Regrettably, unpurified
butterbur extract contains pyrrolidine alkaloids, potentially hepatotoxic and carcinogenic compounds.
It not impossible possible that Trotter was a wholly Tolkien-invented hobbit name, and that it was intended to evoke and mimic the wooden shoes that, as
Butterbur points out clattered when he walked: "You can hear him coming along the road in those shoes: clitter-clap--when he walks on a path, which isn't often" (Return of the Shadow 138).
Butterbur has been used for hundreds of years to treat aches and pains, including headache(6) There are numerous studies outlining the benefits of
butterbur for migraine prophylaxis.
In addition, other herbal supplements, such as feverfew and
butterbur have shown beneficial results.
"There is high-quality evidence that the
butterbur herb (an over-the-counter supplement) is effective for migraine prevention: Dr.
A second recent AAN guideline reviewed NSAIDs and a number of herbal preparations for migraine prevention, and found evidence of benefit for petasites (
Butterbur extract) and less evidence for riboflavin, NSAIDs, magnesium, and other herbal therapies.
Extracto de Petasite o
Butterbur: son sustancias naturales de la planta petasites hybridus, poco empleados pero con excelentes resultados clinicos y gran tolerabilidad entre los pacientes, a dosis de 100-150 mg por dia, solo se reporto casos de dispepsia en pocos pacientes.
Evidence-based treatment guidelines released in April by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society strongly endorse seven prescription beta-blockers and seizure drugs [see below] and one herbal preparation (
butterbur) for preventing migraines and lessening symptoms when they do occur.
The botanical supplement that received the most attention in the new guidelines is Petadolex, which is the herb
butterbur. Studies have shown that 75 mg of Petadolex taken twice daily can reduce the frequency, duration and intensity of migraine headaches by close to 50 per cent, which is comparable to many of the prescription medications used to prevent migraines.
Speaking as a physician, my changes will tend toward increased
butterbur (purified form) and propranolol utilization.
Anti type I allergic property of Japanese
butterbur extract and its mast cell degranulation inhibitory ingredients.
(9) There are a few "natural" supplements which have sufficient evidence to consider for prevention of episodic migraine, including magnesium, (10) riboflavin, coenzyme Q10, and
butterbur (
butterbur 75 mg BID has been shown to decrease migraine frequency).
