February 4, 2005 – An extract obtained from butterbur leaves is believed to be safe and effective in treating symptoms associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis, in a study conducted in Switzerland and Germany1.
Butterbur extract (Petasites hybridus) used in this clinical trial is Ze339. It is taken from the leaves rather than the roots of this plant native to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Butterbur has been studied since its anti-inflammatory properties were discovered.
Participants in two groups who took the Ze339 extract experienced a significant decrease in their symptoms, which was greater than that of a placebo group. Patients who consumed the highest daily dose of butterbur (24 mg) reported more relief than those who received the lowest dose (16 mg). Symptoms could be assessed using detailed questionnaires.
The researchers had enrolled 186 people with allergic rhinitis, confirmed by diagnosis and pollen allergy testing, to conduct their randomized, double-blind study. All participants had moderate to severe symptoms of rhinitis: sneezing, watery eyes, nasal congestion, eye irritation. One group of participants took three 8 mg tablets of Ze339 butterbur extract per day, while another group took two. A third group consumed, for the same period, two weeks, tablets of similar appearance, texture and odor. The pollen exposure of all subjects was analyzed daily using the regional services responsible for the pollen count in the air.
The results of this study are in the same direction as those obtained in 2002 during research on the same subject. The study published in the British Medical Journal revealed that extracts of 100 mg of butterbur per day had successfully relieved seasonal allergic rhinitis. The methodology of this study had, however, been criticized.
Marie france Coutu – PasseportSanté.net
According to Medscape.
1. Schapowal A; Petasites Study Group, Butterbur Ze339 for the treatment of intermittent allergic rhinitis: dose-dependent efficacy in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, Archives of Otolaryngolog-Head and Neck Surgery,December 2004, Vol. 130, No 12, 1381-6.
