Know2eat

Feverfew

Tanacetum parthenium

Herbs & Botanicals

What feverfew may help with

Ranked by how strong the human evidence is — best supported first.

Best supportedCognitive functionNot enough evidence· 3 sources

Then, in order

About Feverfew

A daisy-family leaf preparation standardised to parthenolide, taken to reduce migraine frequency. Sold as dried leaf, standardised extract or a carbon-dioxide extract.

Feverfew is one of the older herbal migraine remedies with genuine randomised trials, and the results split by preparation: dried leaf trials were mostly positive, while a stable carbon-dioxide extract produced mixed results and the largest review concluded the evidence is not convincing. Parthenolide content varies enormously across products, and some tested products contain none.

Sold as
Dried leaf capsule, Standardised extract, CO2 extract, Tincture, Fresh leaf
Standardised to
Commonly 0.2–0.7% parthenolide — a product without this marker may not resemble what was studied.
Also known as
Bachelor’s buttons, Featherfew, Chrysanthemum parthenium

What the research used

The amounts, forms and durations published trials of Feverfew actually administered.

These are the amounts published trials administered — not a recommendation, and not a dose to copy. Trial participants were screened, supervised and given a characterised preparation. What is in a retail bottle is frequently not what was studied, and the amount that suits one person is not general advice.

  • Studied for Migraine frequency

    50–143 mg

    Limited

    Dried leaf or standardised extract, daily · Trials specified 0.2–0.6% parthenolide, or 6.25 mg of a CO2 extract three times daily · 2–6 months

    The trials that worked best used dried leaf; extracts standardised on parthenolide alone performed less consistently, which suggests parthenolide may not be the whole story. Effects take months, not days.

This is general information about food, not medical advice. It cannot diagnose, treat or replace guidance from a clinician who knows your history.

When it was taken

Each window says whether a trial compared it against an alternative, or whether it is convention and pharmacology. Most timing advice is the second kind.

None of the timings below were directly compared in a trial. They reflect how the research happened to dose, or what the pharmacology implies — which is not the same as a timing being better.

  • Any time

    Not enough

    Taken daily as prophylaxis rather than at the onset of a headache. Trials did not compare times of day.

    Timing was not directly compared. This reflects convention or how the compound behaves in the body, not a trial showing this window works better.

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Not enough

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how promising the supplement sounds. How we rate evidence.

Cognitive function

Brain & Cognitive Health
Not enough evidence

Evidence is limited for feverfew and migraine frequency, and there is no dependable research on other neurological outcomes. Reviews of the migraine trials describe the results as inconsistent across preparations and not convincing overall.

Not enough evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

View the 3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Inflammatory markers

Inflammation
Not enough evidence

There is not enough human research to say feverfew changes inflammatory markers. Parthenolide inhibits NF-κB in cell models, which is where that idea comes from.

Not enough evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

View the 1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Things to know

Interactions, contraindications and dose limits, most serious first. Concentrated extracts interact with medication in ways the whole plant does not, so this section carries more weight here than it does on a food page.

  • Worth knowing

    Post-feverfew syndrome on stopping abruptly

    Long-term users who stop suddenly have reported rebound headache, anxiety, poor sleep, muscle stiffness and joint pain. Tapering rather than stopping abruptly is the usual advice.

  • Interaction

    Bleeding risk

    Interacts withWarfarin, direct oral anticoagulants, aspirin, antiplatelet drugs

    Feverfew inhibits platelet aggregation and is routinely listed among herbs to stop one to two weeks before surgery. It should not be combined casually with warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants or aspirin.

  • Avoid

    Pregnancy

    Feverfew is a documented uterine stimulant with traditional use to bring on labour. It should not be used in pregnancy.

  • Allergy

    Asteraceae allergy and mouth ulcers

    Chewing fresh leaves commonly causes mouth ulceration and tongue swelling. People allergic to ragweed, chamomile or chrysanthemum may react to any form.

  • Worth knowing

    Parthenolide content is unreliable

    Independent analyses have found retail feverfew products with parthenolide far below label claim, and some with none detectable.

Evidence ratings on this page: 2 not enough evidence.

Supplements are sold in the US without pre-market review of efficacy or safety. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to take Feverfew, or a dose to follow.