Herbal extract reduces migraines

An extract of the root of a plant called butterbur (Petasites hybridus) significantly reduces the frequency of migraine headaches. Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York, compared the efficacy of two different doses of butterbur extract to that of a placebo in about 230 patients who had migraine. They had experienced two to six attacks per month for 3 months prior to the study. The number of attacks per month was reduced by 45 percent in the group that took 75 milligrams of butterbur twice daily, compared with a reduction of 28 percent in the placebo group during the 16-week trial. A group that took 50 milligrams of butterbur twice daily experienced a 32 percent decrease, not significantly different from placebo. The treatment effect is quite comparable to what is seen with prescription drugs such as beta-blockers and antidepressants. The butterbur extract was well tolerated with burping as the only adverse event occurring more frequently in the active treatment groups. There were no changes in blood pressure, heart rate, or routine laboratory tests. The researchers advised patients, who have three or more days of headaches that interfere with their lives per month, should consider taking a preventive medication. They, however, cautioned that as raw butterbur root contains toxins that are removed during the manufacturing process, patients should only use commercially available products rather than home-brewed butterbur extract.