BUTTERBUR For Migraines and Hay Fever

Herb-Of-The-Week - BUTTERBUR For Migraines and Hay Fever

Herb-Of-The-Week

BUTTERBUR has been seriously regarded, researched and studied or it's
potential benefit is preventing migraines. It along with FEVERFEW
havbe been demonstrated in some studies to help PREVENT migraines.
Neither are of much use once a migraine attack has begun.

"...A recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 60 men
and women who experienced at least three migraines per month. After 4
weeks without any conventional medications, participants were randomly
assigned to take either 50 mg of butterbur extract or placebo twice
daily for 3 months. The results were positive: both the number of
migraine attacks and the total number of days of migraine pain were
significantly reduced in the treatment group as compared to the
placebo group. Three out of four individuals taking butterbur reported
improvement, as compared to only one out of four in the placebo group.
No significant side effects were noted...."

In yet another study, a 2-week double-blind study of 125 individuals
with hay fever (technically, "seasonal allergic rhinitis") compared a
standardized butterbur extract against the antihistamine drug
certizine. According to ratings by both doctors and patients, the two
treatments proved about equally effective.


BUTTERBUR, often described as possessing an unpleasant smell, can be
found growing along rivers, ditches, and marshy areas in northern
Asia, Europe, and parts of North America. It sends up stalks of
reddish flowers very early in spring, before producing very large
heart-shaped leaves with a furry gray underside. Once the leaves
appear, butterbur somewhat resembles rhubarbâ€"one of its common names
is bog rhubarb. It is also sometimes referred to as "umbrella leaves"
due to the size of its foliage. Other more or less descriptive common
names abound, including blatterdock, bogshorns, butter-dock, butterly
dock, capdockin, flapperdock, and langwort.


A butterbur extract that has been processed to remove potentially
dangerous chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids is the only way
butterbur can be safely used. The usual dosage of butterbur as a
migraine preventive is 50 mg twice daily of the extract.


If pain is an issue with you, FEVERFEW and/or BUTTERBUR might be worth
consideration. Especially since feverfew can be used for lower back
pain and butterbur has been used for it's anti-inflammatory and
anti-spasmodic effects. While further research, on butterbur, may
still be needed for , it can be purchased at a few herbal outlets.

Most retail products containg butterbur contain the warning (or
*should* have a warning) to not use if you are pregnant,
breastfeeding, or have any liver disease.



Until next time remember .... most illness (upwards of 80% according
to experts) can be attributed to FOUR important factors that can
weaken your immune system and your ability to fight off disease:

1. Anxiety, depression, anger, guilt and other STRESS factors
2. Improper and/or inadequate NUTRITION habits
3. A sedimentary lifestyle that does not include enough EXERCISE
4. Not enough rest and quality SLEEP time


The United States Surgeon General warned Americans in a landmark 1988
report on Nutrition and Health that "diet related diseases account for
68% of U.S. deaths"

Remember, we ALWAYS recommend that you ALWAYS counsult a professional
herbologist, naturopathologist or physician. We are just passing along
useful info and personal experience