Health Benefits of Butterbur and Side Effects

Botanical Name of Butterbur: Petasites hybridus.

Other Common Names: Common butterbur, sweet coltsfoot, blatterdock, bogshorns, butter-dock, butterly dock, capdockin, flapperdock, and langwort.

Habitat: Butterbur is native to mainland Europe, as far north as Scandinavia. It also grows in Western Asia and has been successfully introduced to Northern America. It typically will grow in shady places or beside waterways. It also grows well in wet meadows, copses, marshes, flood plains, washes, and damp roadsides.

Description: Butterbur plant has huge leaves resembling the leaves of the rhubarb. The leaves, which grow big enough to protect a person’s head from the sun or the rain, caused the Greeks to name it the hatplant. The flowers grow before the leaves usually in February. The pink flower stalks push their way through the earth looking similar to the mushroom. When fully extended, the flower spikes are purple at the base, with pale reddish-lilac flowers.

Plant Parts Used: The leaves, flowers, stems and roots.

Butterbur Flower (Petasites hybridus)
(Click on image to enlarge)
Attribution:Richard Bartz

Butterbur Supplements

Butterbur by Source Naturals Butterbur Extract by Life Extension

Therapeutic Benefits & Uses of Butterbur and Claims

• The root and the leaves operate in all the following capacities: analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, diaphoretic and diuretic.
• Historically, the dried powdered root of butterbur was mixed with wine and used as a medicine against the plague and other related diseases. In its powdered form it was also used to eliminate intestinal worms, as a diuretic and to stimulate menstruation. Externally, the powder was dusted on ulcerating sores.

The Herb Butterbur
(Petasites hybridus )
• More recently, because butterbur has tonic and expectorant, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, it has been used in the treatment of a number of chest and bronchial related illnesses. It is used for the herbal treatment of coughs, such as general coughs, laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, asthma, hay fever and whooping cough. A 1998 Polish clinical study was conducted specifically to determine its influence on lung ventilation and bronchial reactivity in asthma and chronic obstructive bronchitis patients. The study showed the herb could be helpful in improving lung ventilation in asthmatic or chronic obstructive bronchitis.
• Its anti spasmodic properties are also effective on the treatment of gastrointestinal conditions because butterbur helps to strengthen digestion. It is especially useful where indigestion results from obstructed bile flow. It acts specifically on the stomach, bile ducts, and duodenum. It has been used somewhat successfully in the natural treatment of colic.
• It has also been used as a remedy for inflammation of the urinary tract and including the treatment of kidney gravel.
• Its analgesic properties make it a strong choice for the relief and prevention of headache pain. In recent studies that have been conducted a strong case has been built on its anti-inflammatory and vasodilatatory actions. The largest study that was conducted involved 245 people who had suffered migraines. The group which took 75 milligrams twice a day for four months showed that with regular intake it could be useful herb for migraine headaches.
• Some herbalists have used it as a poultice, made from the fresh leaves or of the leaves and flowers for external application of skin eruptions or on wounds.

Dosage & Administration

As an Herbal Tea:
Put 1 teaspoonful of the root in a cup of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Drink the tea three times a day.

As a Tincture:
Take 1- 2 ml of the tincture three times a day.

Potential Side Effects of Butterbur

Possible side effects of butterbur are indigestion, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation. Butterbur is not recommended for children, pregnant or nursing women and people with kidney and liver disease.

Butterbur is in the ragweed plant family, so people who are allergic to ragweed, marigold, daisy, or chrysanthemum should avoid butterbur.

Leave a Comment or Tips on Butterbur

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Name: Manny
E-mail: Private
Date posted: August 06, 2011 - 12:56 am
Message: I was suffering from a migraine all of my left side with the back of my left eye hurting for two whole weeks, prescriptions drugs just added side effects to the pain but wouldn't work, took one pill of butterbur in a matter of minutes the migraine started going away,Good stuff.

Name: Aimee
E-mail: Private
Date posted: April 14, 2011 - 12:58 pm
Message: I have been taking butterbur for 2 months at 50mg, 3 times a day. It has reduced my migraines at least 50%. I had tried my prescriptions prior to this without success. I was getting migraines 4 times a week and am currently averaging 1-2 a week.

Name: Peggy
E-mail: Private
Date posted: April 14, 2011 - 12:58 pm
Message: I have been taking butterbur, and a few other vitamins and herbs, for a little over a month now for migraine relief. I was suffering with migraines for decades and daily for about 6 months. At about 4 weeks of taking butterbur my headaches started becoming less frequent and I only had 2 headaches this last week. Since it is sugested that butterbur may take several months before helping, I only expect less and less migraines. I have tried everything the doctors had to give me and nothing really worked untill I found butterbur and a few other vitamins.

Name: cindi
E-mail: Private
Date posted: January 31, 2012 - 11:14 pm
Message: I was having five migraines a month until I took butterbur and have had none after taking it for one month. Now I only take it every other day or even a few days without it and no migraines-I am so thankful.

"Nature, time and patience are three great physicians."
H.G. Bohn