Feverfew 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Feverfew 100 g ($18.99), 50 g ($12.99), 25 g ($8.99)

Benefits:
In folk medicine, feverfew is used for migraine prophylaxis, digestion problems, intestinal parasites, and gynecological disorders. It also has been used as a wash for inflammation and wounds, as a tranquilizer, an antiseptic, and following a tooth extraction, as a mouthwash. Feverfew has been used in the treatment of headaches and migraines since the first century. It has also been used for allergies, inflammation, arthritis, tinnitus, vertigo, difficulty in labor, toothache, insect bites, asthma, menstrual discomforts, fever, and other aches and pains.

Feverfew is an anti-inflammatory because it inhibits thromboxane B2 and leukotriene B4. It also inhibits prostaglandin synthetase and major pathways of arachidonic acid to reduce inflammation. Feverfew can inhibit human blood aggregation and serotonin secretion by platelets. It has antispasmodic effects and is an antihistamine.

Migraine. The oldest and most commonly praised benefit of feverfew is its clear effect on headaches and migraines. One of the effects of the active ingredients in it is its prevention of platelet build-up in capillaries and blood vessels. This is what causes tension in the cardiovascular system and causes headaches and migraines. By relieving and relaxing these vessels, feverfew can quickly eliminate these painful conditions. [3] Research shows that consuming feverfew helps reduce the frequency and get rid of migraine headaches and headache symptoms, including pain, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and noise.

Several impressive human studies have shown the positive effects of using feverfew to prevent and treat migraines. A survey of 270 people with migraines in Great Britain found that more than 70 percent of them felt much better after taking (4) an average of two to three fresh leaves daily. Another study published in Clinical Drug Investigation used a combination of feverfew and white willow bark, which has chemicals like aspirin. People who took the combination twice a day for 12 weeks had fewer migraines, and the pain did not last as long (5) or hurt as much. In addition, a systematic review completed by the School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Science in the U.K. compared the results of six studies (6). Researchers found that feverfew is effective in the prevention of migraine headaches and doesn’t pose any major safely concerns.

Feverfew is thought to influence migraine by blocking compounds that cause pain and reduce blood flow to the brain. The advantage of feverfew over many prescription medications for migraine treatment is that feverfew does not cause constipation or stomach upset. Patients experienced less pain, vomiting, photophobia (intolerance to light), and phonophobia (intolerance to sound). There were no reports of adverse effects. Patients with a history of migraines who took one feverfew capsule each day for four months had a reduction in the number and severity of attacks in each two-month period.

It seems that feverfew works best if taken daily as a prophylaxis (prevent condition or disease) remedy. In another review of the published literature, those with migraines who took this herb daily had no increase in frequency and severity of attacks compared to a placebo, suggesting that feverfew taken daily may prevent attacks of migraines. In fact, using 6.25 milligrams three times a day for four months reduced migraine frequency and decreased the number of attacks per month, compared to a placebo group. These differences were significant and not due to chance.

Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that typically affects the small joints in the hands and feet. An autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues.

Laboratory studies have shown that feverfew stops white blood cells from absorbing the amino acid thymidine. This in turn reduces the rate at which they can produce inflammatory chemicals known as leukotrienes. This alteration of the cellular chemistry also reduces the production of fatty acid products known as eicosanoids, which are essential to the production of inflammatory chemicals. While clinical studies report mixed results, many people find that taking feverfew for two to three months reduces the severity and frequency of arthritic pain. The advantage of feverfew over many other forms of treatment is that it does not cause stomach upset but acts in a manner like that of a class of pain relievers known as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors such as celecoxib (Celebrex). One study found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis who took 70 to 86 milligrams of feverfew daily for six weeks derived some benefit. Although no improvements were seen in blood tests, the patients who took the feverfew experienced improved grip strength compared to a placebo group.

Feverfew is thought to hinder the production of prostaglandins prostaglandins, the hormone-like substances that cause pain and inflammation. In a 1989 study of women with symptomatic rheumatoid arthritis, feverfew was tested (7) as a form of relief since laboratory tests previously showed that it can generally reduce inflammation. The women took dosages of 76 milligrams of dried, powdered feverfew leaf but acknowledged that 100–125 milligrams was previously suggested as an effective dosage. The researchers ultimately admit that perhaps at larger doses it might have some benefit for rheumatoid arthritis.

While more research is needed, another 2009 study conducted (8) by the Department of Orthopaedics at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine also found that the parthenolide “ameliorated the severity of joint destruction in experimental animal model,” concluding it helps in a natural arthritis diet.

Anxiety and Stress  Although the pathway for this particular benefit is not fully understood, feverfew has been known to reduce stress and alleviate anxiety in some users. This is very important for those who suffer from chronic stress, as the presence of stress hormones in the body can be dangerous over long periods. [4]

Inflammation and Pain  Some of the volatile compounds in feverfew have anti-inflammatory abilities, which effectively reduces inflammation throughout the body. For those who suffer from chronic joint pain, arthritis, gout, and other inflammatory conditions, herbal treatment with feverfew is a painless and effective solution. [5]

Feverfew is an analgesic (pain relieving) substance that deserves more recognition. For thousands of years, feverfew has been used to prevent pain throughout the body, not just the pain of headaches and migraines. Following surgery or an injury, it can be successfully utilized for rapid and long-lasting relief. [6]

Fever  Traditionally, feverfew has been used to break and eliminate fevers. The name of the plant should be some indication of this ability. If you are suffering from a fever, whether it is linked to another more serious illness or not, it can help to promote sweating and eliminate toxins from the body, speeding the healing process and reducing inflammation. [7]

Menstrual  One of the popular uses of feverfew is in the reduction of discomfort during menstruation. For billions of women around the world, menstruation can be a painful monthly occurrence that includes cramps, bloating, hormonal swings, pain, and excessive bleeding. It can effectively lower inflammation, eliminate cramps, and induce calm to reduce mood swings and anxiety. [8]

Appetite Booster  For people trying to gain weight or recovering from an injury/surgery, increasing one’s appetite can be very important. Feverfew has been linked to certain hormonal activity that induces hunger. While this may not be ideal for people trying to stay on a diet, it can certainly help the healing process and weight gain efforts for those individuals who may be underweight or calorie-deficient. [9]

Respiratory  The soothing ability of feverfew also extends to the respiratory tract, where this herb is able to reduce inflammation and irritation, which can often exacerbate conditions like asthma or coughing. By allowing the respiratory tracts to relax, it can help soothe these symptoms and improve overall respiratory health. [10]

Skin  One of the more recent health benefits of feverfew is its role in skin health. Research is ongoing on the full effects of feverfew on the skin, but when it comes to dermatitis and other common forms of irritation, it has been shown to improve symptoms when topically applied.

Dermatitis is a general term that describes an inflammation of the skin. It has many causes and occurs in many forms. Dermatitis usually involves an itchy rash on swollen, reddened skin. Feverfew is a potent anti-inflammatory that’s particularly effective at calming redness. Studies have shown that it may help reduce damaged skin cells and inflammation, in addition to helping relieve dermatitis and improve the appearance of the skin. In 2009, researchers showed that feverfew extracts (with parthenolide removed) had potent anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting that this botanical is effective at relieving skin inflammation without inducing immune sensitization (11).

If you have rosacea or regularly experience rash reactions, a topical remedy containing feverfew could likely offer relief (12), making it an effective rosacea treatment and rash natural remedy. It also naturally protects (13) the skin from UV rays.

Cancer  Research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food demonstrated the anticancer effects of feverfew extracts on two human breast cancer cell lines (Hs605T and MCF-7) and one human cervical cancer cell line (SiHa). Feverfew ethanolic acid inhibited (14) the growth of all three types of cancer cells. Among the tested constituents of feverfew (parthenolide, camphor, luteolin and apigenin), parthenolide showed the highest inhibitory effect. While it has yet to get widespread attention as a natural cancer fighter, the research is promising!

Heart Health  Feverfew can inhibit the production of certain prostaglandins in the body that are responsible for increasing blood pressure. By reducing symptoms of hypertension, feverfew can protect overall heart health and lower the chances of experiencing atherosclerosis, and the consequent heart attacks and strokes linked to that particular blockage of the cardiovascular system. [15] Typically, blood flows through our arteries and veins smoothly and efficiently, but if a clot, or thrombus, blocks the smooth flow of blood, then the result (called thrombosis) can be very serious and even cause death. Serious problems arising from clots in blood vessels include heart attack and stroke.

Research indicates that feverfew may be antithrombotic. As an antithrombotic agent, it can help prevent blood clots from forming and growing — and hence reduce the risk of death from heart attack or stroke!

Recommended Use
Feverfew should always be taken in the form of encapsulated freeze-dried herb if taken internally. It can also be used externally applied to the forehead. For migraines, capsules of 200 to 250 milligrams taken daily and standardized for 0.2 percent parthenolide content should be used. Freshly dried powdered feverfew made from one to three leaves (25 to 75 milligrams) can be used once or twice a day.

The herb may cause skin allergy or digestive upset. In addition, there are reports of transient increased heart rate and smooth muscle contractions. Some individuals (about 10 percent) have reported a rebound effect when they stopped using the herb for migraines. They experienced headaches, muscle stiffness, insomnia, joint pain, fatigue, nervousness, and tension.

People who are allergic to ragweed may be allergic to this herb as well. In rare cases, feverfew may cause uterine bleeding, so pregnant women should not use it. Nursing mothers also should avoid this herb, since its active components can be passed through breast milk and may cause allergies in the child. It should not be used in children under two years of age.

You should not use feverfew if you take warfarin (Coumadin) or any other blood-thinning drug, such as antiplatelet agents. No detrimental interaction between feverfew and this class of drugs has yet been reported, but it is theoretically possible. If you regularly use over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NASIDs), you should consult with a physician before taking feverfew. Migraine-type headaches can be a symptom of more serious disease, so proper diagnosis is essential. Avoid using feverfew for two weeks prior to undergoing elective surgery.

Botanical Name: Tanacetum parthenium
English: Feverfew
Also, known as: featherfew, Altamisa, Bachelor’s button, Featherfoil, Febrifuge plant, Midsummer daisy, Nosebleed, Santa Maria, Wild quinine, Fderfoy, Flirtwort, European feverfew, Father-fully, Feddygen fenyw, Flirtroot, Mutterkraut, and Vetter-voo.
Habitat: Europe
Origin: Albania/Spain
Harvested: Wild or cultivated
Parts Used: Entire plant

General Information:
Tanacetum parthenium is a short, aromatic and a bushy perennial plant grows to about 1-3 feet in height and wide as well. Feverfew is in the daisy family found commonly in gardens and along roadsides. Its yellow-green leaves are 5-7 cm in length, almost hairless and pinnate to bipinnate. It has fragrant, ferny foliage and composite white flowers with yellow centers. Its yellow flowers are about 2-2.5 cm in diameter. They resemble those of chamomile, for which they are sometimes confused, and have a single layer of white outer-ray florets. This aromatic plant gives off a strong and bitter odor. Its yellow-green leaves grow on both sides of the stem at alternating levels and turn downward with short hairs. The small, daisy-like yellow flowers are arranged in a dense flat-topped cluster.

In the mid-19th century, feverfew was introduced in the United States. The plant grows along roadsides, fields, waste areas, and along the borders of woods. Feverfew also has been planted around houses to purify the air because of its strong, lasting odor, and a tincture of its blossoms is used as an insect repellant. The feverfew herb has a long history of use in traditional and folk medicine, especially among Greek and early European herbalists. The name was given from the Latin word febrifugia, meaning “fever reducer.”

 

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. SO you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.