August 12, 2003 – Two recent studies conclude that butterbur appears to effectively combat migraine symptoms.
During the first study1, 60 migraine patients received either a placebo or a 50 mg dose of a standardized butterbur extract, Petadolex, twice daily for 12 weeks. From the fourth week of treatment, the group taking butterbur began to notice a decrease in the number of their attacks. At the last week, this reduction was 60% compared to the control group. And when they did, migraines lasted on average half as long.
In the second study, 202 migraine patients were asked to take either a placebo or 100 mg or 150 mg of Petadolex extract every day for 12 weeks. The number of migraine headaches in the group taking 100 mg per day fell by 42%, that in the group taking 150 mg by 58%, while the control group nonetheless achieved a reduction of 32%.
The results of this latest study were unveiled at the American Headache Society’s annual meeting in 2002.
The authors of this review come to the conclusion that butterbur extract can effectively treat migraine symptoms, while causing only a small number of side effects.
Butterbur is a perennial plant with fused petals, with a maximum size of 60 cm. Its flowers are ligulate and tubular, purple to pale pink in color and fragrant. Its very large heart-shaped leaves appear at the end of flowering. They are rhubarb-like, finely woolly below, with uneven teeth.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
From HerbalGram 58.
1. Grossman W, Schmidramsl H. An extract of Petasites hybridus is effective in the prophylaxis of migraine.Altern Med Rev 2001 Jun; 6 (3): 303-10.
