Feverfew

Tanacetum parthenium (L.) – Feverfew
Asteraceae – Aster family

The pharmaceutical ingredient is Tanaceti parthenii herba, meaning the feverfew herb, a well-known migraine medicine, and the feverfew flower heads.

Feverfew – appearance and origin:

Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schulz Bip. is a plant from the aster family, in Latin called Chrysanthemum parthenium L. (Bernh.), Pyrethrum parthenium L.

Feverfew is a perennial herbaceous plant, originating from the Balkan Peninsula, but common across the whole of Europe, grown as an ornamental and medicinal plant, often found in the wild. It is similar to matricaria with its flower head structure, typical of the aster family. It is highly aromatic; its pubescent stem grows up to 70 cm high.

Feverfew – effects and use:

The most important pharmacologically active group are sesquiterpene lactones with parthenolide as the main component. Over 30 compounds are known and classified into 5 different chemical types. The most notable are germacranolides: parthenolide; costunolide and artemorin; eudesmanolides: santamarine and reynosin; guaianolides: canin, artecanin, anaparthin, 10-epicanin and 8-alpha-hydroxyestagiatin.

Feverfew in treating and preventing migraine

The mechanism of feverfew's activity in migraines is complex and still not entirely clear. Prostaglandin production inhibition, serotonin and histamin release inhibition, spasmolytic activity on smooth muscles and antagonist effect on 5-HT2A receptors, proven for feverfew extracts and parthenolide – these effects concern disorders in migraine onsets and headaches. The combination of feverfew and willow bark reduced the number of migraine onsets by 57.2% after 6 weeks of treatment and by 61.7% after 12 weeks, and also reduced their severity and duration.

Antipyretic and anti-inflammatory

These properties are determined by sesquiterpene lactones and flavonoids inside Tanaceti parthenii herba. Studies found similar therapeutic effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially acetylsalicylic acid and feverfew herb. The Tanacetum parthenium herb extract inhibited prostaglandin synthesis to a degree similar to acetylsalicylic acid and also inhibited the creation of arachidonic acid metabolites in rat leukocytes in the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase pathway. The active compounds in feverfew were found to be able to release histamine from stimulated rat cells, in a dose-dependent manner.

Anti-aggregation

The active substances of feverfew inhibit platelet aggregation. One of its mechanisms is the reduction of the formation of thromboxane A2, a prostaglandin with pro-aggregation activity. The inhibition of thromboxane synthesis results from the inhibition of phospholipase A2 activity, which prevents the release of arachidonic acid from platelet phospholipids and its further changes. Parthenolide has an anti-aggregational effect of similar degree to the herb extract.

Antibacterial

The essential oil from the T. parthenium herb inhibited the growth of multiple bacteria strains, especially Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Ethanol extracts of aerial parts of feverfew also showed a wide spectrum of activity against Gram-positive bacteria, fungi and dermatophytes.

Anticancer

Parthenolide has been found to have an anticancer effect. It influences proteins which take part in the creation and progression of cancer. It also exhibits cytotoxic or cytostatic activity, depending on the type of cancer cells and used drug concentrations. Given the low toxicity of parthenolide, it can be help in treating large bowel cancer, lung cancer, melanoma and glioblastoma.

Clinical trials

The efficacy of the T. parthenium leaves in migraine prevention was first assessed in a 1985 study by Johnson. Subsequent studies concluded that the migraine onset frequency and severity was reduced in the treatment group.