Scientific name

Petasites officinalis, sin. Petasites hybridus

Family

Asteraceae

Origin

Alps and Apennines

Synonyms

Petasite or Farfaraccio

Used Parts

The drug consists of leaves and rhizomes.

Chemical constituents

• Sesquiterpeni (petasine);
• Flavonoids;
• Essential oil;
• Alkaloids.

Butterbur in Herbalist: Property of the Butterbur

Infusions and extracts of butterbur were used as a sedative, hypotensive and analgesic remedy.

Warnings

Butterbur contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, toxic as those of coltsfoot, and its extracts should not be used.

Only recently have clinical trials been carried out on the antihistamine and anti-migraine efficacy of Petasites extracts, free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. However, safety studies are needed, especially for long periods of treatment.

Pharmacological Interactions

• no interactions of the butterbur with other drugs are known.