Feverfew

Tanacetum parthenium

The plant

Feverfew is an aromatic perennial Indigenous to the Balkan region, and naturalized throughout Europe The plant is now found in North, Central and South Americas as well. (1,2,3).

Feverfew has been used traditionally for migraine headache, rheumatism, arthritis, minor fevers, menstrual and digestive disorders. The whole aerial plant is used and is harvested during flowering. (3,4)

Phytochemicals and activities

Feverfew contains parthenolide canin, Tanaparthin alpha peroxide, seco-Tanaparthide A, essential oil, sesquiterpenes, eugenol, sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoid and numerous other compouns. The compounds in feverfew demonstrate antiinflammatory, antimigraine, antispasmodic, antihypertensive, serotonergic, antidepressant, antifatigue and analgesic properties, as well as a multitude of other effects. Parthenolide is the marker constituent for standardized extracts of this plant. (1,2,3,5,6).

Uses

Feverfew is at present the best natural treatment for migraine headache. A review of six human double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies supports the use of feverfew for the treatment of migraine. (6,7)

References

1. Leung, A.Y. and S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2^nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

2. Bruneton, J. 1995. Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. Paris: Lavoisier Publishing.

3. Wichtl, M. and N.G. Bisset (eds.). 1994. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publishers.

4. Bown, D. 1995. Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses . New York: DK Publishing, Inc. 323.

5. Dr Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/duke/farmacy2.pl

6. ESCOP. 1997. "Passiflorae herba." Monographs on the Medicinal Uses of Plant Drugs . Exeter, U.K.: European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy.

7. World Health Organization WHO Monographs on selected medicinal plants, WHO Geneva 1999.