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Feverfew

By

Laura Shane-McWhorter

, PharmD, University of Utah College of Pharmacy

Reviewed/Revised Jan 2023
View PATIENT EDUCATION

Feverfew is a bushy perennial herb. The dried leaves are used in capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts. Parthenolides and glycosides are thought to be the components responsible for its purported anti-inflammatory effects and relaxant effects on smooth muscle.

Claims

Feverfew is said to be effective in the prevention of migraine headaches and useful for relieving menstrual pain, asthma, and arthritis. In vitro, feverfew inhibits platelet aggregation (1 References Feverfew is a bushy perennial herb. The dried leaves are used in capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts. Parthenolides and glycosides are thought to be the components responsible for its purported... read more ).

Evidence

A 2015 Cochrane review of feverfew for migraines evaluated 6 trials (561 subjects). The 5 earlier studies showed varying results, but the most recent study was larger and more robust and showed a significant decrease of 0.6 attacks per month in migraines versus placebo (2 References Feverfew is a bushy perennial herb. The dried leaves are used in capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts. Parthenolides and glycosides are thought to be the components responsible for its purported... read more ). Differences among study findings may result from differences in formulations of feverfew used and dosage. Evaluations of feverfew on rheumatoid arthritis are few. One study showed no apparent benefit from oral feverfew in rheumatoid arthritis (3 References Feverfew is a bushy perennial herb. The dried leaves are used in capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts. Parthenolides and glycosides are thought to be the components responsible for its purported... read more ).

Adverse Effects

Mouth ulcers, contact dermatitis, dysgeusia, and mild gastrointestinal symptoms may occur. Abrupt discontinuation may worsen migraines and cause nervousness and insomnia.

Owing to potential bleeding, feverfew should be discontinued 2 weeks prior to surgery.

Feverfew is contraindicated in pregnant women as it may cause the uterus to contract. Feverfew is not recommended for children or for women who are breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Theoretically, feverfew is contraindicated in patients taking other antimigraine drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antiplatelet drugs, or warfarin. (See also table .)

References

  • 1. Groenewegen WA, Heptinstall S: A comparison of the effects of an extract of feverfew and parthenolide, a component of feverfew, on human platelet activity in-vitro. J Pharm Pharmacol 42:553-557, 1990. doi:10.1111/j.2042-7158.1990.tb07057.x

  • 2. Wider B, Pittler MH, Ernst E: Feverfew for preventing migraine. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 4:CD002286, 2015. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002286.pub3

  • 3. Pattrick M, Heptinstall S, Doherty M: Feverfew in rheumatoid arthritis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Ann Rheum Dis 48:547-549, 1989. doi:10.1136/ard.48.7.547

More Information

The following English-language resource may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of this resource.

Drugs Mentioned In This Article

Drug Name Select Trade
Coumadin, Jantoven
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NOTE: This is the Professional Version. CONSUMERS: View Consumer Version
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