Feverfew is best known for prevention of migraine - but its historical use as an anti-inflammatory extends back at least 1,000 years.
Feverfew contains parthenolide, which has significant anti-cancer, anti-pain and anti-inflammation effects.
Banjo contains a pure water extract of feverfew leaves and flowers.
Banjo provides fast, effective relief from pain and inflammation because it enables your body’s immune system to function properly. It works just like the fruits and vegetables you eat every day – by naturally inhibiting NF-kB, the inflammation Master Switch.
Banjo works better because it combines the most effective natural extracts and delivers them in a form that ensures maximum bio-availability. You get the full spectrum of phytonutrients your body needs to turn off excess inflammation.
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In the study below, using the nitroglycerin induced model of migraine, it was shown that parthenolide, the purported active ingredient in feverfew, inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in the trigeminal nucleus by inhibiting NF-kB.
Excess NO production is implicated in the pathogenesis of all headache. It is also an important mediator in other disease conditions.
The publication:
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Cephalalgia. 2005 Aug;25(8):612-21.
Tassorelli C, Greco R, Morazzoni P, Riva A, Sandrini G, Nappi G.
Laboratory of Pathophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, IRCCS Neurological Institute C. Mondino Foundation and University Centre for the Study of Adaptive Disorder and Headache, Pavia, Italy.
Tanacetum parthenium (TP) – also known as feverfew – has long been used as an herbal remedy for migraine.
In this study, the biological effects of different TP extracts and purified parthenolide were tested in an animal model of migraine based on neuronal activation induced by nitroglycerin.
The extract enriched in parthenolide significantly reduced nitroglycerin-induced effects in the nucleus trigeminalis caudalis. Purified parthenolide inhibited nitroglycerin-induced neuronal activation in additional brain nuclei and, significantly, the activity of NF-kB.
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Two hours after treatment, 48% of patients were pain free and another 34% had only mild headache pain.
No significant side effects were reported.
A combination of ginger and feverfew, when administered sublingualy at the mild pain phase, was found to be both safe and effective at relieving the pain and associated symptoms of migraine.
The publication:
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Med Sci Monit. 2005 Sep;11(9):PI65-9. Epub 2005 Aug 26.
Cady RK, Schreiber CP, Beach ME, Hart CC.
Clinvest, Inc., Springfield and Headache Care Center, Springfield, Missouri, USA.
BACKGROUND: Treatment of migraine headaches is often delayed due to assessing the potential severity of an evolving headache or anticipating unwanted consequences from prescription medication. Studies have demonstrated improved pain-free response when prescription treatments are taken during the mild headache phase of a migraine. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of an OTC product, GelStat Migraine, when taken in the early, mild pain phase of migraine.
RESULTS: 29 evaluable subjects completed the study, all treating at mild pain. Two hours after treatment, 48% were pain-free with 34% reporting a headache of only mild severity.
CONCLUSIONS: GelStat Migraine is effective as a first line abortive treatment for migraine when initiated early during the mild headache phase.
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Parthenolide, though previously shown to inhibit NF-kB, was shown in the study summarized below to inhibit NO production through an alternate pathway. It is likely that parthenolide (the presumptive active component of feverfew) acts by various mechanisms in the body.
The investigators conclude that parthenolide might be useful in the treatment of those conditions where excess NO is believed to play a significant role, specifically multiple sclerosis and migraine.
However, it is increasingly recognized that NO plays a key role in disease onset and progression in many conditions related to inflammation, including especially cancer, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, many autoimmune conditions, and pain itself.
The publication:
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J Neuroimmunol. 2002 Nov;132(1-2):18-24.
Fiebich BL, Lieb K, Engels S, Heinrich M.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg Medical School, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in the cause of CNS diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
Inhibition of NO synthesis has been proposed to be a possible mechanism of action of relevance in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and migraine.
Here, we investigated the effect of parthenolide on inducible NO synthase (iNOS) synthesis and NO release using primary rat microglia.
We found parthenolide to be an inhibitor of iNOS/NO synthesis and that parthenolide inhibits the activation of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), but not IkBalpha (IkappaBalpha) degradation or nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kB) p65 activation.
The data suggest that parthenolide might have a potential in the treatment of CNS diseases where NO is part of the pathophysiology.
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Results from controlled trials were mixed. The overall conclusion is that feverfew has not been shown to be better than placebo in the prevention of migraine.
No significant side effects or safety issues were identified with the use of feverfew.
The publication:
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Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(1):CD002286.
Pittler MH, Ernst E.
Department of Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter, Devon, UK, EX2 4NT.
BACKGROUND: Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L.) extract is a herbal remedy used for preventing attacks of migraine.
OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the evidence from double-blind randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the clinical efficacy and safety of feverfew versus placebo for preventing migraine.
MAIN RESULTS: Five trials (343 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Results from these trials were mixed and did not convincingly establish that feverfew is efficacious for preventing migraine. Only mild and transient adverse events were reported in the included trials.
REVIEWER’S CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence from randomised, double-blind trials to suggest an effect of feverfew over and above placebo for preventing migraine. It appears from the data reviewed that feverfew presents no major safety problems.
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After taking the feverfew extract three times a day, by the third month those migraine patients who experienced an average of 4.76 attacks per month were only experiencing 2.86 attacks per month – a decrease of 1.9 monthly migraine attacks. Whereas those on placebo only experienced a 1.3 migraine per month decrease in monthly attack frequency.
The publication:
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Cephalalgia. 2005 Nov;25(11):1031-41.
Diener HC, Pfaffenrath V, Schnitker J, Friede M, Henneicke-von Zepelin HH.
Neurologische Universitätsklinik, Essen, Germany.
The efficacy and tolerability of a CO(2)-extract of feverfew (MIG-99, 6.25 mg t.i.d.) for migraine prevention were investigated.
The primary endpoint was the average number of migraine attacks per 28 days during the treatment months 2 and 3 compared with baseline.
Safety parameters included adverse events, laboratory parameters, vital signs and physical examination.
The migraine frequency decreased from 4.76 by 1.9 attacks per month in the MIG-99 group and by 1.3 attacks in the placebo group.
MIG-99 is effective and shows a favourable benefit-risk ratio.
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Healthy bone metabolism requires a balance between osteoclasts (break down and re-absorb bone) and osteoblasts (make new bone.)
Osteoclasts – the bone destroying cells – are over-active in many disease conditions that include bone destruction (such as osteoarthritis.)
In the study summarized below, it was found that excess NF-kB activation led to osteoclast over-activity.
The authors note that the NF-kB inhibitor parthenolide (a major active component in the herb feverfew) has shown a beneficial therapeutic effect in reducing inflammation induced bone destruction in a mouse model.
It is noted that NF-kB over-activation and associated osteoclast over-activity is also seen in Paget’s disease of bone, and periodontitis.
The publication:
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Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2009 Feb;20(1):7-17. Epub 2008 Nov 28.
Xu J, Wu HF, Ang ES, Yip K, Woloszyn M, Zheng MH, Tan RX.
Centre for Orthopaedic Research, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.
Osteoclasts are responsible for bone resorption and play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of osteolytic disorders.
NF-kB is a set of nuclear factors that bind to consensus DNA sequences called kappaB sites, and is essential for osteoclast formation and survival.
NF-kappaB signalling pathways are strictly regulated to maintain bone homeostasis by cytokines such as RANKL, TNF-alpha and IL-1, which differentially regulate classical and/or alternative NF-kappaB pathways in osteoclastic cells.
Abnormal activation of NF-kappaB signalling in osteoclasts has been associated with excessive osteoclastic activity, and frequently observed in osteolytic conditions, including periprosthetic osteolysis, arthritis, Paget’s disease of bone, and periodontitis.
NF-kappaB modulators such as parthenolide and NEMO-binding domain peptide demonstrate therapeutic effects on inflammation-induced bone destruction in mouse models.
Unravelling the structure and function of NF-kappaB pathways in osteoclasts and other cell types will be important in developing new strategies for treatments of bone diseases
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The publication:
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Nihon Rinsho Meneki Gakkai Kaishi. 2009 Apr;32(2):71-6.
Tomita T, Kunugiza Y, Nomura K, Morimoto D, Kuroda S, Yoshikawa H.
Department of Orthopaedics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
Recent progress in DNA technologies has provided the strategies to regulate the transcription of disease-related genes.
The concept of regulation the disease related gene expression at the level of transcriptional factor may be more therapeutic compared with other therapies.
Inhibiting NF-kB in an affected joint resulted in marked suppression of joint destruction, with a great reduction in inflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinase production from stimulated synovial cells derived from rheumatoid arthritis patients.
NF-kB inhibition inhibited bone destruction.
Parthenolide is one of the main sesquiterpense lactones responsible for the bioactivities of feverfew and recently reported to inhibit NF-kB activation. Parthenolide has eliminated joint destruction in experimental animal model.
Based upon these findings, NF-kB may be an important therapeutic target for arthritis
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The publication:
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Ann Neurol. 2002 Apr;51(4):507-16.
Reuter U, Chiarugi A, Bolay H, Moskowitz MA
Nitric oxide (NO) generated from inducible NO synthase (iNOS) participates in immune and inflammatory responses in many tissues.
Because inflammation and iNOS are potential therapeutic targets, we examined transcriptional regulation of iNOS.
iNOS expression is preceded by significant nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity.
NF-kappaB activation, and iNOS expression were attenuated by parthenolide (3mg/kg), the active constituent of feverfew, an anti-inflammatory drug used for migraine treatment.
We conclude, based on results with this animal model, that blockade of NF-kappaB activity provides a novel transcriptional target for the development of anti-migraine drugs.
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Comments:
The authors specifically mention feverfew, and its proposed active ingredient parthenolide.
But what’s important is not the specific plant or molecule. What’s important is the inhibition of NF-kB.
The authors set forth one means by which NF-kB inhibition might favorably effect migraine: a reduction in iNOS. That mechanism may be significant, but the time course is wrong to the extent that a several hour delay between inhibition (or stimulation) and migraine effect is noted.
My experience with migraine suggests that by inhibiting inflammation – through whatever means – the effect on migraine is immediate – within minutes.
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