Feverfew - Tanacetum parthenium

• Cures migraine totally in 25%, while 70% have improvement in severity, duration and frequency. Best results when taken as a daily preventive.
• Relieves nausea, vomiting. Improves sleep and relieves depression.
• Reduces histamines and serotonin, normalizes dilated blood vessels.
• Anti-inflammatory action similar to COX-2 inhibitors, Vioxx, Celebrex.

Feverfew products usually consist of dried feverfew leaves, but all parts of the plant that grow above ground may also be used for medicinal purposes. The migraine-relieving activity of feverfew is believed to be due to parthenolide, an active compound that helps relieve smooth muscle spasms. In particular, it helps prevent the constriction of blood vessels in the brain (one of the leading causes of migraine headaches). Parthenolide also inhibits the actions of compounds that cause inflammation and may inhibit cancer cell growth.

Feverfew gained popularity in Great Britain in the 1980s as an alternative to conventional medications for migraine headaches. A survey of 270 migraine sufferers in Great Britain revealed that more than 70% of individuals felt substantially better after ingesting an average of 2 - 3 fresh feverfew leaves daily. Several controlled human trials have been conducted using feverfew for migraine prevention and treatment. Overall, these studies suggest that feverfew taken daily as dried leaf capsules may reduce the incidence of attacks in patients who experience long-term migraine headaches.