Feverfew
Background
Feverfew grows naturally throughout Europe and North and South America.
Historically, people have used feverfew for fevers, headaches, constipation, diarrhea, difficulty in labor, and dizziness.
Today,
people use feverfew as a dietary supplement for migraine headache
prevention, problems with menstruation, rheumatoid arthritis,
psoriasis, allergies, asthma, tinnitus (ringing or roaring sounds in
the ears), dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and for intestinal parasites.
Topically, people use it as a skin cleanser to reduce or prevent skin
infections and for toothaches.
The dried leaves—and sometimes
flowers and stems—of feverfew are made into capsules, tablets, and
liquid extracts, and teas.
How Much Do We Know?
Only a
few studies have looked into feverfew’s use for migraine headache.
There’s little or no evidence about feverfew for any other
health conditions.
What Have We Learned?
Some research
suggests that feverfew may help to prevent migraine headaches, but
results have been mixed. However, evidence-based guidelines from the
American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society suggest
that a feverfew extract may be effective and should be considered for
migraine prevention.
There’s not enough evidence to know if feverfew helps other conditions.
What Do We Know About Safety?
No
serious side effects have been reported from feverfew. Side effects can
include nausea, digestive problems, and bloating; if the fresh leaves
are chewed, sores and irritation of the mouth may occur.
People
who take feverfew for a long time and then stop taking it may have
difficulty sleeping, headaches, anxiety, and stiff and
painful muscles.
Do not take feverfew while pregnant because it may affect uterine contractions.
Handling the plant may cause skin irritation.
Keep in Mind
Tell
all your health care providers about any complementary or integrative
health approaches you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to
manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and
safe care.
Key References
- Feverfew.
Natural Medicines Web site. Accessed at
naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/ on April 7, 2015
[Database subscription].
- Goodyear-Smith F. Feverfew. Journal of Primary Health Care. 2010;2(4):337.
- Holland S, Silberstein SD, Freitag F, et al. Evidence-based
guideline update: NSAIDs and other complementary treatments for
episodic migraine prevention in adults: report of the Quality Standards
Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American
Headache Society.Neurology. 2012;78(17):1346-1353.
- Sun-Edelstein C, Mauskop A. Alternative headache treatments: nutraceuticals, behavioral and physical treatments. Headache. 2011;51(3):469-483.
-NIH
