Butterbur May Be Effective Hay Fever Remedy WebMD Medical News

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Butterbur May Be Effective Hay Fever Remedy

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

on Monday, August 22, 2005

 

Aug. 22, 2005 -- An herbal product derived from the leaves of the butterbur

plant was found to be as effective for treating hay fever as a widely used

antihistamine.

But concerns remain about the safety of unregulated products containing the

plant extract sold in the United States.

The Swiss study was the largest ever to examine butterbur for the treatment

of allergies. A total of 330 participants receive either the butterbur-extract

product Ze339, high doses of the antihistamine Allegra, or placebo.

Swiss herbal medicine manufacturer Zeller AG, which markets Ze339, sponsored

the research. The product is not sold in the United States, but other

butterbur-extract products are.

Researcher Andreas Schapowal, MD, PhD, tells WebMD that this and other

studies conducted by his research team show that the herbal product is both safe

and

effective. He adds that because it is also nonsedating, it could be a good

choice for people who experience drowsiness when taking certain antihistamines.

Butterbur Used for Centuries

Butterbur (also known as blatterdock, flapperdock, or butterfly doc) is a

plant found throughout Europe and Asia and parts of North America. It has been

used in herbal remedies for centuries and in commercial medicines in Europe for

several decades.

In nature, the plant does contain chemicals that are considered toxins and

may be carcinogenic. There have been isolated reports of serious liver problems

occurring in people who took butterbur preparations containing high levels of

these chemicals.

Schapowal says the product he tested is safe because it is derived

exclusively from the heart-shaped leaves of the butterbur plant and not the

root, as

some other preparations are. Plants are also especially cultivated to make the

herbal product.

In the newly published study, hay fever patients being treated at 11 centers

throughout Switzerland and Germany received either Ze339 three times a day

(totaling 8 milligrams), a single-daily 180-milligram tablet of Allegra, or a

placebo.

The researchers reported that both active treatments were equally effective

and more effective than placebo for relieving hay fever symptoms such as

sneezing, nasal congestion, and itchy eyes and/or nose. Both active treatments

were

also well tolerated. The findings were reported in the June issue of the

journal Phytotherapy Research.

 

Safety of Other Products Questioned

 

Safety of Other Products Questioned

Schapowal says he's confident that the product his group tested is safe. But

he is less sure about unregulated herbal products containing butterbur that

are sold in the U.S.

" I wouldn't take them, " he says. " Many of these products are derived from the

root of the plant and there is no controlled cultivation. They cannot be

considered safe. "

Allergist Brian Smart, MD, says that a " natural " treatment for allergies and

asthma would be welcome. But he adds that none of the alternative products

widely used for this purpose in the U.S. have been adequately tested.

Smart is a spokesman for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and

Immunology, which reported in 2003 that 17% of Americans seeking treatment for

allergies had tried complementary and alternative medications. Butterbur,

ephedra,

grape seed extract, and thymus extract are some of the most widely used

alternative therapies for hay fever and allergy.

The report concluded that none of the alternative products have been proven

both safe and effective.

" As an allergist I always welcome the possibility of new therapies, " Smart

tells WebMD. " But my concern is that these products are not regulated, so you

really don't know what you are getting. Even though a so-called natural product

sounds safer, it may not be. "

 

 

 

SOURCES: Schapowal, A. Phytotherapy Research, June, 2005; vol 19: pp.

530-537. Andreas Schapowal, MD, PhD, Allergy Clinic, Landquart, Switzerland.

Brian

Smart, MD, allergist, spokesman, American Academy of Allergy Asthma and

Immunology.

 

 

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