Botanical Index No. 175

Butterbur

petasites hybridus (l.) p. gaertn. et al. and p. officinalis moench

Medicinal Actions

Analgesic, Antiinflammatory, Antileukotriene, Antilithic, Antimigraine, Antispasmodic, Antiulcer, Aquaretic, Carcinogenic, Cardiotonic, Cytoprotective, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Hepatotoxic, Mutagenic, Sedative, Stimulant, Teratogenic, Tonic, Colic

Primary Conditions Treated

Aperitif Dysuria Vermifuge Adenopathy Agitation Anorexia Asthma Backache Bladder Stone Bronchosis Cancer Cholecystosis Cold Cough Cramp Dysmenorrhea Dyspnea Enterosis Fever Gastrosis Headache Hepatosis Hoarseness Inflammation Insomnia Kidney Stone Migraine Nervousness Neuralgia Pain Pancreatosis Pertussis Plague Psychasthenia Respirosis Sore Sore Throat Stone Stress Ulcer Uterosis UTI Water Retention Worm Wound

General Dosage

4.5–7 g/day dry herb; 1.2–2 g powdered herb/cup water, 2–3 ×/day. “Teas should not be used”.

Safety & Contraindications

Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Not recommended due to PAs and sesquiterpene lactones. Daily dose should not exceed 1 µg PAs; do not dose more than 4–6 weeks a year. Botanically similar to Tussilago farfara. Adequate data about PA content not available. PAs are toxic to humans, with liver damage with cirrhosis and ascites, or seneciosis, or veno-occlusive disease reported in almost all cases of severe or fatal intoxications, from intakes of 0.5–3.3 mg/kg. Commission E reports all plant parts contain hepatotoxic, genotoxic, and carcinogenic PAs. Contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation. Gruenwald makes the following contradictory statements, back-to-back, first his template, “No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction with the proper administration of designated therapeutic dosages.” Then, the conflicting statement, “One should entirely forgo any administration of the drug, due to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids with hepatotoxic and carcinogenic effects in the parts of the plant above ground, as even mere traces of the alkaloids present a danger”.

!