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Feverfew |
Feverfew |
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| Other Common Names: |
| Altamisa, Chrysanthemum parthenium, Featherfew, Flirtwort, Pyrethrum parthenium, Tanacetum parthenium, Wild Chamomile, Wild Quinine |
| Parts Used: |
| Leaves and flowers in extract, infusion, and dried in capsules. |
| Feverfew: |
Feverfew, also known as featherfew and bachelor's buttons, is native to southwest Europe and was brought to America originally as an ornamental. It is commercially cultivated in Japan, Africa and Europe. Greek and European herbalists traditionally used it to reduce fevers.
Feverfew herb has a long history of use in traditional and folk medicine as a treatment for disorders often controlled by aspirin, such as fever, headaches and some of the accompanying symptoms such as nausea and depression.
Recently feverfew has been gaining fame as a effective treatment for migraine headaches. It may also help ease diseases caused by chronic inflammation such as arthritis. It is an aromatic plant with a strong and lasting odor, it has been used externally as an insect repellent and for treating insect bites.
It is the combination of ingredients in the feverfew plant that brings such effective relief. It works to inhibit the release of two inflammatory substances, serotonin and prostaglandins, both believed to contribute to the onset of migraines. By inhibiting these amines as well as the production of the chemical histamine, the herb controls inflammation that constricts the blood vessels in the head, and prevents blood vessel spasms which may contribute to headaches.
The plant is rich in sesquiterpene lactones, the principal one being parthenolide. Other constituents include essential oils, flavonoid glycosides, pinene derivatives and costic acid. Feverfew should be taken regularly to receive maximum benefit and protection from migraines.
The tea, drunk cold, may also relieve skin perspiration associated with migraines, and has been used to stimulate appetite, and improve digestion and kidney function.
Clinical tests have shown the use of feverfew may reduce of frequency and severity of headaches. It may be more effective than other nonsteroidal antiinflammatories (NSAIDS), like aspirin. Additional benefits include lower blood pressure, less stomach irritation and a renewed sense of well-being.
It may also relieve dizziness, tinnitus, and painful or sluggish menstruation. Its extracts have been claimed to relieve asthma, coughs, dermatitis and worms. |
| Feverfew is Useful: |
As its name suggests, feverfew has been used historically to control fevers associated with infectious conditions. More recently, feverfew has been studied for preventing migraine headaches. In several studies, both the frequency and the severity of migraines were reduced among study participants who took feverfew daily as a preventive measure. However, active migraine headaches were not relieved by taking feverfew. For years, researchers believed that parthenolide, one of the chemicals in feverfew, was responsible for most of feverfew’s effects. Recently, however, parthenolide’s actual effects are being questioned after a study showed no difference in the number, intensity, or length of migraines suffered by individuals taking a dried feverfew preparation that was standardized to contain a specific amount of parthenolide and those taking placebo (sugar pills). Some researchers now believe that several of feverfew’s components act together to prevent migraine symptoms and that products made from fresh feverfew may be more active than those made from dried feverfew. Much more research is needed to prove or disprove feverfew’s place in migraine prevention and treatment.
Feverfew has also been used for relieving the pain and inflammation of arthritis. It is known that chemicals in feverfew may reduce the body’s production of substances that initiate and prolong inflammation, which is the body’s response to irritation, injury, or infection. Inflammation usually includes pain, redness, and swelling in the area of the damage ,and it can occur within body tissues as well as on the surface of the skin. Chemicals in feverfew are thought to prevent blood components called platelets from releasing inflammatory substances. Feverfew may also reduce the body’s production of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances made in the body and involved in regulating a number of body functions including blood pressure, blood vessel tone, and temperature, as well as inflammation. All of these effects could help relieve fever, arthritis, and migraine. More studies are needed, however, to confirm feverfew’s effectiveness. |
| Care: |
| Feverfew is a hearty perennial that will produce an abundant supply of blossoms. It prefers full sun or partial shade and well-drained average soil. |
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