Tanacetum parthenium, or feverfew, is a perennial, bushy herb with small, daisy-like blossoms. Feverfew's bright flowers and free-spreading habit have been exploited for filling neglected garden spaces, but it is more familiar as a traditional remedy for fevers, a use that gives the plant its common name. Phyllis Balch, author of "Prescription for Herbal Healing," reports that feverfew has also been used to treat headaches for nearly two millennia. Consult your doctor before using feverfew to treat headaches.
Feverfew Chemistry
The primary active biological agent in feverfew is a sesquiterpene lactone called parthenolide. Sesquiterpene lactones are produced by many plants, including chamomile, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, artichokes and spinach. According to a 2010 review published in "Drug Discovery Today," sesquiterpene lactones, including parthenolide, are believed to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties.
Headaches 101
Headaches comprise a diverse and overlapping group of disorders. Cluster headaches, tension headaches, chronic daily headaches and migraines may all have common features, but their causes and treatments vary considerably. Even people within a single headache class, such as migraine sufferers, differ in their personal headache triggers and in their responses to a given treatment. Feverfew has been studied mainly for its ability to prevent migraine headaches.
Feverfew and Migraine
Clinical studies evaluating feverfew's benefits for migraine prevention have produced mixed results. A 2002 study in "Cephalalgia" showed that people who experienced at least four migraines in a month's period were the only patients likely to benefit from using feverfew. Another 2005 trial in the same journal -- conducted by the same scientists using the same feverfew extract -- showed a "favorable benefit-risk ratio" for migraine prophylaxis. A 2004 Cochrane Database Review concluded that there was insufficient evidence from well-designed studies to suggest that feverfew was any better than placebo for migraine prevention.
Considerations and Precautions
Many headache sufferers turn to alternative remedies for relief, frequently because prescription medications either do not provide sufficient relief or cause unacceptable side effects. Feverfew has been used to prevent migraines for hundreds of years, but scientific evidence of benefit is inconsistent. People who are allergic to ragweed should avoid feverfew, which is in the same plant family. Pregnant women should also avoid feverfew. Check with your doctor before you use feverfew for headaches.
References
- "Prescription for Herbal Healing: Feverfew"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2002
- "Drug Discovery Today"; What Made Sesquiterpene Lactones Reach Cancer Clinical Trials? A. Ghantous, et al.; August 2010
- "Cephalalgia"; The Efficacy and Safety of Tanacetum Parthenium (Feverfew) in Migraine Prophylaxis: A Double-Blind, Multicentre, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Dose-Response Study; V. Pfaffenrath, et al.; September 2002
- "Cephalalgia"; 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; H.C. Diener, et al.; November 2005
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Feverfew for Preventing Migraine; M.H. Pittler, E. Ernst; 2004
