GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Feverfew was commonly used by the early Europeans and Greeks to treat fevers, headaches,
arthritis, menstrual problems, and other generalised aches
and pains. Today, the plant is most commonly used to
reduce the frequency and severity of migraines – several placebo-controlled
human trials have confirmed feverfew’s effectiveness in this area. The active ingredient in
feverfew is a compound called parthenolide, which belongs to
a group of compounds known as sesquiterpene lactones.
Parthenolide prevents the excessive clumping of platelets in addition to inhibiting the
release of certain chemicals, including serotonin and some
inflammatory mediators. Feverfew’s anti-migraine action was
originally attributed to its parthenolide content, however
this has been a subject of recent debate.
ROLE FOR ANTI-AGING:
Research carried out by Mazor et al in 2000
suggests that sesquiterpene lactones inhibit the expression of the immunoreactive molecule Interleukin (IL) 8, a discovery that could account
for feverfew’s anti-inflammatory actions. One study
also found that low concentrations of parthenolide were able
to inhibit growth of tumor lines in vitro.
THERAPEUTIC DAILY AMOUNT:
Feverfew is sold dried and in capsules, concentrated
drops, tinctures and extracts. The newest products are standardized for 0.1 to 0.2% of
the chemical parthenolide, , however standardized leaf
extracts may contain as much as 0.7%. An average daily dose
is 125mg of feverfew (standardized for 0.2% parthenolide) or 250mcg parthenolide. A number of
studies done in the last 10 years indicate that several
commercial feverfew products contained none of the active
compound parthenolide (in addition, parthenolide
levels of the dried herb were found to fall during storage). These studies emphasize the importance of using high-quality standardized extracts of this herb in order to obtain proper
dosage and reliable effects.
MAXIMUM SAFE LEVEL: Not established
SIDE EFFECTS/CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Few side effects have been associated with
feverfew products, although eating the fresh leaves can cause swelling of the lips and tongue and
mouth ulcers. A withdrawal syndrome called “post-feverfew
syndrome” has been described, with symptoms including:
nervousness, tension headaches, joint stiffness,
and tiredness. People who are allergic to other plants in the daisy family, such as chamomile or ragweed should not take feverfew. The
herb is not recommended during pregnancy or lactation and
should not be used by children under the age of two.
It has also been reported that the drug may interact
with anti-coagulant medicines.
