Science and Supplement News: Butterbur for Migraine Prevention

January 14, 2005

From Dr., Weil's newsletter.

I haven't tried this myself but it sounded interesting.

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) has long been used for migraine prevention in

Europe, and a recent U.S. study has demonstrated its ability to reduce the

frequency of headaches. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in

New York compared two different doses of butterbur to a placebo among about 230

patients, who had reported two to six migraines per month prior to the study.

Results showed that taking 75 milligrams of butterbur twice daily reduced

headache frequency by 45 percent compared to only 28 percent for the placebo; a

50 mg dose decreased migraine frequency by only 32 percent. The only side effect

reported was burping; no changes in blood pressure, heart rate or routine

laboratory test results were seen. Because butterbur contains pyrrolizidene

alkaloids (PA) that are toxic to the liver, you should be careful to choose only

certified PA-free extracts that are standardized to contain 7.5 mg of Petasin

and Isopetasin. Take butterbur with meals. Results of the new study were

published in the Dec. 28, 2004 issue of Neurology.

Source: Neurology, Dec. 28, 2004

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