Botanical Name: Pyrethrum Parthenium, Chrysanthemum parthenium, Tanacetum parthenium
Plant Family: Compositae
Common Names: Bachelor's Buttons, Featherfew, Featherfoil, Febrifuge Plant, Rainfarn
Origin: Feverfew is a perennial plant native to southwest Europe and was originally brought to America as an ornamental plant. It grows abundantly in England and is commercially cultivated in Japan, Africa and Europe.
History: Pyrethrum comes from the Greek pur, 'fire' because of the hot taste of the root. Greek and European herbalists traditionally used Feverfew to reduce fevers. The herb has a long history of use in traditional and folk medicine. The name is a corruption of 'Febrifuge', due to its tonic and fever reducing properties.
Tradition: Feverfew was:
- carried for preventing accidents
- carried for protection against illnesses involving fever
- carried to keep bees away
- planted near houses to purify the atmosphere and keep away disease
Plant Constituents
Contains:
- caustic acid
- essential oils
- flavonoid glycosides
- pinene derivatives
- sesquiterpene lactones, especially parthenolide
- tannin
- volatile oil
Usage
Medicinal Parts Used: Herb, flowers, leaves
Feverfew is used for:
Brain and Nervous System Conditions
- delerium tremens (DT's) in alcoholics (given as a warm infusion)
- dizziness
- gives a sense of well-being
- hysterical complaints
- low spirits, 'down in the dumps'
- melancholy and weariness
- migraine headaches [by controlling inflammation that constricts the blood vessels in the head]
- nervousness and nervous conditions
- promotes a restful sleep
- reduces frequency and severity of headache
Cardiovascular Conditions
Gastrointestinal Conditions
- digestive problems
- colic (given as a warm infusion)
- eases nausea and vomiting
- expels worms
- flatulence (gas/wind) (given as a warm infusion)
- improves digestion
- indigestion
- stimulates appetite
- stomach irritation (Feverfew extract, taken cold)
Genitourinary Conditions
- promotes adequate kidney function
Female Conditions
- expels afterbirth
- induces menstruation
- painful or sluggish menstruation
- strengthens the womb
Inflammatory Conditions
- diseases caused by chronic inflammation, such as arthritis
- more effective than other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), like aspirin
- relieves inflammation and pain
Respiratory Tract Conditions
- asthma
- colds (given as a warm infusion)
- coughs
- influenza
- shortness of breath
Feverfew
- inhibits the release of serotonin and prostaglandins, inflammatory substances, which are believed to contribute
- to the onset of migraines
- produces the chemical Histamine
Feverfew is often used as a treatment for disorders controlled by aspirin such as:
- depression
- fever
- headaches (by preventing blood vessel spasms which may contribute to headaches)
- inflammation and pain in arthritis sufferers
- nausea
Other
- antidote in opium over use
- dermatitis
- has a tonic effect (Feverfew extract, taken cold)
- relieves skin perspiration associated with migraines (Feverfew extract, taken cold)
- tinnitus
It has been used externally:
- for itching of insect bites
- for relieving the pain and swelling of insect bites (similar to Chamomile)
- for wind and colic
Other Uses:
- as an insect repellent (due to its aromatic strong and lasting odor)
Action:
- anti-arthritic [eases symptoms of arthritis]
- aperient [a mild stimulant producing a natural movement of the bowels; a gentle purgative]
- bitter [applied to bitter tasting drugs which act on the mucous membranes of the mouth and stomach to increase appetite and promote digestion]
- carminative [an agent for easing griping pains, colic and expelling gas from the intestines]
- emmenagogue [an agent that promotes menstrual flow]
- laxative [an agent promoting evacuation of the bowels; a mild purgative]
- tonic [an agent that tones, strengthens and invigorates organs or the entire organism giving a feeling of well-being]
Flowers:
- purgative [an agent that produces a vigorous emptying of the bowels, more drastic than a laxative or aperient]
Precautions
Caution:
- Mouth ulcers or loss of taste can be caused from eating the fresh leaves
- Should not be used by pregnant women
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