Stack Genius ingredient guide
Feverfew
A daisy-family herb (Tanacetum parthenium) standardized to parthenolide and used historically for headache-related traditions.
Overview
Feverfew is a small, aromatic daisy-family plant (Tanacetum parthenium) with feathery leaves and tiny white-and-yellow flowers. It has a long folk history in European herbal traditions, and the leaves — the part used in supplements — carry a bitter, camphor-like taste that lingers if you chew them fresh.
The compound most brands standardize to is parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone concentrated in the leaves. Parthenolide content can vary widely between wild-collected material and cultivated lines, which is why the studied products are typically defined extracts guaranteeing a minimum percentage rather than plain ground herb.
In finished products you will see feverfew as capsules of standardized extract, as leaf powder, and occasionally in combination formulas alongside butterbur, magnesium, or riboflavin in headache-focused stacks.
Key takeaways
- Feverfew is standardized to parthenolide, and different extracts can differ substantially in parthenolide content.
- It is most often used within headache-management routines rather than as an acute rescue.
- Chewing fresh leaves can cause mouth ulcers, which is one reason capsules dominate.
Practical guidance
What to know before adding Feverfew
Evidence snapshot
Randomized trials of feverfew in migraine sit on the older side and have used different extract chemistries, which is a big reason the overall evidence is mixed rather than conclusive. Standardized CO2 extracts tend to show more consistent signals than plain leaf. The most defensible framing is that feverfew is a traditional headache herb with some supportive but heterogeneous modern data.
What to look for on the label
A useful label names Tanacetum parthenium, the plant part (leaf), the extract ratio or solvent (for example, supercritical CO2), and a parthenolide percentage or milligram guarantee. Products that list only 'feverfew 400 mg' with no standardization say very little about actual activity, since parthenolide varies dramatically between growing conditions.
What makes a better product
Better feverfew products publish the extraction method, guarantee a minimum parthenolide content (often 0.2–0.7% depending on the extract), and separate feverfew from other actives so the dose is legible. Capsules protect the mouth from direct contact with the herb, and dark packaging helps preserve the light-sensitive sesquiterpene lactones.
Watch-outs
Feverfew is in the aster/daisy family, so people with ragweed, chamomile, or chrysanthemum sensitivities can react to it. Direct contact with fresh leaves is a well-documented cause of mouth ulcers. Stopping abruptly after long-term use has been described as producing a rebound of headache and joint stiffness, so tapering rather than quitting cold is a smart plan.
Dosing & Timing
Studied doses of standardized feverfew extracts commonly land around 50–150 mg per day, with parthenolide intake in the 250–500 microgram range depending on the extract. Feverfew is generally used daily as a background botanical over weeks to months rather than as an acute-onset intervention. Taking it with food reduces the chance of stomach upset.
Safety and interaction context
Common side effects are mild: GI upset, mouth irritation from leaf material, and rare allergic reactions in people sensitive to the daisy/ragweed family. Anticoagulants, antiplatelet drugs, surgery planning, and pregnancy are the main caution contexts.
Sources
- NCCIH — Herbs at a GlanceBotanical standardization and safety framework.
- MedlinePlus — Dietary SupplementsConsumer-facing supplement literacy resource.
- PubMed CentralEntry point for feverfew review literature.
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