¿Qué es Feverfew?
Feverfew is a bushy, pungent little plant with clusters of small white-and-yellow daisy flowers, common in cottage gardens and on old walls across Europe. Its name comes from the Latin febrifugia, "driver-out of fevers", but its modern fame dates from the 1970s, when migraine sufferers in Britain reported that chewing a few leaves a day cut their attacks. Its best-known compound is parthenolide, which dampens inflammation and affects blood vessel and platelet activity.
Trials of feverfew for migraine prevention give mixed results. A Cochrane review found that, overall, it may slightly reduce how often migraines occur — by around one attack every two months on average — with some studies positive and others showing no effect. It is a preventive for regular use, not a painkiller for an attack in progress, and it is not suitable in pregnancy.
Beneficios y usos
May prevent some migraines
Several placebo-controlled trials found daily feverfew reduced migraine frequency, and sometimes the nausea and severity that come with attacks. Other trials found no difference, so the overall effect is modest and varies between people.
Not for an attack already underway
Feverfew works, if at all, by being taken daily over weeks. It won't stop a migraine that has started; keep your usual acute treatment.
Anti-inflammatory activity
Parthenolide blocks inflammatory signalling pathways in lab studies. Early trials for rheumatoid arthritis found no clear benefit, so this is mainly a lab-level finding.
Traditional fever and period pain remedy
Historically used for fevers, menstrual cramps and "women's complaints". There is little modern research supporting these uses.
Cómo usarla
Capsules or tablets
Most trials used 50–150 mg of dried leaf daily, or extracts standardised to about 0.2–0.4% parthenolide. Take every day for at least 4–6 weeks, and ideally keep a headache diary to see whether it helps.
Fresh leaves
The traditional method is to eat 1–3 fresh leaves a day, often in a sandwich to hide the bitter taste. This can cause mouth ulcers — capsules avoid that problem.
Tea
1 tsp dried leaf per cup, covered, 5–10 minutes. Very bitter; honey helps. Tea strength varies, so it is less reliable than capsules for migraine prevention.
Combination products
Sometimes combined with ginger, magnesium or riboflavin (vitamin B2) for migraine. Magnesium and riboflavin have their own supporting evidence, so such combinations can be reasonable.
Grow it
Easy from seed in a sunny spot; it self-seeds freely. The golden-leaved variety "Aureum" is also used.
⚠️ Precauciones
- Avoid in pregnancy — feverfew was traditionally used to bring on periods and may stimulate the womb. Also avoid while breastfeeding, and don't give it to children unless a doctor advises it.
- May increase bleeding risk; check with your doctor before combining it with warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, NSAIDs or other blood thinners, and stop it two weeks before surgery.
- Avoid if you are allergic to the daisy family (ragweed, chrysanthemums, chamomile, marigolds). Handling the plant can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive people.
- Chewing fresh leaves causes mouth ulcers, swollen lips and loss of taste in some people; stop if this happens.
- After long-term daily use, stopping suddenly can cause "post-feverfew syndrome" — rebound headaches, joint stiffness, anxiety and poor sleep. Reduce gradually instead.
- Frequent or changing headaches, or migraines with new symptoms, should be assessed by a doctor before trying herbal prevention.
Esta es información general, no consejo médico. Consulta a un profesional de la salud antes de usar Feverfew para tratar una afección o junto con medicamentos.
Preguntas frecuentes
How long before I know if it works?
Give it at least a month, preferably two or three, of daily use. Keeping a migraine diary before and during makes it much easier to tell whether there is a real change.
Can I take it with my migraine medication?
It is generally used alongside acute treatments such as triptans or painkillers, but check with your doctor or pharmacist, especially if you take blood-thinning drugs.
Does it help ordinary tension headaches?
There is no good evidence for that. Research has focused on migraine prevention.
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