Feverfew - Side Effects and Health Benefits

Feverfew Flowers (Tanacetum Parthenium)
(Click on image to enlarge)
Attribution:Wikipedia

Botanical Name of of Feverfew: Tanacetum Parthenium
Other Common Names:
Featherfew, featherfoil, flirtwort, bachelor’s buttons, bride’s buttons, compositae, febrifuge plant, pyrethrum, wild chamomile.

Habitat:
Feverfew is native to southeastern Europe, but is found throughout Europe, Australia and North America today. It is a perennial that blooms from July to October. This herbaceous plant prefers rich, well-drained soil with a loamy, stiff character to it.

Plant Parts Used:
All of the above round parts of the plant may be used for medicinal purposes. The dried leaves are the most commonly used parts.

Feverfew Supplements

Feverfew Herb Capsules
by Starwest Botanicals

Feverfew 400 Mg 100 Capsules
by Now Foods

Therapeutic Uses, Benefits and Claims of Feverfew

Feverfew has been used for thousands of years as a treatment for headaches. Migraine, cluster and tension headaches all respond well to feverfew treatments.

The Medicinal Herb Feverfew
(Tanacetum Parthenium )

Arthritis pain has been treated successfully with this herb, as well.
This plant has shown promise in reducing menstrual pain and promoting menstrual flow.
Feverfew got its name from the traditional use for treating fevers. It has been used to bring down the temperature and help the fever to “break.”
This herb is also used for herbal pain relief. The exact method by which it reduces pain is not clear but the analgesic effect is usually not specific and gives a general pain relief.
Feverfew also has carminative (gas relief), purgative (strong laxative), stimulant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Recommended Herbal Remedies

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Dosage and Administration

Feverfew is available in fresh and dried forms and administered through capsule, tablet or liquid extract. Herbal supplements are often standardized to contain 0.2% parthenolide (the active ingredient in feverfew.)

Customary daily dosages are:

For Headaches: 100 to 300 milligrams up to four times daily, of a supplement standardized to 0.2-0.4% parthenolide, can be taken to relieve headache symptoms. 1-4 fresh leaves may be chewed to relieve headache pain as well.

For inflammatory and pain relief applications: The same dosage may be used for this application, although many people prefer the liquid extract taken at 60 to 120 drops twice daily.

Side Effects and Possible Interactions of Feverfew

Side effects of feverfew use may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea, and nervousness. Chewing the raw leaves of the feverfew plant may cause mouth ulcers, swelling of the structures of the oral cavity and loss of taste. Allergic reactions are rare but do occur.

Individuals with bleeding disorders or who take blood-thinning medications should not take feverfew due to the possibility of bleeding complications. Pregnant and nursing women should not take this herb. This herb is also not recommended for children, especially those under 2 years of age.

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