium aperine)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Gumweed (Grindelia spp. |
Larry Trivieri, Jr.
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 Aesoph suggests the use of feverfew, lime blossom, and chamomile flowers, which can help break the coffee habit.
Oatstraw (Avena sativa) is one of many herbs useful in addiction treatment, according to Michael Murray, N.D, of Issaquah,Washington."Oats have long been used in India to treat opium addiction," he explains. "Evidently, they help rebalance the endorphin levels in the brain." Siberian ginseng has been shown to normalize the neurotransmitters in the brain. "This demonstrates that it has some sort of balancing effect. |
| According to Blumenthal, parthenolide has been shown to be inactive for this use, but can be used as an indicator of the proper plant chemical profile for quality control. Early herbal literature also attributes antirheumatic properties to feverfew, but this has not been confirmed by modern research.43
GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM)
Garlic is probably the most well-recognized medicinal herb. It is used by traditional medicines all over the world and its applications are as varied as its geographical distribution. |
| It was formerly employed as a remedy for difficulties associated with menstrual cycles in young women (the word parthenium is derived from the Greek word parthenos, meaning "virgin") and was later used in European herbalism to reduce fevers (the name feverfew is a corruption of the Latin word febrifuga, meaning an agent that lowers fevers).40
Interest in this herb has increased in the past 15 years because of several clinical studies published in British medical journals. |
| Chinese skullcap, ephedra, and feverfew are others to consider for treating allergy symptoms. Patients whose conditions are severe should consult with a trained herbalist or naturopath.
A major symptom of allergies is gastrointestinal upset, including bloating, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea. Demulcent herbs can alleviate these symptoms (demulcent is a term used by herbalists to describe an herb that has a protective effect on the mucous membranes by minimizing irritation).The most commonly used herbs are marshmallow, slippery elm bark, cabbage juice, okra, fenugreek, and aloe vera. |
Lendon H. Smith, M.D.
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| Herbs: feverfew, Vinca major.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Allopathic control: Low fat diet, wheelchair.
Natural control: Change to low-fat diet, no sugar, caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol. Add essential fatty acids (linoleic acid was found to be low in the blood of MS patients), vitamins A, C, E, B-complex, inositol, choline, calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, kelp, selenium, lecithin, digestive enzymes, and amino acids to improve the immune system. Rule out mercury poisoning. (Death rates from MS related to the numbers of decayed, missing, and filled teeth. |
Gary Null, Ph.D.
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 Daily consumption of fresh feverfew leaves can also prevent migraines.
Flaxseed Oil
Results of animal studies point to the anti-tumor activity of flaxseed with respect to colon and breast cancer. The consumption of 40 g per day of flaxseed oil over a period of twenty-three days has also been shown to have cardioprotective effects in healthy young men. Daily intake of 30 g of flaxseed has proven useful in the treatment of patients suffering from lupus. |
Dr. Julian Whitaker
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| Therefore, a feverfew product standardized to contain 0.4- to 0.7-percent parthenolide is the most reliable product. Look for standardized extracts in all herbs. They're becoming more and more commonplace.
Insist on Quality Control
Herbs should be thoroughly tested and analyzed during harvesting and manufacturing. When you're not sure about a product, don't be shy about calling the manufacturer and asking about quality control. At a minimum, the following three types of analysis should be done:
1. Herbs should be chemically tested for identity. |
James Green
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| Plants that yield a good harvest, yet do not require too much room
(suggestions for an approximately 10' x 20' plot)
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
California Poppy (Eschscholzia califomica)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis) (Plant it where you want it to remain!)
feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) (Likes shade! |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 1Michael T. Murray, ND
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| Awang DVC. feverfew. Can Pharm J 1989; 122: 266-270
28. Anneren G, Magnusson CGM, Nordvall SL. Increase in serum concentrations of lgG2 and IgG4 have been observed with selenium supplementation in children with Down syndrome. Arch Dis Child 1990; 65: 1353-1355
29. Nsouli TM. Role of food allergy in serous otitis media. Ann Allergy 1994; 73(3): 215-219
30. Peters EM. Vitamin C supplementation reduces the incidence of post-race symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. Am J Clin Nutr 1993: 57: 170-174
31. Brown B. Supermind: the ultimate energy. New York: Harper and Row. 1980: p 275
32. |
James Green
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| I used feverfew for my first intentional herb jello) (30 ml or
1/8 cup)
I oz. cold water (30 ml or 1/8 cup)
1. Put the jeUo powder into a small rectangular shaped baking tin. (I used a small loaf tin that measured 2 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches. Using this squared-off shape makes it easy to divide the herb jeUo into equal-sized pieces in order to give relatively equal-sized doses.)
2. Pour the boihng water onto the jeUo powder and stir well for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure that the gelatin is completely dissolved.
3. Add the tincture and stir this weU.
4. |
| Other examples of bitter herbs: Wormwood, Dandelion, Mugwort, feverfew, Gentian, and Globe Artichoke.
Camphors (Camphorae)
Physically and chemically, camphors are closely related to volatile oils. They constitute one of the elements of many of the volatile oils, and may be separated from them by subjecting the oils to a cooling process (for example, menthol from Peppermint oil). Camphors at ordinary temperatures are (mostly) solid bodies, but may be easfly melted. They are soluble in alcohol, insoluble in water. Examples: menthol and camphorfrom Camphor Tree wood (Cinnamomum camphora). |
| Plants that yield a good harvest, yet do not require too much room
(suggestions for an approximately 10' x 20' plot)
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis) (Plant it where you want it to stay!)
feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Garlic (Allium sativum)
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) (Likes shade! |
Richard Lucas
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 As a remedy for ovaritis, Vi ounce of ginger root and 1 ounce each of motherwort, feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium), and pleurisy root (Asclepias tuberosa) are mixed together and boiled slowly in one quart of water for 15 minutes. (Keep the container covered.) The decoction is then strained, and a half teacupful is taken warm every two hours during the day. As the condition improves, the dose is reduced to three times a day. The treatment should be continued (generally three or four months) until the periods are normal. |
Lesley Tierra
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 Dandelion and feverfew help headaches due to liver congestion; catnip can relieve headaches due to stomach upset; valerian often eases tension headaches; and cinnamon can eliminate headaches due to weakness in the body. Each of these herbs is different, yet each relieves a headache in its own way. This is quite a different approach as opposed to simply giving willow bark for any one of these types of headache.
What is missing in the symptomatic method of giving herbs, therefore, is that only the headache is looked at while the person who has the headache is completely ignored! |
| Cooling stimulants include: the mints, lemon balm, catnip, elder, feverfew, chrysanthemum, bupleurum, yarrow and kuzu root.
It is important to note here that high fevers can be dangerous and so should be reduced as quickly as possible. For all fevers it is essential to keep the head and male genitals cool, as too high a fever can destroy nerve ceds in the brain and cause sterility in men. Be sure the person is drinking plenty of liquids so dehydration does not set in.
In undergoing sweating therapy, no heavy or solid foods should be in the stomach. |
James Green
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| Cdendula (Calendula officinalis)
feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Mints (Mentha spp.)
Parsley (Petroselinum spp.)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Sage (Salvia spp.)
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Wdd plants to encourage in your garden and around the house
Blackberry (Rubus fmcticosus) (Keep an eye on this one and maintain control! |
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