Benefits: Reduces Arthritis Pain and Joint Inflammation
Background: Tanacetum parthenium, or Feverfew, has been used medicinally since the first Century B.C. Traditional uses included the treatment of fevers, headaches, stomach aches and insect bites, as well as asthma, nausea and dyspepsia.
Description: Feverfew is a bushy, dark green, herbaceous perennial with pungently aromatic, feathery leaves which can grow up to 3 feet in height. It bears small yellow and white flowers in the summertime which resemble miniature chrysanthemums.
Cultivation/Growing Conditions: Feverfew does best in sunny, well drained locations. In the springtime greenhouse, it may be easily started by sowing seed into growing trays set atop heating mats set to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Germination normally occurs within 2 weeks.
Parts Used: Leaves.
Harvest: Feverfew leaves may be harvested throughout the growing season, and used either fresh or dried.
Dosage: boil two teaspoonfuls of fresh leaf in one cup of water, allow to steep 15 minutes.[1]
Research: Feverfew has long been used to relieve the pain and inflammation of arthritis. It is known to contain a substance called parthenolide which is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. Alcoholic extracts of feverfew flowers and leaves have also exhibited significant analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities. These actions have been documented in several clinical trials which found that Tanacetum parthenium inhibits the production of inflammatory chemicals believed to be key contributors to the development of arthritis pain [i] [ii] [iii] at the cellular level.
[1] PDR for Herbal Medicines, 4th Ed., P. 324.
[i] Groenewegen W.A., et al “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. 1990 Aug;42(8):553-7
[ii] Sumner H., et al “Inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase and cyclo-oxygenase in leukocytes by feverfew. Involvement of sesquiterpene lactones and other components.” Biochem Pharmacol. 1992 Jun 9;43(11):2313-20.
[iii] Makheja A.N., et al. “A platelet phospholipase inhibitor from the medicinal herb feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium).” Prostaglandins Leukot Med. 1982 June;8(6):653-60.
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