June 20th, 2010 by admin

My daughter taught me about feverfew after she learned about it in a summer camp program. I’d always thought of it as a weed (and it does have invasive qualities) but now know that it is cultivated for use in herbal supplements.

illustration from the 1814 edition of Culpeper's complete herbal.

Feverfew (Tanacetum partheneum or Chrysanthymum partheneum) a.k.a. Fetherfew, Featherfew has been used for centuries as a treatment for migraines. John Hill championed it in The British Herbal, 1772, “In the worst headaches this herb exceeds whatever else is known.” A century earlier, Culpeper stated that, in addition to being helpful post-childbirth, feverfew

… is effectual for all pains in the head coming of a cold cause, the herb being bruised and applied to the crown of the head : as also for the vertigo, that is, a running or swimming of the head. The decoction thereof, drank warm, and the herb bruised, with a few corns of bay-salt, and applied to the wrists before the coming of the ague fits, does take them away.

Some texts also suggest making a tea, much like chamomile as the plants are related.  The active ingredient in supplements made from feverfew is parthenolide which, according to Manitoba Agriculture, varies widely among genetic lines. For this reason, it is not expected that the results will be the same for every user of fresh feverfew.

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feverfew, medicinal