Skip to main content
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.) logoLink to British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
. 1985 Aug 31;291(6495):569–573. doi: 10.1136/bmj.291.6495.569

Efficacy of feverfew as prophylactic treatment of migraine.

E S Johnson, N P Kadam, D M Hylands, P J Hylands
PMCID: PMC1418227  PMID: 3929876

Abstract

Seventeen patients who ate fresh leaves of feverfew daily as prophylaxis against migraine participated in a double blind placebo controlled trial of the herb: eight patients received capsules containing freeze dried feverfew powder and nine placebo. Those who received placebo had a significant increase in the frequency and severity of headache, nausea, and vomiting with the emergence of untoward effects during the early months of treatment. The group given capsules of feverfew showed no change in the frequency or severity of symptoms of migraine. This provides evidence that feverfew taken prophylactically prevents attacks of migraine, and confirmatory studies are now indicated, preferably with a formulation controlled for sesquiterpene lactone content, in migraine sufferers who have never treated themselves with this herb.

Full text

PDF
569

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Heptinstall S., White A., Williamson L., Mitchell J. R. Extracts of feverfew inhibit granule secretion in blood platelets and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Lancet. 1985 May 11;1(8437):1071–1074. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(85)92371-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Makheja A. N., Bailey J. M. A platelet phospholipase inhibitor from the medicinal herb feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium). Prostaglandins Leukot Med. 1982 Jun;8(6):653–660. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Makheja A. N., Bailey J. M. The active principle in feverfew. Lancet. 1981 Nov 7;2(8254):1054–1054. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)91256-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Medical Journal (Clinical research ed.) are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES