Butterbur: Benefits, Uses & Scientific Evidence

Butterbur is an herb that contains several active compounds that proponents say have various medicinal properties. When butterbur is used as an herbal supplement, it may help with everything from allergies to headaches.

Geography

• Butterbur (aka petasites hybridus) is native to Europe, northern Africa and southwestern Asia. It has been available in Europe for migraine prevention, and is gaining some traction in the United States.

Benefits

• Butterbur has been claimed to have many benefits, including being used as a treatment for hay fever, asthma, chronic coughs, headaches, stomach ulcers, back pain, upset stomach, urinary spasms, anxiety and insomnia.

History

• Butterbur has been used for many centuries. The ancient Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides used butterbur to treat skin ulcers. In the Middle Ages, butterbur was used to treat plague and fever.

Expert Insight

• A study published in the "British Medical Journal" in January 2002 indicated that butterbur works as well as a conventional treatment for hay fever.

Warning

• Butterbur has possible side effects, including fatigue, belching, upset stomach, diarrhea, itchy eyes and headaches. More serious side effects are asthma, liver damage and allergic reactions (rash, hives, itching; swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue, or throat; wheezing or other difficulty breathing).