8 tips to reduce migraines
Using plants
Two plants show good results in prevention of migraine episodes : the butterbur and the feverfew.
Butterbur
Two clinical trials published in the early 2000s demonstrated the effectiveness of this plant in preventing migraine.
In one [1], daily intake of standardized butterbur extracts for 3 months significantly reduced the frequency of migraine attacks.
In the other [2], participants who took 150 mg of butterbur extract every day for 4 months observed a sharp drop in migraine attacks.
Feverfew
Feverfew leaves, to be used dried, contain parthenolide, a substance that acts on neurotransmitters. In herbal tea, feverfew is known for its effectiveness as a preventive treatment for migraine.
ESCOP and the World Health Organization recognize the effectiveness of feverfew leaves for migraine prevention and a study published in 2005 and carried out on 170 migraine participants gave good results. The participants took either a placebo or feverfew extract for 16 weeks, at a dose of 6,25 mg, 3 times a day. In the treated group, migraine attacks were less numerous than in the placebo group [3].
[1] Grossman W, Schmidramsl H. An extract of Petasites hybridus is effective in the prophylaxis of migraine.Altern Med Rev 2001.
[2] Lipton RB, Gobel H, et al. Petasites hybridus root (butterbur) is an effective preventive treatment for migraine. Neurology. 2004.
[3] Servant HC, Pfaffenrath V, et al. Efficacy and safety of 6.25 mg t.i.d. feverfew CO2-extract (MIG-99) in migraine prevention—a randomized, double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled study. Cephalalgia 2005.