Feverfew (Elizabeth Loper, Purdue College of Science – Chemistry/Pre-medicine

Feverfew

Elizabeth Loper, Pre-med student Spring 2022

Scientific Name: Tanacetum parthenium

Common Names: Wild quinine, featherfew, altamisa, bachelor’s button, wild chamomile, nosebleed, flirtroot

Name comes from the Latin word febrifugia which means “fever reducer”

Background/history:

• Used by Greek and European herbalists • From Balkan peninsula • Aspirin of the 18th century • Used as an antipyretic • Often mistaken for chamomile • Found in upland prairie areas and glades in North America • Some Native American tribes used it for a poultice • Grows in clusters

Pharmacology:

• The parts of feverfew that have medicinal effects are sesquiterpene lactones, and the parthenolide compounds found in the leaf glands.

• Polar flavonoids block prostaglandin synthesis.

• There is also cytotoxic action that interrupts DNA replication which may result in anticancer activity.

Available forms:

Leaves, fresh or dried

Fluid extracts

Tea

Typical dosing:

Daily dose of 50-150 mg of dried leaves

OR

Five to 20 drops fluid extract

Common Uses:

Feverfew can be used for fevers, migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, stomach aches, toothaches, insect bites, infertility, problems with menstruation and labor during childbirth, psoriasis, allergies, asthma, tinnitus, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

However, the most common uses are for migraines and anti-inflammatory purposes, such as arthritis.

Safety/warnings: It is not safe for pregnant women due to potentially stimulating menstrual flow. It is not recommended for lactating mothers or for use in children.

Effectiveness:

Studies have mixed results on whether Feverfew helps with migraines and others indicate it is only slightly more helpful than placebos. However, it does seem to be effective against inflammation.

Side effects:

1. “Post-feverfew” syndrome which can happen to long-term feverfew users and cause fatigue, anxiety, headaches 2. Mouth ulceration: widespread inflammation that includes lip swelling and loss of taste

Food/Drug Interactions:

Feverfew can interact with blood-thinning medications such as aspirin and warfarin) because feverfew can inhibit the activity of platelets.

Summary of one article/study:

J.J Murphy, S Heptinstall, J.R.A Mitchell, Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Feverfew in Migraine Prevention, The Lancet, Volume 332, Issue 8604, 1988, Pages 189-192, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(88)92289-1.

• 76 participants that suffered from migraines were in the study • First, there was one month of placebo then participants were randomly selected for four months of feverfew or continuing placebo • Some participants withdrew from the study either because there was no improvement or that they experienced side-effects • The study concluded that there was a reduction in migraine frequency and associated vomiting

My personal/professional opinion:

Feverfew is a very versatile herb and has been shown to help a lot of people with inflammatory medical conditions and migraines, so I believe it is a safe and effective supplement to take as long as it is used correctly by adults. ~ E. Loper

References:

1. Pareek A, Suthar M, Rathore GS, Bansal V. Feverfew (tanacetum parthenium L.): A systematic review.

Pharmacognosy reviews. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22096324/. Published

January 2011. Accessed February 26, 2022.

Pictures References:

2. Feverfew herbal medicine by Jeremy Burgess/science photo library. Pixels. https://pixels.com/featured/feverfew-herbalmedicine-jeremy-burgessscience-photo-library.html.

Accessed February 26, 2022. 3. Wong C. What is feverfew and what does it do? Verywell

Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-health-benefitsof-feverfew-89562. Published June 6, 2020. Accessed

February 26, 2022. 4. Raman R. What is Feverfew, and Does it Work for

Migraines?. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/feverfew. Published

January 25, 2019. Accessed February 26, 2022.