Feverfew
Pain Reliever and Nervous Tonic
Scientific Names: Chrysanthemum parthenium.
Common Names: Febrifuge plant, featherfew, wild quinine, bachelor’s button, mutterkraut.
Description: Feverfew is a bushy perennial that grows one to three feet in height. Closely resembling its relative the chrysanthemum, this plant blossoms between June and August in clusters of small, daisy-like flowers. With yellow-green leaves formed like miniature oak leaves, feverfew is highly favored as an ornament in private gardens. The herb, a native of southeast Europe and Asia Minor, is somewhat rare in the wild; it can, however, still be found growing in the temperate regions of much of Europe and North America.
History: The ancient Greek physicians prescribed feverfew for menstrual and birth-related problems. Some consider its common name to be a corruption of the Latin word febrifugia, a reference to the plant’s former use as a fever-reducing medicine, or “febrifuge.” Feverfew’s later reputation as a fever remedy in Europe may have been due more to its name than to any actual healing properties. Many people planted the strong-smelling herb around their houses in the hopes of warding off malaria by purifying the air. For a time it was associated with the successful malaria treatment quinine, even picking up the name “wild quinine.” Since the seventeenth century feverfew has been prescribed for headaches, and it is in this area that the herb has acquired most of its modern acclaim.
Modern Uses: Feverfew has come to be used to treat most of the same disorders treated by aspirin including: migraine headaches, fever, and arthritis. Its leaves are rich in a group of chemicals called sesquiterpene lactones. These bitter compounds have been found to produce a variety of beneficial effects. They inhibit prostaglandin synthesis (which leads to smooth muscle contraction), decrease the rate of platelet aggregation (blood clotting), inhibit histamine release from immune cells, and have even been found to have mild sedative properties. Feverfew also contains a parthenolide component, and some researchers have described a mildly euphoric state resulting from the serotonin inhibiting action caused by this chemical. Feverfew infusions have also been found to act as a nervine tonic, offering helpful benefits in cases of hysteria.
Feverfew’s most popular use is as a headache reliever. This effect is most likely due to the herb’s blood clot inhibiting action (platelet aggregation is thought to play a role in some forms of migraine) and the anti-inflammatory and antihistamine (histamines create inflammation and constrict blood vessels) properties of the prostaglandins. Others have found feverfew to be effective in treating high blood pressure, digestive disorders (acting much like its close relative, chamomile, in calming the smooth muscles of the digestive tract), and in relieving menstrual cramps. The herb is a good source of niacin and contains other trace minerals such as magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and thiamine.
Recommendations: Although chewing the fresh or frozen leaves of this herb delivers quite effective results, most people find them too bitter and enjoy taking the herb in capsule form. The leaves and/or capsules offer best relief for headaches, while taking feverfew in an infusion provides several other healing benefits including: lowering blood pressure, aiding digestion, relieving menstrual complaints, and generally soothing the nerves.
The typical use of this herb is four to six capsules daily with meals. It works best for headaches when taken daily as a preventative. The herb is also available in a standardized, high-potency concentrate. Take one tablet of the concentrate daily.
Sources:
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody (London, England: Dorling Kindersley, Inc., 1993).
The Energetics of Western Herbs by Peter Holmes (Boulder, Colorado: Artemis Press, 1989).
“Feverfew” by Christopher Hobbs, in HerbalGram (Spring 1989).
A Handbook of Native American Herbs by Alma R. Hutchens (Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala, 1992).
The Healing Herbs by Michael Castleman (Emmaus, Pennsylvania: Rodale Press, 1991).
Herbs that Heal by Michael A. Weiner, Ph.D. and Janet Weiner (Mill Valley, California: Quantum Books, 1994).
The Illustrated Herb Encyclopedia by Kathi Keville (New York: Mallard Press, 1991).
Nutritional Herbology by Mark Pedersen (Warsaw, Indiana: Wendell W. Whitman Company, 1994).
The Wild Rose Scientific Herbal by Terry Willard, Ph. D. (Calgary, Alberta: Wild Rose College of Natural Healing, 1991).
