Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)

Feverfew is primarily used for prevention of chronic, recurrent
migraine headaches. It must be taken religiously every day for best
results. Feverfew is also sometimes used at the onset of a migraine
attack. It is not believed to be effective for cluster or tension
headaches. It is important to remember that serious diseases may
occasionally first present themselves as migraine-type headaches. For
this reason, proper medical diagnosis is essential if you suddenly
start having migraines without a previous history, or if the pattern
of your migraines changes significantly. Feverfew is sometimes
recommended for various forms of arthritis.

Safety: Among the many thousands of people who use feverfew as a folk
medicine in England, there have been no reports of serious toxicity.
Animal studies suggest that feverfew is essentially nontoxic. In the
8-month Nottingham trial, there were no significant differences in
side effects between the treated and control groups. There were also
no changes in measurements on blood tests and urinalysis.

In a survey involving 300 people, 11.3% reported mouth sores from
chewing feverfew leaf, occasionally accompanied by general
inflammation of tissues in the mouth.15 A smaller percentage reported
mild gastrointestinal distress. However, mouth sores do not seem to
occur in people who use encapsulated feverfew leaf powder, the usual
form.

In view of its use as a folk remedy to promote abortions, feverfew
should probably not be taken during pregnancy.

Because feverfew might slightly inhibit the activity of blood-
clotting cells known as platelets, it should not be combined with
strong anticoagulants, such as Coumadin (warfarin) or heparin, except
on medical advice. Feverfew might also increase the risk of stomach
problems if combined with anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin.
Safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with
severe kidney or liver disease has not been established.

Dosage: Given the recent confusion surrounding parthenolide, previous
dosage recommendations for feverfew based on parthenolide content
have been cast in doubt. At the present time, the best recommendation
is probably to take 80 to 100 mg of powdered whole feverfew leaf
daily. When taken at the onset of a migraine headache, higher amounts
of feverfew are often used. However, the optimum dosage has not been
determined.

Contraindications: If you are taking Coumadin (warfarin), heparin,
aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Do not use
feverfew except on medical advice.



Andrew Pacholyk  LMT, MT-BC, CA
Peacefulmind.com